#Grand Canyon Concourse

[tomoleary]

Mary Blair - The Grand Canyon Concourse Art Prints (Walt Disney, 1971). The Contemporary Resort Hotel, Walt Disney World.

[jayjaymorgan]

The Senator of the Forsaken - Part I

Author’s Note : This is a rewritten and, I hope, a better version of the fic previously known as The Senator and His Bodyguard. The plot has changed a lot, but I hope that you all enjoy it. @farkmagic thanks for the help with the story! Please remember that English isn't my native language, so there might be some mistakes and stuff. I hope you all like it, have a great day/night!

TW : mention of racism towards clones

Rex was nervous.

It wasn’t the first time he was here, in the Senate, but this time was different. Very different. The new armor felt tight and incredibly uncomfortable, especially the helmet, which he was holding under his arm. It would take some time to break the said armor in, so for now he had to endure it. “Grand Convocation Chamber – level 8.” said the metallic voice, informing the turbolift’s passengers that they have reached their destination. The door opened with a quiet hum and the man stepped out, looking around anxiously. The Grand Concourse, which was the large, canyon-like hallway that ringed the Grand Convocation chamber and ascended up and around the Senate Chamber, was packed with senators and diplomats, who were also accompanied by their counselors and bodyguards. Their voices bounced off of the stone walls, creating a deafening cacophony of sounds as they shouted to one another, arguing about something, some ready to throw hands. Rex walked along the wall, careful not to bump into anyone, until a voice called out among the noise, catching his attention. “Hey, new guy! Over here!” The clone looked around, spotting a dark skinned man dressed in blue armor, waving at him. He quickly realized that the man was the captain of the Senate Guard, the white symbol on his shoulder pad only confirming it. He approached the man, weaving through the crowded hallway with ease before stopping next to him and saluting. “CT-7567, at your service.” “At ease.” the captain said, turning around and motioning at the clone to follow him. “The meeting will start any moment now, we need to hurry.” Rex followed him,  countless questions racing in his head as they walked, slowly making their way to the Senate Arena through the crowded hallway. He didn’t know what was going on or what he was doing here, dressed in the blue armor of a Senate Guard, away from his brothers... “You okay?” “W-what?” the clone looked up at the man, caught off guard. “You look troubled.” he said, sending Rex a reassuring smile. “Are the nerves getting to you?” “Kind of... sir.” he admitted, looking away. “No shame in that, soldier.” the man said. “Tell me : do you have a name? Other than your identification code.” “Rex. My brothers called me Rex.” “I’m Doran. I’m the Senate Guard’s captain and your new boss. I expect that you have questions?” “I do. Quite a lot actually.” Rex said, getting a nod in response. “I’ll try to answer as many as I can.” “What am I doing here?” the moment he opened his mouth, all the questions came pouring out. “What are my duties? Am I being reassigned from the 501st? And why...?” “Whoa! Hold your horses!” Doran said, placing a hand on the clone’s shoulder. “One question at the time. Long story short, you are being temporarily reassigned from the 501st battalion to work as a personal bodyguard for one of the senators. You will be briefed later, once we clean up this mess.” He said, gesturing at the crowded hallway. “But basically, you will accompany the senator everywhere : public meetings, delegations, travels, everything, unless told otherwise.” he explained before handing Rex a datapad. “Here’s everything you need to know about the job : the list of your duties, reports, schedule and the do’s and don’t’s...” He suddenly stopped, catching the clone by surprise. He looked up and saw an elegant woman standing before them, dressed in a tasteful, blue-gray patterned dress, with a gold panel and a dark shawl draped loosely around her shoulders. She wore only a few pieces of jewelry, which consisted of a pair of silver earrings and three broaches of the same color, that decorated the mentioned shawl. A crescent-shaped hair accessory held her long, brown hair in place and she turned to them and bowed her head, smiling warmly. She didn’t have to introduce herself, one look at her and Rex immediately knew who she was. “Senator Amidala.” the captain said, returning the gesture. “I didn’t see you there.” “Hello, Doran.” she responded, before her eyes landed at the clone. “You must be