Walt Disney Imaginations Competition
Environment design, Fall 2016
Overview
"Our parks, resorts, cruise ships and entertainment venues are designed to be places for families and friends to gather and create memories together. Beyond the attractions, restaurants, shows and parades, our parks and resorts include outdoor spaces that are functional yet invite guests to pause and enjoy the time in between their activities. We challenge you to apply some of our same design principles to create a new outdoor space within your college or university that addresses current students, faculty and visitors needs while providing a respite from the stresses of college life." - Project prompt
Early on in the Fall semester of 2016, I joined a team who was interested in entering the Disney Imagineering Competition. Over the course of two and a half months, we researched, brainstormed, iterated and fleshed out a concept for a rest space on our CMU campus. We named it "The Den" and designed it to be a welcoming, constant presence on campus with varying degrees of privacy.
Spaces tell a multitude of stories. Some hold special places in our hearts; they bring back memories, emotions, dreams, and experiences–things that have shaped us into who we are. As children, many of us create our first special spaces to escape to that act as stages or safe havens around the places we grow up in. But as we grow up and leave these places, do we develop new ones? Or do we lose our childhood havens, our castles and tree houses, and all that we build around these magical sites? Though we move onto different stages in our lives, we all have an intrinsic need of a constant space in our journey of change. For many, the experience of being at a university is a major departure from the environment we have come to know. The Den is a place to rediscover the timeless wonder of our childhood havens and serves as an anchor for our guests throughout their college journey.
Semifinalist Entry
Teammates: Judy Han, Jackie Kang, Adriel Luo
Role: Concept Developer/Designer, Illustrator
The Den
The main entrance is a gradual sloped tunnel, which narrows our guests’ perspective and removes the familiar sights of campus. As you emerge from the tunnel into the space, The Den comes into view bathed in natural light which reinforces the feelings of excitement upon entering a magical space.
Space Overview
A campus-wide survey was conducted to gain an understanding of what was lacking or could be improved in terms of available spaces on campus. We discovered that among the many qualities of a resting space, noise and light were ranked to be the most important. We observed all the outdoor spaces on campus and realized that while they were numerous, they were largely ignored because they were so scattered and isolated from the rest of campus. This finding was further reinforced from our survey–many felt there was a lack of outdoor spaces. The Den is centrally located under a sloped field on campus and easily accessible from all academic buildings. We wanted to build underground because we did not want to obstruct any views of our campus. Because our university is located in an area that experiences all four seasons, an underground structure would help retain heat during the winter months and also help with noise abatement.
The Caldera
At the center of our space sits The Caldera, a small amphitheater that is designed to be adaptable to various climate conditions and serves as a communal hub for our guests to relax in the open air. A bonfire is The Den's centerpiece, and it keeps guests warm in the winter. A single track system of sliding glass panels that are hung from the top can be used to enclose the space during the winter months. Because the system makes use of a pivoting hinge, these panels can be easily arranged and lock into place at the base. They can be stored away when not in use. This solidworks drawing was done by Judy, and it shows how the panels would round the corner as they unfold to cover the Caldera.
The Nook
The Nooks teleport our guests to a place that gives them the freedom to explore and let their minds wander. Its walls serve as panoramic screens onto which different environments can be projected–the environment is controlled with a dial in the middle of the table. Possible environments include a rainforest, a desert, a cityscape, a park bench, etc. Guests can also upload their own 360° environment maps through a website that is connected to the projection system of each nook.
The Cave
The Cave gives guests a space to express their feelings about anything they’d like whether it’s their first or hundredth time in the space. Our guests are encouraged to reflect on their lives and to understand that all the ups and downs in our lives are part of the journey. No matter what point our guests are at in their lives, The Den is a safe space - a special haven that our guests can to return to time and time again. Guests can enter their current mood (one of the preset basic moods) in one of the screens on the side of the table, and as they log their moods, the wall fills up with lights. Along with their moods, guests can choose to include text or a picture that shows up on the screen in the middle of the table.
The Finale
Each night after sunset, the entire space dims in preparation for the release of emotions. This spectacular is a reflection of all the people who have visited the Den and a commemoration to all the valuable experiences our guests have had during their time at the university.
Final thoughts
Throughout the process, I did a lot of drawing and sketching to help us visualize what our space could look like. For the final, I took it upon myself to do the illustrations, since I had a pretty clear image in my head of how I wanted things to look. Judy led our team through the entire process and was our architectural and mechanical designer. Jackie wrote the content for and designed the slides. Adriel took care of investigating the feasibility of our technical proposals and helped with writing as well. I loved working with this team, and I'm super proud of how far we came!
The project was conceived by the Carnegie Mellon University Team and created for the 2017 Walt Disney Imagineering’s Imaginations Design Competition. This project is the sole property of Walt Disney Imagineering and all rights to use these ideas are exclusive to Walt Disney Imagineering. The competition is a way for students and recent graduates to showcase their talents and for Walt Disney Imagineering to identify new talent.