EXPERIENTIAL, BRANDED, AND LIFESTYLE SPACES: DIALOGUES BETWEEN ARCHITECTURE AND ANTHROPOLOGY was a multi-disciplinary panel that included noted authors and scholars who study theming. left to right – hai ren, john hannigan, myself, scott lukas, brian lonsway, miodrag mitrasinovic, and brian mclaren.

scott lukas is the author of two related books, the themed space. and his latest, theme park. also on the panel was miodrag mitrasinovic, associate professor of architecture at parsons, and author of the seminal total landscape, theme parks, public space. rounding out the bill were brian lonsway, associate professor of architecture at syracuse university, john hannigan, professor of sociology at the university of toronto and the author of fantasy city, and hai ren, assistant professor of east asian studies at the university of arizona. brian mclaren, assistant professor of architecture at the university of washington, moderated the discussion that followed.

the panel’s purpose was to expand on the dialogue between architecture and anthropology, and included case studies on place branding, contemporary lifestyle and retail stores, shopping malls and theme parks, and casinos around the world. i was asked to speak about my visit to dubai last april, and i presented a slideshow titled modern antiques: imaging history in dubai. in this presentation i outlined the ways in which dubai is using theming to fabricate an imagined historical identity.

MADINAT JUMEIRAH imagines a classical age.

WAFI CITY MALL imagines an ancient legacy.

IBN BATTUTA MALL imagines an islamic tradition.

WILD WADI WATER PARK imagines a rich folklore.

i then gave a brief overview of the ongoing DUBAILAND project.

after the panel session, some of the group and i made our way up the hill to the san francisco fairmont hotel’s infamous tonga room for dinner and cocktails. it was appropriate to continue our discussion on theming at one of the oldest original tiki bars in america.

the next day, both miodrag and scott were kind enough to grant me interviews regarding their work as well as my own. i hope to post the transcripts sometime soon. thanks to all on the panel for a fascinating and very fruitful discussion of theming as global cultural and aesthetic phenomenon.

Introduction:
It’s Not a Place, It’s a State of Mind –
Welcome to Themerica™

1.) Narrative Applied to Space –
Defining Thematic Design

2.) Telling Tales to All the Senses –
The Visual Vocabulary of Theming

3.) Themes Before Theming –
Early Forms of Meaning, Experience, and Place

4.) Friendly Faces, Familiar Places –
The Seven Basic Archetypes of the Twentieth Century

5.) The Magic Kingdom® Model –
Disneyland® and the Birth of a New Language

6.) (Still) Learning from Las Vegas –
The All-You-Can-See Thematic Buffet

7.) The Placemaking Revolution –
From Pure Simulation to Pure Brand

8.) Theming as Lifestyle –
Urban and Suburban Unrealities

Coda:
This Way to the Exits –
Future Trajectories for Thematic Design

over this past summer, in the course of taking a business practices class at my university, i wrote a rough proposal to commercial publishers. this document outlines the book in rough form, explains the potential audience, and analyzes comparable books already in the marketplace. i will be polishing this as graduation approaches, tying it to the look of my final book design, and adding a sample chapter with some sample layouts.

a special thanks to alan rapp (former senior editor at chronicle books), brett macfadden (also formerly of chronicle books as senior designer) and his wife leigh anna (at walt disney publishing) for their valuable insights in creating this document.

there won’t be much activity on the blog from now on, since i’ve finished all my travel notes. i’ll post some PDF proofs of the book in a few weeks as they become available.

DISNEYLAND RESORT – Anaheim, California. While theming existed in various forms before this seminal park opened in 1955, Disneyland is where the design language was perfected and codified. As such, Walt Disney’s original Magic Kingdom is difficult to ignore. Given the proliferation of Disney parks around the world (currently eleven), it’s also prototypical; a master lens with which to view the Disney thematic formula as it has been modified and adapted to meet the needs of different cultures and geographies.

I purchased an annual passport which allowed me to visit the park multiple times throughout the year at minimal expense. There are two parks here; the second is the disappointing California Adventure, build adjacent to Disneyland in 2001, in addition to three major hotels and a shopping / dining district, Downtown Disney.

