See the Amazing Concepts that Won Imagineering's ... - D23

The late Disney Legend and Imagineering executive Marty Sklar started Walt Disney Imagineering's Imaginations Design Competition in 1991 to ... Home /News /D23Exclusive /SeetheAmazingConceptsthatWonImagineering’s... ByBethDeitchman HaveyoueverdreamedofbeinganImagineer?Formorethan25years,WaltDisneyImagineeringhasgivencollegestudentstheopportunitytodesigninnovativeandentertainingprojects,presentthemtoImagineeringexecutives,andenjoyalookbehindthemagicatImagineeringheadquartersinGlendale,California.ThelateDisneyLegendandImagineeringexecutiveMartySklarstartedWaltDisneyImagineering’sImaginationsDesignCompetitionin1991toseekoutandnurturethenextgenerationofdiverseImagineers.HundredsofstudentsfromuniversitiesacrosstheUnitedStateshaveparticipatedoverthelast27years,andin2011theprogramexpandedtoincludeaversionforstudentsinHongKong,sponsoredbyHongKongDisneylandResort. Forthisyear’scompetition,teamsintheU.S.werechallengedtoselectanactualabandoned“ghosttown”fromanywhereintheworldandrevitalizeit.Theirprojectcouldrepresentaworkingtown,ahistoricallandmark,alivingmuseum,athemedexperience,oranythingelsethecontestantsdreamedup,takingintoaccountthelocation’shistoricvalueandthetraditionsandcommunitiesofthelocalarea. SavannahCollegeofArtandDesignstudentsCarlosGinatta,MichaelHowell,MariaMondloch,andMayaVyastooktophonorswiththeirproject,Caguaya.Theydesignedanexplorationcenterthatisbuiltaroundthesunkenruinsofthe17thcenturycityofPortRoyal.GuestsvisitingCaguayaexplorethecitythroughstate-of-the-arttunnelsneverbeforeusedinopenwater,seeunderseawondersup-closeviaaugmentedreality-enhancedhelmetdives, andevengrowtheirownscientificallyenhancedsupercoral.Afullysubmersibletheatertranscendslandandseatopresentaliveperformancethatistrulylikenoother. Thewinningproject,Caguaya,fromateamofstudentsfromSavannahCollegeofArtandDesign. AlsofromSavannahCollegeofArtandDesign,CameronHoss,CorriePickering,ClairePuginier,andEmilySasakiplacedsecondforSpaceportHashima.Theteam’sconceptrenovatesexistingbuildingsofaformerJapaneseghosttownandreimaginesHashimaasathrivinginterplanetaryterminalsurroundedbyaworld-classluxurydestinationresort.WithnodstobothtraditionalandJapaneseculture,SpaceportHashimaincludesmuseums,gardens,anamphitheater,andathrivingdowntownarea. SpaceportHashima,whichtooksecondplace,wasalsocreatedbystudentsfromSavannahCollegeofArtandDesign. AteamfromOtisCollegeofArtandDesigncreatedOniba,thethird-rankedproject.StudentsKahoHoriuchi,KentaroYajima,andYumiYamazakistartedwithanelaboratevacationspotlocatedinaremotecorneroftheKinugawaRiverinTochigi,Japan,andreconceiveditasapark.WhenguestsarriveinOniba,they’reabletocreateapersonalizedcompanionandguide,calledMabu,beforetheyembarkontheirvisit—whichmightjustincludeanencounterortwowithsomespirits. Third-placeprojectOnibawasdesignedbyateamfromOtisCollegeofArtandDesign. JoiningtheU.S.-basedfinalistsforanexclusivevisittotheImagineeringheadquarterslastweekwereGloriaHaandRuthLun,studentsfromChineseUniversityofHongKongandthechampionsofHongKongDisneylandResort’sImagiNationscompetition.ContestantsinHongKongwereaskedtothinkaboutacity,anywhereintheworld,thatmaybefarfromaDisneyparkorothervacationdestinationanddesignanentertainmentorrecreationalexperienceforitscitizensandtourists.HaandLun’sproject,Daydreamers,conceptualizedamassivemobilerobotthatwouldescortgueststodifferentdestinationsaroundtheworld.Theirimaginativeconceptandelementsofsurpriseimpressedthejudges,alongwithhowtheyincorporatedOswaldtheLuckyRabbitintotheirdesign. ManyparticipantsintheImaginationsDesignCompetitionhavegoneontointernshipsatWDI,andsomehaveevenbecomefull-timeImagineers.VisitDisneyImaginations.comformoreinformationaboutthisyear’scompetition,toseepastprojects,andtolearnmoreaboutthistrulyunique,life-changingprogram. Note:TheprojectsandconceptspresentedarenotnecessarilyintendedtobebuiltbyDisney–theyareawayfortheentrantstodemonstratetheirskillsandcreativeabilities. RELATEDSTORIES WaltDisneyWorldResortEnhancementsatCoronadoSprings andYacht&BeachClubConventionCenter Seemore CelebrateOswaldatDisneyParks Seemore AddSomeLucktoYourDaywithTheseOswaldFilters Seemore