JohnD
Well-Known Member
I look forward to the effect at night. None of us know what it will look like during the day yet. I prefer to wait and see instead of the default doom and gloom that tends to prevail around here.
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EPCOT New Park Entrance coming to Epcot
- Thread starter wdwmagic
- Start date
Architectural lighting evolves along with society and technology.
There’s a new office building that just went up here that has a very prominent color-changing LED lighting package. I think it’s a little over the top, for an office building, but then again it’s just copying what we’re seeing on city skylines the world over right now. Bold color contrasts, effect lighting, and projection mapping are all very common today... even on historical, religious, and ‘architecturally important’ structures.
We can argue if the lighting on Cinderella Castle looked ‘better’ in 1980 or 2020, but I think almost anyone could agree that the representative lighting design in both years felt very much a part of their eras while staying true to the structure.
SSE has always been its own retro-future thing and since it’s never had a notable update in its nighttime ‘look’ I can understand the hesitation to fully accept this. I’m a little on the fence myself, actually, but I’m interested to see how it plays out. My gut instinct is that the 1982 lighting design is timeless, and that this look will feel dated in 5 years... but that’s just my opinion. I don’t think EPCOT needs to stay stuck in 1982 design language, but I’m also concerned that putting in some strobes and color changing washes is a little ‘late to the party’ in 2021. It’s a tough call, honestly, but I respect that they’re trying not to stay stagnant with the structure.
There’s a new office building that just went up here that has a very prominent color-changing LED lighting package. I think it’s a little over the top, for an office building, but then again it’s just copying what we’re seeing on city skylines the world over right now. Bold color contrasts, effect lighting, and projection mapping are all very common today... even on historical, religious, and ‘architecturally important’ structures.
We can argue if the lighting on Cinderella Castle looked ‘better’ in 1980 or 2020, but I think almost anyone could agree that the representative lighting design in both years felt very much a part of their eras while staying true to the structure.
SSE has always been its own retro-future thing and since it’s never had a notable update in its nighttime ‘look’ I can understand the hesitation to fully accept this. I’m a little on the fence myself, actually, but I’m interested to see how it plays out. My gut instinct is that the 1982 lighting design is timeless, and that this look will feel dated in 5 years... but that’s just my opinion. I don’t think EPCOT needs to stay stuck in 1982 design language, but I’m also concerned that putting in some strobes and color changing washes is a little ‘late to the party’ in 2021. It’s a tough call, honestly, but I respect that they’re trying not to stay stagnant with the structure.
Goofyernmost
Well-Known Member
I’m a long way from a doom & gloom person. I just don’t take kindly to anyone saying that I have no taste. SSE is more than just an attraction it is a masterpiece in engineering. Adding show lights will cheapen it in my mind. I may even like the night show just not the gaudines.
EPCOTCenterLover
Well-Known Member
I'm sure it will line up with the thousand points of light and the story inside, urging us each to make a difference.
Bocabear
Well-Known Member
Being a commercial designer and lighting designer I have wondered for years why they did not do this long ago... The lights will fit in a natural junction of the structural lines... They are small enough they will basically disappear unless you are specifically looking for them, and at night they will add some kinetic energy to the monument... I am sure they will not be on all the time but limited show sequences, and then they are not lit, they will pretty much disappear... They should not cheapen, but enhance the structural and sculptural beauty of Spaceship earth...
Like I said before, this with the restoration of the Entrance Plaza are actually a real enhancements...the rest of what they are doing with Communicore and the park in general are questionable.
Like I said before, this with the restoration of the Entrance Plaza are actually a real enhancements...the rest of what they are doing with Communicore and the park in general are questionable.
lasers
TrainsOfDisney
Well-Known Member
I thought it was fine for the millennium celebration.
WillWrambles
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
It’s nice to hear the opinion of someone who actually has experience in this area. If you think it’s gonna work, than it probably will.
TrainsOfDisney
Well-Known Member
I’m a theatrical LD not commercial / structural but I’m a bit skeptical. Hopefully I won’t mind it when I see it in person.
Brenthodge
Well-Known Member
That would give a totally different effect. I hope you’re being sarcastic.
maxairmike
Well-Known Member
After a quick thought...I actually really like that idea as part of a show sequence, but not the only option. Maybe thin LED strip fixtures around the edges of groups of panels would stick out less than these new fixtures while offering a similar quality of light, allowing the "point" lights to be recessed? If you want to light sections of panels precisely that's about the only other thing I can think of, but I'm not a lighting guy.
Goofyernmost
Well-Known Member
In spite of what some think, I haven't ruled out the possibility of a spectacular night show. I have, however, concern about the daytime alteration of such a great creation. If they do it and I don't really notice any difference with the outside appearance during the daylight then I will probably be OK with it. But, I'm not sure how that will happen, I am hopeful.
WhatTheDisney94
Active Member
They were chosen because of their height, it gives Spaceship Earth the illusion of more height because the palms are pointing upwards like vertical arrows.
The one improvement here, is that the LED device could have been painted black, with a set of 3 or 4 small lensed emitters on the front of it.
From a distance, you wouldn't notice the new "Dotted" effects at the edge of the panels in the day time as the black would blend in with the current black "hub" sections... but at night you'd see the LED color effects just fine.
From a distance, you wouldn't notice the new "Dotted" effects at the edge of the panels in the day time as the black would blend in with the current black "hub" sections... but at night you'd see the LED color effects just fine.
Sir_Cliff
Well-Known Member
Despite all this discussion, we really don't know how in/visible these things will be so it's a bit hard to praise or condemn them yet.
Hopefully they do end up being largely invisible during the day and result in a great improvement to the illumination of SSE in the evening. Considering what's going on just behind SSE, though, I think we also have cause to be sceptical that WDI has gone above and beyond to make sure daytime views are not being sacrificed in the service of an impressive nighttime show.
Hopefully they do end up being largely invisible during the day and result in a great improvement to the illumination of SSE in the evening. Considering what's going on just behind SSE, though, I think we also have cause to be sceptical that WDI has gone above and beyond to make sure daytime views are not being sacrificed in the service of an impressive nighttime show.
It's totally going to be noticeable and standout. Totally unlike how the current junctures are completely invisible...
The red is the overlay of the top photo matching panel size.
The red is the overlay of the top photo matching panel size.
Sir_Cliff
Well-Known Member
Again, who knows whether it will look the same, better, or worse after these are installed.
I think, though, lights visibly bolted onto the structure would look worse than what you're circling. If they are visible as such...
Can you see the mounted light in the second picture to even compare?