August 27–30, 2007
January 3, 2007
July 15–16, 18–20, 2008
August 1, 27–30, 2008

KNOTT’S BERRY FARM – Buena Park, California. Knott’s bills itself as “America’s first theme park”—indeed the original Wild West themed Ghost Town area of the park dates back to 1940. Walt Disney’s concepts for Frontierland were based in part on research he did at Walter Knott’s nearby park, and the Knotts were even invited to Disneyland’s grand opening. Knott’s is important because it was the first time that a significant simulated historical environment was hosted permanently within an amusement park setting, as opposed to a temporary exhibition or World’s Fair. The park was sold to Cedar Fair in 1997, and sadly many of the original historical structures on the property have since been removed or altered.

August 31, 2007

WALT DISNEY WORLD – Orlando, Florida. Walt Disney World (WDW) is in many ways the successful blending of thematic design with the principles of urban planning (espoused by Walt Disney himself with his utopian EPCOT project). There are more theme parks and thematic venues on this 43 square-mile site (roughly the size of San Francisco) than anywhere else on the planet. As such, it’s something of the global capitol for thematic design. There are four major parks here:

• THE MAGIC KINGDOM – 1971 (a second-generation design of Disneyland, v2)
• EPCOT – 1982 (a combination of a World’s Fair take on modernism and a permanent cultural exposition featuring the architecture, food and shopping of eleven countries)
• DISNEY’S HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS – 1989 (a celebration of Hollywood’s Golden Age and the art of movie making and animation)
• DISNEY’S ANIMAL KINGDOM – 1998 (a unique amalgam of theme park, zoo, and wildlife preserve)

One multi-day pass allowed me access to all the parks for the duration of my stay. I also visited numerous hotels on the properties, each with their own theme, and the various shopping / dining districts throughout the resort. Most interestingly, I went on the Backstage Magic behind-the-scenes tour, in which I toured many infrastructural aspects of WDW, including the famed “tunnels” (utilidors) underneath the Magic Kingdom.

October 17–24, 2007

LAS VEGAS STRIP – Las Vegas, Nevada. Las Vegas is such a fascinating architectural study, I had to go twice—once before visiting Dubai, and once after. The week I spent after was much more in-depth, my observations after having seen Dubai much richer. Las Vegas has been home to thematic design since the 1940s, yet in the 1990s a “Disneyization” building-boom brought the number of themed venues to all-new heights. You really haven’t seen theming until you’ve seen Vegas—the all-you-can-see thematic buffet. I visited nearly all the major themed hotels on the Strip, as well as the Fremont Street Experience, Atomic Testing Museum, and the Neon Sign Boneyard.

December 27–30, 2007
July 7–12, 2008

DISNEYLAND PARIS RESORT – Marne-la-Vallée, France. Initially considered a financial failure, this Disney resort is now one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe. The Disneyland Park (1992) is v4 of the Magic Kingdom formula, and it was remarkably detailed, beautifully designed, and completely unique when compared to its stateside cousins. The Walt Disney Studios adjacent to it (2002) was, conversely, a horrible disappointment. The resort includes five major hotels, each with a different American regional theme, and a shopping / dining district with multiple themed restaurants, Disney Village.

March 16–22, 2008

DUBAI - United Arab Emirates. What can be said about Dubai that hasn’t been said already? So much, in fact, that I had to see the place for myself. I timed my week-long stay in order to attend the region’s leading theme park and leisure trade conference. Dubai is an amazing city, and one of the future trajectories of thematic design. I visited themed shopping malls, hotel resorts and the Dubailand site (which when completed will be larger than Walt Disney World). I also skied indoors and went to a water park—in the same afternoon!

April 17–24, 2008

ATLANTIC CITY CASINOS – Atlantic City, New Jersey. Like Las Vegas, this East Coast gambling mecca uses thematic design to draw patrons into casinos and differentiate one (seemingly identical) environment from the next. Atlantic City illustrates how the surrounding environs (in this case, the ocean) can make or break (in this case, break) the impact of thematic design.