the new guard Doran mentioned, am I right?” “Yes, sir, ma’am, I mean...” Rex looked down, embarrassed. “’Senator’ is just fine.” she said, then looked back at Doran. “I can take it from here, captain.” “Are you sure, senator?” “Yes. I know that you’ve been really bust and I don’t want you working overtime, again.” “If you insist, senator. Rex, please accompany senator Amidala to the chamber.” the man said, turning to the clone. “Stop by my office in the evening, when the night guards take over.” “Yes, sir.” They watched as Doran walked away, into the crowd, before turning back to face one another. “Shall we?” Amidala asked, motioning with her hand. “Of course.” he offered her his arm, which she gladly took, and started leading the way, slowly making their way to the repulsorpods. “It’s an honor to met you, senator.” “Likewise, Rex.” she said. “I’ve heard great things about you, about your service at the front.” “Well, I was just doing my job.” “Don’t be so modest.” she lightly tugged at his arm, so he didn’t bump into a wall. “Watch out.” “Forgive me for my curiosity, but do you know who I will be protecting?” he asked, once he got his bearings. “Also, from what I heard, when a senator’s life is threatened, a Jedi is assigned as their bodyguard, not a clone.” “What you’ve heard is true, but this is an exception. I won’t go into the details, but he refused to have a Jedi assigned to him for... various reasons.” Padmé explained. “And to answer your first question, we’re on our way to see him.” Rex nodded, which was followed by of few moments of uncomfortable silence. He couldn’t help but notice how some of the gathered looked at him as they made their way through the crowded hallway. They looked at him with surprised looks, which quickly turned into ones of anger, judgment, even disgust. To them, clones were lesser beings, tools that just happened to breathe and have consciousness. Seeing one, here, in the Senate, one of the most protected places on the whole planet, was like seeing a dirty, disease carrying vermin. He was used to this kind of treatment, but he still couldn’t help looking down, to avoid looking at the people surrounding him. He felt ashamed and so out of place, at this point the battlefield filled with droids seemed more welcoming that this place. “Ignore them.” The clone looked up, caught off guard. The woman walking next to him slightly tightened her grip on his elbow, her head held high. He haven’t even realized that he tried to pull away from her until then. “Are you sure?” he asked quietly, glancing around. “I don’t want to ruin your reputation...” “I don’t care what they’ll think of me. You’re a good human being, with absolute no reasons for shame : you saved countless lives, set an example for others, you were chosen for a reason, Rex.” she said, her voice cold and stern. He couldn’t help but shiver at the sudden change in her behavior, even though it wasn’t directed at him. “You’re the first clone to be assigned a job here, inside the Senate, but not the last. Others will, hopefully, follow, once they see yours and your siblings’ potential. It’s a small step for you, but a leap for others. You should be proud.” Rex opened his mouth to say something, but he couldn’t come up with anything. Instead, he shook his head slightly, a smile forming on his face. Her words made him feel better, even so slightly. “I think he did it on purpose.” “Who did?” he asked. “Ani.” she responded, her gaze fixed on something ahead of them. “I think he requested for a clone to be assigned as his bodyguars to show everyone that he doesn’t, excuse my language, gives a kriff about what they think about him. And to give you a chance to show what you’re made of.” The blond man blinked, surprised at her words. “We’re here.” she said, stopping all of the sudden. They were now standing next to an entrance, which lead inside the Grand Convocation Chamber and the repulsorpods. “He should be inside, come on.” She let go off his elbow, leading the way, greeting a few fellow senators along the way before disappearing inside. Rex took a deep breath and followed after her, not quite ready yet determined to face what was waiting for him at the other side.

[retromouseketeer]

Postcard caption: “GRAND CANYON CONCOURSE” CONTEMPORARY RESORT Sleek monorail trains pass directly through the Contemporary Resort’s colorful Grand Canyon Concourse. Towering above the concourse is a nine-story high ceramic mural “cliff” of more than 18,000 individual tile pieces. Guest rooms are set high in the sloping walls overlooking the dining, shopping, and other activities below

[mi4011wagmigunawardana]

The Early Life of Mary Blair.

