Architectural authenticity at World Showcase

[Heppenheimer]

This made me go look at it for the first time. What a monstrosity. It's obvious which architects/imagineers knew more about proportion, balance, scale, nuance, subtlety, etc. The one on the right is the Disney castle version of a McMansion. Authenticity aside, it's a poor, sloppy design that looks haphazardly thrown together. And, to return to the original topic, the same can be said of the creperie and other design missteps at WDW.View attachment 367524

When I look at Storybook Castle, my immediate impression was that they took the same kitchen-sink approach as with Wawel Cathedral in Krakow:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wawel_Cathedral#/media/File:Wawel_katedra2.jpg

That tower on the right even looks like it was directly inspired by the chapels on Wawel.

There also seem to be bastardized elements from Fredericksborg Slot and Rosenborg Slot in Denmark:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frede...a/File:Frederiksborg_Castle_and_boat_crop.jpg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosenborg_Castle#/media/File:Rosenborg_cph.jpg

 

[Missing20K]

This made me go look at it for the first time. What a monstrosity. It's obvious which architects/imagineers knew more about proportion, balance, scale, nuance, subtlety, etc. The one on the right is the Disney castle version of a McMansion. Authenticity aside, it's a poor, sloppy design that looks haphazardly thrown together. And, to return to the original topic, the same can be said of the creperie and other design missteps at WDW.View attachment 367524

I could be mistaken, but wasn't there a mandate from Shanghai that their castle be the largest, tallest, and most ostentatious of all the existing Disney castles?

Not dismissing the poor execution, however.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

View attachment 367524

Again, I feel I must apologise for not responding to others who have responded to me as the 'real world' sadly is very busy these days.

I just wanted to say thanks for posting these images of Cinderella and Storybook castles side by side, though. Firstly, it shows Imagineering at its peak versus Imagineering that looks like a poor copy of Imagineering. The comparison further really shows how the attention to detail that sometimes seems to be lacking nowadays has had the potential to lift Disney theme parks to a whole new level. Secondly, it reminds me of how difficult I have found it to be even interested in SDL. It seems that there are some nice parts to the park and great attractions, but nothing about it looks or feels like a Disney park to me based on what I have seen. It appears the outside world is clearly visible from several points, there are poor sight lines all over the place, and relatively little thought given to how it all fits together. In other words, it seems like a good non-Disney theme park.

 

[LittleBuford]

In other words, it seems like a good non-Disney theme park.

A contradiction in terms, dear sir!

 

[LittleBuford]

This thread comes out of a discussion about theming that started in the thread about the new crêperie at the France pavilion. Some of those involved, especially @lazyboy97o, argued that the concept art for the new restaurant contravened a number of French architectural norms, resulting in a bad design out of keeping with earlier Epcot standards. While I agree that the design falls a little flat, I also think it should be acknowledged that World Showcase has always been full of architectural hodgepodges and aberrations that defy the rules of real-world architecture. To be clear, this isn't a dig at the Epoct/EPCOT of old, nor is it a whataboutism in defence of today's Epcot; on the contrary, I believe that what makes the art of theming so special is precisely the fact that it deviates from our actual world even as it evokes it. Half the fun is seeing something familiar reinterpreted in fantastical yet convincing terms. World Showcase is just this type of persuasive fiction.

I was asked to provide some pictures demonstrating the kinds of architectural "mistakes" I'm talking about. I'll keep my examples to those pavilions that deal with the traditions I know best, but others should feel free to add further images.


American Adventure

This one I already discussed in the crêperie thread:

The Ionic column capitals here are perpendicular to the architrave, when they should run parallel with it, as they do at the Jefferson Memorial:

Today during a visit to Burlington, I finally found another example of “misoriented” Ionic column capitals:

This is the door of a historical house built around 1845. I found some information about the property online but am reluctant to share the link given that it’s a private residence. The source notes the unusualness of the sideways columns, which are described as being “different from what is seen on other Greek Revival houses in Burlington.”

 

[clarabellej]

Today during a visit to Burlington, I finally found another example of “misoriented” Ionic column capitals:

View attachment 381763

This is the door of a historical house built in around 1845. I found some information on the property online but am reluctant to share a link given that it’s a private residence. The source notes the unusualness of the sideways columns, which are described as being “different from what is seen on other Greek Revival houses in Burlington.”