May 27, 2008

TIMES SQUARE REDEVELOPMENT DISTRICT – New York, New York. Going to New York was initially not on my agenda, but I had a chance to visit for personal reasons, and thus took the time to check out Times Square, specifically the Hershey Store. This is center of brandscapes in the United States today—yet another future trajectory for thematic design.

May 27, 2008

TOKYO DISNEYLAND RESORT – Tokyo, Japan. I had visited this resort twice before (August 2001 and January 2003), but it was good to come back and take a much more serious look. Tokyo Disneyland (1983) is v3 of the Magic Kingdom formula, using the best parts of both Florida and Orlando, and is uniquely adapted to the cultural landscape of Japan. Tokyo DisneySea opened up next door in 2001, and is probably the most detailed and beautifully designed thematic environment in the world. It has to be seen to be believed. The resort also includes numerous hotels and a shopping / dining district, Ikspiari.

June 3–8, 2008

HONG KONG DISNEYLAND RESORT – Hong Kong, China. This is Disney’s newest resort, (2005) and is v5 of the Magic Kingdom formula. There are also two major themed hotels attached to the property. Hong Kong Disneyland was meticulously designed to adhere to traditional Chinese practices, and its replication of Sleeping Beauty Castle and Main Street U.S.A. from the Anaheim original takes simulacrae to a whole new level.

June 8–12, 2008

VENETIAN MACAU – Macau, China. Just as Hong Kong Disneyland represents the “copy of the copy,” so to does this recently opened (2007) sister resort to the original Venetian in Las Vegas (1999). The Cotai Strip of Macau is currently the gambling capitol of the world, in terms of revenue, and development is proceeding at a mad pace—with many more themed hotel resorts are on the way.

June 10, 2008

MACAU FISHERMAN’S WHARF – Macau, China. This free-admission shopping / dining district on the water’s edge in Macau was the most horrendous example of thematic design that I saw in my travels. Multiple themes tossed together, with no thought given to narrative cohesion or transition zones. Truly an abomination; a terrific example of what not to do.

June 10, 2008

UNIVERSAL STUDIOS HOLLYWOOD – Universal City, California. This studio backlot tour has been a staple of the Southern California amusement scene since the Silent Era. Unfortunately, it’s developed into a full-blown theme park destination so slowly and piecemeal over the years, that today Universal Studios is a jarring jumble of half-hearted attempts and incomplete or unconvincing designs. Like Macau Fisherman’s Wharf, this curious mix of environments is useful for critiquing solutions that don’t work, and why.

July 17, 2008

UNIVERSAL CITYWALK – Universal City, California. A major project by Jon Jerde, Citywalk is emblematic of the future of thematic design. This shopping / dining district adjacent to Universal Studios is a postmodern pop-collage; an example of referential—versus representational—design. Forms are alluded to, but nothing is re-created or simulated directly. Multiple themed restaurants and entertainment vcnues have locations here, which made it ideal research fodder.

July 17, 2008

THE GROVE – Los Angeles, California. The Grove, and its newer sister, The Americana, both represent theming as lifestyle. No longer the object of short-term amusement and entertainment, thematic environments are coming to replace traditional architectural programs. People are now to living, working and (yes) shopping in spaces that very consciously re-create lost modes of planning, past decades of prosperity, and a nostalgia for simpler times.

July 18, 2008

THE AMERICANA AT BRAND – Glendale, California. The Americana takes the design approach of The Grove even further—here is the full-scale assault on traditional public spaces, here is the blurring between public and private property, here is the privatization of the commons. Americana is designed to look like a public area, such as the downtowns and town squares of old, but it’s really just—like The Grove—an outdoor “decorated mall.” Except this mall includes residential spaces above every floor—not to mention a strict ban on photography without prior permission (in direct violation of the letter of the law and numerous precidents of photographers’ rights). In all my travels, this is the only location where I was told I could not take pictures. I ended up writing a letter to the Glendale News Press about the incident; this ridiculous standard can’t last for long. I should thus probably say, though, that this image is © Caruso Affiliated, and is posted here under fair use for educational purposes.