Born in McAlester, Oklahoma, in 1911, the inherently gifted artist won a scholarship to Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles. After graduation in 1933, at the height of the Depression, Mary took a job in the animation unit of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer rather than pursue her dream of a fine arts career. In 1940, she joined the Walt Disney Studio and worked on a number of projects, including the “Baby Ballet,” a never-produced segment for a proposed second version of Fantasia.

She joined a three-month Disney expedition to South America in 1941, and her watercolours captured the spirit of the Latin countries so well that she was named art supervisor on The Three Caballeros and Saludos Amigos. Mary's distinct colour and styling influenced many postwar Disney productions, including Song of the South, Make Mine Music, Melody Time, So Dear to My Heart, The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr Toad, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, and Peter Pan. She also appeared in a few short films, including The Little House and Susie, the Little Blue Coupe.

During her time away from Disney, Mary found success as a freelance graphic designer and illustrator. Among her works were the illustrations for several Little Golden Books, some of which are still in print today, including I Can Fly.

Later, Walt asked Mary to help him design the It's a Small World attraction for the 1964-65 New York World's Fair; the end result was an attraction that was purely Mary Blair in style and concept. Mary worked on many exhibits, attractions, and murals for theme parks in California and Florida over the years, including the fanciful murals in the Grand Canyon Concourse at Walt Disney World's Contemporary Resort Hotel.

Mary Blair passed away on July 26, 1978, in Soquel, California.

Sources:

Disney Legends - Mary Blair Mary Blair - D23

[epcotarchivist]

The Grand Canyon Concourse

[meekosthemeparkphotos]

Snowgie by meeko_

[mrmodswildride]

[joeyart]

Finally get to show these murals I did for @waltdisneyworld #disneycontemporaryresort reopening. It was such an amazing project that I get to work on these #maryblair inspired art that’s homage to her Grand Canyon Concourse tile work. #monorail #disney #contemporaryresort #murals #grandcanyonconcourse #joeychou #artistsoninstagram (at Disney's Contemporary Resort) https://www.instagram.com/p/CUakwrRvcux/?utm_medium=tumblr

[abookishdreamer]

Worldbuilding Intro- Welcome to New Olympus!

In Olympius (where my fantasy series Kingdom of Ichor takes place), its capital is New Olympus, which is also the country's largest city! The inspiration/aesthetic of the city is an amalgamation of real world locations like Modern day Greece, Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, Modern day Rome, Modern day Italy, NYC (New York City), LA (Los Angeles), Miami, London, & many more other places!

Here's some general info about the city:

Overlooking New Olympus and situated on Ombrios Canyon is the city's sign- spelling out the word "New Olympus" in 50-foot-tall (15.2 m) shimmering gold uppercase letters and is 450 feet (137.2 m) long.

Near the Lightning Harbor stands a 600 ft glittering Imperial Gold statue of King Zeus (holding his iconic lightning bolt in one hand and an aegis in the other). It's called the Panhellenios Statue, commissioned & built by his son Hephaestus (god of the forge).

It's the most diverse, in terms of population!

Grand Thunder Station is a commuter rail terminal having a connection to the New Olympus Subway. It's a mode of transportation not just throughout the country, but also some direct lines to the Underwater Realm & a single direct line to The Underworld. The terminal's Main Concourse is often used as a meeting place. Grand Thunder Station contains a variety of stores & food vendors- including upscale restaurants, bars, three food halls, and a grocery marketplace. It's a tourist attraction! Grand Thunder covers more than 50 acres & has 45 platforms.

Other modes of transportation include ferries, cabs, buses & trains (courtesy of the NOTA- New Olympus Transit Authority), and even through use of a chariot (pulled by a pegasus).

The Three Kings Bridge is the longest suspension bridge in New Olympus. It's of course inspired by the three main rulers & most powerful gods with each section of the bridge being built out of a different material. One section is built out of Imperial Gold (inspired by Zeus), the middle section being built out of Oceanic Metal (inspired by Poseidon), with the last section built out of adamantine (inspired by Hades).