I guess this just goes to show, people made boo-boos even back in the day. Reminds me of my daughter, who as a teenager insisted on installing crown molding (moulding?) in her room by herself and she put it in upside down. She has since moved on and her younger sister occupies the room and the molding is still wrong. I think Epcot is definitely tongue in cheek, but still a fun offering of the real World. Hopefully everyone gets a chance to see the real deal.

 

[LittleBuford]

Sorry for reviving an old thread, but I came across the following this evening:

American Adventure, The - D23

The American Adventure - Attraction in World Showcase at Epcot which celebrates the American spirit, from its earliest days right up to the present.

d23.com

The relevant passage:

“If you want to catch an architectural mistake, take a look at the columns in the rotunda. Their capitals have been placed on them sideways.“

A Google search allowed me to trace these words back to the following source:

Whether the characterisation is accurate or not (the issue was hotly debated in this thread), it’s interesting to note that Disney’s “official” position—authored by none other than the founder of Walt Disney Archives—is that the unconventionally oriented column capitals are simply an error.

On Dave Smith, who passed away last year:

Remembering Dave Smith - The Walt Disney Company

Walt Disney Archives founder Dave Smith passed away in Burbank, California, on February 15, 2019. He was 78. Dave dedicated his four-decade career at …Read More

thewaltdisneycompany.com

 

[castlecake2.0]

Sorry for reviving an old thread, but I came across the following this evening:

American Adventure, The - D23

The American Adventure - Attraction in World Showcase at Epcot which celebrates the American spirit, from its earliest days right up to the present.

d23.com

The relevant passage:

“If you want to catch an architectural mistake, take a look at the columns in the rotunda. Their capitals have been placed on them sideways.“

A Google search allowed me to trace these words back to the following source:

View attachment 500298

Whether the characterisation is accurate or not (the issue was hotly debated in this thread), it’s interesting to note that Disney’s “official” position—authored by none other than the founder of Walt Disney Archives—is that the unconventionally oriented column capitals are simply an error.

On Dave Smith, who passed away last year:

Remembering Dave Smith - The Walt Disney Company

Walt Disney Archives founder Dave Smith passed away in Burbank, California, on February 15, 2019. He was 78. Dave dedicated his four-decade career at …Read More

thewaltdisneycompany.com

I’ll never unsee this now, they’re definitely facing the wrong way.

 

[Heppenheimer]

Today during a visit to Burlington, I finally found another example of “misoriented” Ionic column capitals:

View attachment 381763

This is the door of a historical house built around 1845. I found some information about the property online but am reluctant to share the link given that it’s a private residence. The source notes the unusualness of the sideways columns, which are described as being “different from what is seen on other Greek Revival houses in Burlington.”

Btw, which "Burlington" is this? Vermont? Ontario?

 

[trainplane3]

I’ll never unsee this now, they’re definitely facing the wrong way.View attachment 500308View attachment 500308View attachment 500309

Slightly better quality here:

And the 360* image for anyone that wants to see it for themself:

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

www.google.com

 

[LittleBuford]

Btw, which "Burlington" is this? Vermont? Ontario?

Vermont. Sorry for not being clearer!

 

[Robbiem]

I know its from a way back but the tea shop from the first post always reminds me of Anne Hathaway’s cottage (Shakespeare’s wife not the actress).

A lot of world showcase in an interesting blend of replicated buildings from the host countries and more evocative buildings in their style.

 

[LittleBuford]

I’ll never unsee this now, they’re definitely facing the wrong way.View attachment 500308View attachment 500308View attachment 500309

Of that there’s no doubt. The debate centred on whether the Imagineers knew what they were doing or not. My stance was that they made a conscious mistake, deliberately breaking a well-established rule in order to create something original and quirky. Others would not countenance such maverick behaviour from the Imagineers of the past and argued that the misoriented capitals must be referring to some specific historical model that we had yet to identify. It seems the truth may be rather more mundane than either of these explanations.

 

[castlecake2.0]

Of that there’s no doubt. The debate centred on whether the Imagineers knew what they were doing or not. My stance was that they made a conscious mistake, deliberately breaking a well-established rule in order to create something original and quirky. Others would not countenance such maverick behaviour from the Imagineers of the past and argued that the misoriented capitals must be referring to some specific historical model that we had yet to identify. It seems the truth may be rather more mundane than either of these explanations.

I feel like they got halfway through installing them and went oh @#*%!

 

[LittleBuford]

I feel like they got halfway through installing them and went oh @#*%!

This made me chuckle.

However the mistake came about, I’m ultimately grateful for it. The result is a completely idiosyncratic colonnade unique to WDW.