July 18, 2008

THE TAM O’SHANTER INN – Los Feliz, California. The Tam is the oldest continuously operated restaurant in the Los Angeles area in the same location run by the same family owne. But that’s not what makes it an essential part of theming’s long history; in addition to being Walt Disney’s favorite restaurant, it was designed by Harry Oliver, famed movie studio art director (and untrained as an architect) in the Storybook Style for which he became reknowned. It’s ironic, perhaps, that the end of my travels took me to one of the earliest beginnings of thematic design.

July 18, 2008

although i was fresh off the plane back from dubai when i produced this piece, i had yet to conduct my research trip to las vegas; as such my observations were limited to what i had already read, and the handful of times i had informally visited before. now that i’m back from las vegas, i thought i would revisit some of this material.

in the booklet i designed diagrams to show how vegas has grown over the years.

i also developed a thematic blueprint of the current strip, detailing all the major resorts.

here is a statistical breakdown of the 1990s vegas building boom, comparing dubai’s extraordinary growth during the same period—one of the many such charts in the booklet.

one of the more challenging aspects of the project was illustrating a series of maps to show dubai in 1990, 2007, and its projected state in 2015. i based them on materials obtained in dubai, as well as archived satellite photos.

here are some excerpts from the text, or you can download the entire booklet [PDF].

it all began with the sand.

the most remarkable feature of the desert, from a development standpoint, is not the lack of water, nor the scorching heat, nor the difficulty in raising crops and animals. it’s the emptiness. deserts are the stuff of dreams (or more often, mirages) because they represent a blank slate. for those that wish to build proverbial castles in the sand, there is an awful lot to work with. when i began asking people casually about las vegas and dubai, the general assumption was that any similarity between the two was superficial at best. sure, they’re both hot. they’re home to megaresorts and ridiculous amounts of money being both earned and spent. everyone speaks broken english, to some degree. and as a visitor, you’re surrounded by fantasy.

vegas themes because she wants you to forget; dubai is desperate for you to remember her.

both dubai and las vegas before it are global capitals of thematic design. arguably the first themed casino on the las vegas strip was the el rancho, designed by wayne mcallister, which opened in 1941. early theming in las vegas drew upon the romance of the old west and mexicana, but as the town grew and changed, so did the design approach. in the 1950s, hotel casinos referencing the desert and “arabian fantasies” became more popular, but the largest step forward in the evolution of the megaresort was caesar’s palace (1966). for the first time, architecture was combined with costume, interiors with food, and sights with smell is to create a truly holistic experience.

the 1990s brought the “disneyization” of the strip, as casino owners sought to attract the kind of mass family audience that would typically vacation in orlando with mickey instead. resorts such as treasure island (pirates) and excalibur (medieval arthurian fantasy) emphasized children’s entertainment along with the slots and dad’s craps tables. the building boom brought more and more elaborate recreations, such as the exquisite venetian (1999), but now theming—as it as been traditionally practiced—is in something of decline on the strip.

las vegas is once again returning to its roots as “sin city” and playing up the image of a hard-drinking, hard-gambling, sexy-as-hell vacation destination for adults only. treasure island is now the TI, and features more tramps in g-strings than swashbucklers with eye patches. vegas is also cashing in on its own classic mythology—the era of the rat pack, the black suit and the dry martini—and is consciously theming and branding both hotels and residential complexes as swinging bachelor pads.

the larger themed resorts on the strip are sure to stay, but the future expansion of thematic design in las vegas remains uncertain. this is hardly the case in dubai, however, where theming is just beginning to spread its wings, and beautifully. whereas las vegas seeks to take people away to never-never land with its designs, dubai very deliberately is trying to remind visitors where they are. there is a certain insecurity to this practice—where the newest luxury resorts are all styled to resemble the older part of the city razed at mid-century—so too, perhaps, a kind of guilt.

dubai is eager to provide the future for the gulf states of the region, but to do so it must have a past. instead of english castles or spanish galleons, theming provides the suggestion (and deception) that dubai has a rich past as a center of trade, arabic culture, and above all, islam. mecca or damascus, certainly. even riyadh. but dubai? hardly.