The governor of the city is a mortal woman named Corinna Sotiropoulou while the mayor is the first of its kind- a satyr named Stathis Spiridakis.

There's the Pantheon Walk of Fame- where five pointed Celestial Bronze & Imperial Gold stars contain the names of the major and minor gods & goddesses. They're embedded in the sidewalks along several blocks of Eaglepoint Boulevard and five blocks of Bolt Street in Downtown New Olympus.

The hearth goddess Hestia's eternal red flame (which never goes out) is a symbol of strength and hope is situated (seemingly juxtaposed) on a 20 ft. torch in Acropolis Square.

Acropolis Square is a major commercial intersection, tourist destination, entertainment center, & neighborhood in Midtown New Olympus. Brightly lit by numerous billboards, neon signs, and advertisements, it's often referred to as "The Crossroads of Olympius." It's the second most visited tourist attraction in Olympius (right after the palace on Mt. Olympus) & is the busiest pedestrian area. Notable locations in Acropolis Square includes Acropolis Square Garden (a multi-purpose indoor arena), Mall of Olympius (the largest retail shopping mall in the country), and The Parthenon Theater (the largest movie theater in the city)

* not to be confused with The Parthenon (an architectural feat & temple built to honor the goddess Athena, located in Athens.

Eaglepoint Park is New Olympus' largest urban park, located between the Queenstown & Skyline neighborhoods. It covers over a thousand acres of land- home to the New Olympus Zoo, among other attractions. Another statue of Zeus (built out of marble) with an eagle perched on each of his shoulders is here as well. The Summer Solstice Music Festival also takes place here. All the people of the city and its visitors know better than to mess with the stymphalian birds (carnivorous birds known for their bronze beaks, sharp metallic feathers, & poisonous dung).

Olympus Drive is a two mile long street in New Olympus. It's a shopping district famous for designer label and haute couture fashion. The name generally refers to a three-block long stretch of boutiques and shops but the street stretches further north and south.

Some notable things to eat in New Olympus:

Gyro hot dog- a beef frank folded into two slices of pita bread & topped with tzatziki sauce, feta cheese, cucumber slices, and sliced plum tomatoes.

A bag of spiced olives!

Loukoumades- small fried dough balls usually covered in honey & topped with cinnamon and chopped walnuts

Koulouris- a ring shaped bread garnished with sesame seeds

A bag of assorted dried fruits (usually containing raisins, figs, apricots, & pears) lightly drizzled in honey and dusted with a bit of cinnamon.

Greek frozen yogurt with a variety of toppings.

A box of mini honey cakes!

Dolmades- wrapped grape leaves stuffed with rice, onions, fresh herbs, & pine nuts. Comes with tzatziki dipping sauce & other sauce options.

*The next post will go more in depth into the individual neighborhoods of New Olympus!

[coltonwbrown]

Detail from Mary Blair’s Grand Canyon Concourse mural in the Contemporary Resort at Walt Disney World 

[fanofmickey]

Contempo-topiary by Aaron Hodges Via Flickr: Disney's Contemporary Resort

[architectnews]

Paddington Elizabeth Line Station London Building

Paddington Elizabeth Line Station London Building, Weston Williamson + Partners Metro Architecture Photos

Paddington Elizabeth Line Station London

24 May 2022

Design: Weston Williamson + Partners Architects

Location: Paddington, northwest London, England, UK

Paddington Elizabeth Line Station London Building by Weston Williamson + Partners revealed

Photos by Morley von Sternberg

Paddington Elizabeth Line Station Building Design

Paddington is the oldest mainline station on the Elizabeth Line, and familiar to millions of people arriving from Heathrow into London or from stations to the west. Designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel and Digby Wyatt, Paddington is Grade I listed and an icon of Victorian railway engineering – setting the bar high for its new Elizabeth Line addition.

