Designing Disney's Theme Parks

FromthedayitopenedinJuly1955，inaneventgivenliveTVcoverage，DisneylandhasbeenakeysymbolofcontemporaryAmericanculture.Ithasbeenbothcelebratedandattackedastheultimateembodimentofconsumersociety，aharbingerofshopping-mallculture，asymbolofAmericanhegemonyinentertainment，theepitomeoffantasy，simulation，pastiche，andtheblurringofdistinctionsbetweenrealityandmass-mediaimagery.YetforallthepowerofDisneylandasmetaphor，almostnoonehasdiscussedthemakingofthisuniqueplace，withitsfar-flungcoloniesinFlorida，Japan，andFrance.WrittentoaccompanyanexhibitionattheCanadianCentreforArchitectureinMontreal，DesigningDisney'sThemeParks：TheArchitectureofReassuranceisthefirstbooktolookbeyondthemultiplemythsofDisneyland.Unitingarosterofauthorschosenfromwide-rangingdisciplines，thisstudyisthefirsttoexaminetheinfluenceofDisneylandonbothourbuiltenvironmentandourarchitecturalimagination.TracingtherelationshipoftheDisneyparkstotheirhistoricalforbears，itchartsDisneyland'sevolutionfromoneman'spersonaldreamtoamultinationalenterprise，aprocessinwhichtheDisney"magic"hasmovedeverclosertotherealworld.EditorKaralAnnMarling，ProfessorofArtHistoryandAmericanStudiesattheUniversityofMinnesota，drawsuponherpioneeringworkintheDisneyarchivestoreconstructandanalyzetheintentionsandstrategiesbehindtheparks.SheisjoinedbyMartySklar，ViceChairmanandPrincipalCreativeExecutiveofWaltDisneyImagineering，historianNeilHarris，arthistorianErikaDoss，geographerYi-FuTuan，criticGreilMarcus，andarchitectFrankGehrytoprovideauniqueperspectiveononeofthegreatpost-warAmericanicons.