some conclusions.

i started this project with the premise that by comparing what’s happened to las vegas over the last century to dubai in the present tense, we might better chart dubai’s future. instead, my research tended to suggest the opposite—that it is las vegas who can learn from dubai.

las vegas and dubai are not only sisters; they’re members of the global workforce. las vegas is the gal that’s been at the firm for god knows how long. she’s a bit rougher around the edges, knows how to work just hard enough not to get fired, has the best water cooler gossip, and knows where all the bodies are buried. she’s a bit insecure about her age, las vegas has a proven track record, but dubai is better prepared for the growth of the future. and slaps on a little too much makeup to cover for it. she’s constantly reevaluating her look to the delight of her co-workers, but still, they know it’s just an act put on for their amusement.

dubai on the other hand, is just coming to apply, and she’s at the interview. it’s a big position she’s applying for—entertainment and commercial center of the entire middle east. understandably, she’s a bit nervous. of course, one rarely lies outright when applying for a job—but, invariably, the resume is puffed up, the very best outfit is worn; the warmest smile, the firmest handshake. and that is exactly how dubai presents herself. herself-conscious theming of the past is like adding flourish to previous job titles, inventing qualifications. if honest, she would have to sheepishly glance down at the floor, and admit that despite the glitz, the glamour, and yes, all this money, she was the kid in school least likely to succeed. a trust fund baby, always hiding behind the confident shadow of her older and more responsible brother, abu dhabi. not a center of islam, not an influential trade nexus, but instead a backwater bedouin settlement on the creek, home to pearl divers and small-time merchants. and like her, we prefer the embellishment.

“this site is designed to bring together architects, anthropologists, urban planners (including professionals and academics) interested in sharing commentary, resources, web sites, readings, photos, conferences and events, and other information of interest related to consumer, branded, experiential, and lifestyle spaces.”

i look forward to contributing articles and entries from a design perspective as time allows. hopefully over time the site will grow into a robust resource for academics and design practitioners alike. by the way, scott’s new book, theme park, is available for pre-order on amazon. i for one can’t wait for it.

i’ll have five nights and six days to take in the city. apart from attending the conference and meeting some folks involved in the theming industry, there are several venues i plan to visit and photograph, and—wi-fi willing—i’ll be able to post some observations every night. internet in dubai can be spotty, i’m told (due to proxy servers censoring sexual and political content). after meeting with my thesis advisor this past week, we roughed out a plan of attack for my visit. the theming conference runs for three days, and i’ll have a day and two nights in the city before that begins. i will probably start by checking out some of the more famed themed shopping districts, like the ibn battuta mall (their website is currently undergoing maintenence, but the mall’s wikipedia entry is pretty good). ibn battuta is divided into six elaborately themed geographical areas; china, india, egypt, tunisia, andalusia and persia. interestingly, the mall has an educational agenda for visiting westerners as well—intricate museum-quality historical displays on each culture are peppered throughout.

after attending the conference, i’ll have a few more days left to poke around. i think it’s wisest to save the major theme parks until after the conn, because anyone i talk to will probably inform my observations for the better. i’ll be hopping on the slopes at ski dubai, which claims to be the largest indoor skiing facility in the world. the massive structure is part of the mall of the emirates, one of the world’s largest shopping complexes. i also plan to go to the wild wadi water park, at which the theme is the voyages of sinbad the sailor—exquisite artificial rockwork and landscaping abound.

i listened to an interesting interview the other day on npr, available here, with a new york times travel writer who recently did a “36 hours in” feature on dubai. one of her most insightful comments was that as she walked through the marketplace stalls selling knock-off designer goods, the vendors were shouting “genuine fakes!” she felt this summed up the entire city, and i couldn’t agree more. dubai is where theming intersects with lifestyle, where brandscape meets simulation. it’s the future of thematic design—as much a departure from disneyland as a descendant.

