Tag: disney | ArchDaily

A Picture Worth a Thousand Pixels: Turning Disneyland Paris into a Canvas

Kiana Buchberger — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 06:45:00 +0000

In highly-curated environments such as Disneyland Paris, architecture operates under a different set of expectations. Buildings are not only required to perform, they must also communicate, often instantly. Within this context, the facade becomes a visual marker that can serve as a threshold, mediating light, air, and perception. One strategy that has gained traction in this setting is the use of semi-opaque envelope systems. Neither fully transparent nor entirely enclosed, these facade systems introduce depth and variability.

Beyond the Animation: Studio Ghibli and Disney’s Approach to Child-Centric Theme Park Design

Moises Carrasco — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 04:00:00 +0000

When it comes to designing for a child's imagination, the architectural landscape presents two different philosophies. Disneyland and Studio Ghibli, both masters of imaginative storytelling, represent this core division. Their approaches, far from being accidental, reflect different views on how children experience and engage with space. One provides a spectacle of constructed fantasy, while the other offers a landscape for potential magic. These two models present architects with a fundamental choice for tackling these sorts of projects: to design spaces that cater to children's innate need for sensory and personal discovery, or to create a fantasy that appeals to their growing ability to understand narratives and more complex spaces.

Dystopian Disneyland: The Story Behind Turkey’s Castle Ghost Town

Camilla Ghisleni — Wed, 26 Jun 2024 07:30:00 +0000

Most of us have probably imagined living in a castle at some point, whether during childhood, enchanted by fairy tales, or as adults studying European monarchies. Considering this fascination, what would you think if you had the chance to buy your castle? In mid-2014, you could make that dream a reality in Turkey for just $370,000. Each luxurious 325-square-meter castle came complete with blue turrets and spiral staircases. The only catch? Your castle would be one of 731 identical ones. But who cares about exclusivity when you have the chance to live in a Disney fairy tale?

Beautiful, Functional, and Romantic: Spiral Staircases in Paris

James Wormald — Wed, 24 Apr 2024 07:30:00 +0000

Whether rising to the highest room of the tallest tower in a Disney-esque castle, giving an admirer the chance to confess their love on an apartment building fire escape, or connecting a basement or attic room with a decorative period feature, there’s something unavoidably romantic about spiral staircases. But there’s more function behind these coiling forms than just their good looks.

Walt Disney World Announces Construction Of Affordable Housing in Florida, USA

Paula Cano — Fri, 09 Dec 2022 04:30:00 +0000

Community development proposals in Disney World come from back days. One of Walt Disney's last visionary projects was the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow (EPCOT), a center for American enterprise and urban living. Disney advocated that the problems of cities were the most critical issues facing society and planned a city that could develop in a controlled manner, contrary to the urban expansion in the USA during the first half of the last century. After Disney died in 1966, the "EPCOT" concept was abandoned as the company was uncertain about the feasibility of operating a city. Fifty- five years later, after a thorough search, Walt Disney World chose The Michaels Organization for its experience in building and managing attainable housing communities.

EPCOT: Walt Disney's New Urbanist City

Ankitha Gattupalli — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 07:30:00 +0000

Beneath the Spaceship Earth geodesic sphere and the display of world cultures that symbolize Disney World’s EPCOT lies the buried vision for a utopian city. The original EPCOT - a community built around innovation - was one of Walt Disney’s last visionary projects. Bothered by haphazard urban sprawl, Disney had bold ideas for an urban fabric that would drive progress in the USA. The “Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow” was Walt Disney’s antidote to the decay of American cities.

From Gardens to Rollercoasters: A Brief History of Amusement Parks

Kaley Overstreet — Tue, 26 Jul 2022 04:00:00 +0000

Throughout history, humans have always craved a sense of thrill and an affinity for different forms of entertainment and attraction at all different scales and sizes. Theme parks have continuously evolved, as society redefines what it means to be entertained, and have transformed from evening strolls into physics-defying twists and turns on state-of-the-art rollercoasters.

Disney Proposes "Magic in the Californian Desert" with New Mixed-Use Communities Project

Dima Stouhi — Mon, 21 Feb 2022 06:30:00 +0000

Disney, the multinational entertainment and media conglomerate announced its new addition to its Signature Experiences Program. Titled "Cotino", part of its new Storyliving by Disney venture, the master plan is Disney's first master-planned community project, and will feature distinctly-designed housing units and neighborhoods, along with commercial and civic amenities and man-made beaches in the heart of Rancho Mirage, California's Coachella Valley.

Drone Flyover Shows Construction Progress on Disney's Star Wars Theme Parks

Patrick Lynch — Mon, 12 Mar 2018 16:20:00 +0000

Construction is well underway on Disney’s much anticipated Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge theme parks planned for both Disney World in Florida and Disneyland, California.

Disney Unveils Plans for "Immersive" Star Wars Resort and New Theme Park Animation

Patrick Lynch — Mon, 17 Jul 2017 12:25:00 +0000

At the D23 Expo this past weekend, Disney announced plans for a new Star Wars hotel and resort at the Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, and revealed an animation of the upcoming Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge theme park that will bring the beloved galaxy into the present and not-so-far-away.