“the panel will address a number of new trends in this arena, including the experience economy and its connection to urban renewal, the idea of the third place—an organic, albeit consumer, space of civics—the idea of brandscapes, and the new concept of the lifestyle/flagship store. this panel will address these trends and suggest a new integration of architecture and anthropology.”

i look forward to this exciting opportunity to meet other scholars interested in theming and discuss my project.

from their website: “TEA is the only international non-profit association representing the world’s leading creators, developers, designers and producers of compelling places and experiences. our members bring the experience of engaging storytelling and entertainment to a vast number of casinos, restaurants, retail stores, museums, zoos, theme parks and an ever-growing list of destinations that aim to bring a higher level of visitor experiences world wide.”

this would be a big chance to meet and greet professionals from all over the theming industry. the cost of attending seems high, but i’m hoping that the organizers of this fine event will take into consideration my position as a grad student and let me come in for at least part of the fun. i promise not to eat any of the food.

i’ve visited france before, and i’m very familar with french culture and language. as a result, i want this particular trip to be a very ‘insular’ experience. that is, no paris. no france. only themerica. i will fly in and then board a shuttle bus directly to the resort. i will spend all my time immersed in the thematic environments of disney’s european enclave. absolutely no native flavor—nothing distinctly french. this decision, which has struck many of my peers as patently insane, is completely intentional. i want to isolate myself from what could be a nice french vacation—let’s be clear—i’m going to visit themerica.

april 17–24 i will be in dubai city, united arab emirates. the reasons for visiting dubai are two-fold. first, i will be attending the 14th annual DUBAI ENTERTAINMENT, ARTS & LEISURE EXPO (DEAL) at the dubai world trade center. this is a gathering of major players in the global theming industry; architects, designers, and marketers. second, dubai represents the future of thematic design, brandscapes, and the experience economy in the 21st century. encompassing everything from the world’s largest indoor ski mountain to completely simulated city districts, dubai is las vegas combined with disneyworld and manhattan’s times square—writ large. a city cut from whole cloth, rising from the desert heat like a mirage. i plan on visiting such thematic environments as the wild wadi water park and global village.

• WRITE a complete content outline
• PRODUCE mood board studies for thematic archetypes
• DEVELOP initial design explorations for the book layout
• WRITE a treatment of the book for publishers
• GAIN EXPERIENCE in the ‘legalities and realities’ of the publishing world

the plan is to stay a full week with a pass that allows entry to any of WDW’s four major theme parks:

• THE MAGIC KINGDOM (a second-generation design of disneyland)
• EPCOT (a combination of a world’s fair take on modernism and a permanent cultural exposition)
• DISNEY / MGM STUDIOS (a celebration of hollywood’s golden age and the art of movie making and animation)
• DISNEY’S ANIMAL KINGDOM (a unique amalgam of a theme park, zoo, and wildlife preserve)

there are two major themed water parks as well, BLIZZARD BEACH (a melting ski resort) and TYPHOON LAGOON (a tropical paradise), but i think my time is better spent at the four primary examples listed above.

i have been to WDW several times as a child, and as recent as 2004 for pleasure, but this will be my first field study work for the themerica project, including photography, dictation and written notes. all eyes and ears open, continuing my exploration of the language of thematic design.

i think i’m going to plan on three days, with a pass that will allow me access to both the original park (1955) and its new (2001) neighbor, disney’s california adventure (DCA). DCA has been heavily criticized by both the fan community and the press as an inferior themed experience. i am thus especially interested in how the two parks compare as design examples. what works and what doesn’t? how have the methodologies and the visual techniques changed in the nearly fifty years between the two parks’ developments?

i will have a photographer friend with me for at least one of these days, to professionally document the parks. i will be taking my own pictures as well. i think jotting notes is a good idea but i’ve considered (at the suggestion of a classmate) buying a small digital audio recorder so i can capture my ideas and associations in rapid fashion. i need to compile a punch list for my photographer so that her time will be well spent.

i plan on returning to disneyland periodically throughout the development of themerica, since it is not only a primary mecca (indeed, as i am coming to argue, the actual design garden of eden) for theming, but a very short flight away and surrounded by scores of friends and family to stay with.