Weston Williamson + Partners’ Elizabeth Line station at Paddington is the culmination of over ten years’ work by the practice at the station, transforming the passenger experience by radically improving routes to and through the station, and opening up new connections. It occupies the site of the station’s former taxi rank, which was a gloomy, fume-filled canyon – difficult to access, and an unattractive and unfriendly start to travellers’ journeys in London.

In 2012 Weston Williamson + Partners used the future arrival of the Elizabeth Line as a catalyst for moving taxis to the north of the station alongside a new underground station, thereby opening up new connections with the revitalised Regent’s Canal basin, and improving pedestrian and traffic flow to and through the station.

Today, Paddington has a highly visible and navigable main entrance for the first time, with the Elizabeth Line entrance extending alongside Eastbourne Terrace beneath a 2,300 sq.m glazed roof incorporating Cloud Atlas – new artwork etched into the canopy by artist Spencer Finch. From a 300 metre long new public plaza, lifts and escalators take passengers onto the Elizabeth Line station concourse and platforms below, or into the mainline station through a series of new entrance portals. At street level, a pair of sculptural ventilation shaft enclosures, clad with tapering cast stone fins and crowned with glass canopies, help to frame the station entrance, and hint at the grandeur beneath.

As one of only three box stations (alongside Weston Williamson + Partners’ other Elizabeth Line station at Woolwich and Canary Wharf) the design and delivery of Paddington was a major achievement, requiring extensive deep excavations and complex engineering immediately adjacent to Brunel’s historic station in a busy part of central London.

The result is as impressive as its construction and, descending to the concourse, the epic scale of the new Elizabeth Line station is revealed. The station features a 90-metre clear opening – a unique feature for urban underground station design – harnessing space, scale and light to match the grandeur of Brunel’s original station, and creating an uplifting and carefully-detailed space intended to claim its own legacy.

Weston Williamson + Partners harnessed the box station construction technique to bring daylight and natural ventilation deep into the station: uniquely on the Elizabeth Line’s new central section it is possible to stand on the station platforms and look directly up to street level. Its robust engineering is celebrated – for instance in eight gigantic flared elliptical columns, clad in bronze to head height, which carry the weight of the structure above.

There are careful details too – such as the tall hit-and-miss brick flank wall (which also has an acoustic function), the elegant stone paving to the entrance plaza, and beautiful anodised ‘lily pad’ light fittings set within saucer-like concrete ceiling coffers above the grand ticket hall. The station is constructed on the same rigorous 10 foot imperial grid as Brunel’s station, and references to this – for instance in the floor tiling and colonnades – are there to be found.

The materials, comprising brick, concrete, stone and bronze are earthy and warm, reflecting the palette of the original station and with a nod to the classic underground stations by Holden and others. All services are cleverly tucked away out of sight towards the top of the station box, and ample provision has been made for future adaptations.

Unlike other stations along the central section which feature a common design language, at Paddington (and also Woolwich) Weston Williamson + Partners was tasked with all station design from street to platform level. They used their expertise in large scale infrastructure design to create a high quality, calm and legible station, designed to last for generations.

The passenger experience lies at the heart of Weston Williamson + Partners’ approach to all design decisions at Paddington. Despite its size the station is nevertheless welcoming and easily navigable – qualities that the practice had applied earlier when addressing the shortcomings of the adjacent mainline station. As a result, Paddington’s 19th and 21st century elements are brought seamlessly together for the benefit of station users, and properly establishing Paddington as a key gateway to London.

Paddington Elizabeth Line Station London – Building Information

Client: Crossrail Architect: Weston Williamson + Partners Start on site: June 2012 Completion: May 2022 Construction value: Undisclosed GIA: 25,000 sqm

Structural engineer: WSP M&E consultant: WSP Quantity surveyor: WSP Project manager: Constain Skanska JV Principal designer: WSP Approved inspector: WSP Main contractor: Constain Skanska JV Urban realm: Gillespies Lighting consultant: WSP CAD software used: Microstation

Photography: Morley von Sternberg

Elizabeth Line stations by Weston Williamson + Partners

Weston Williamson + Partners

Woolwich Elizabeth Line Station, Woolwich, Royal Borough of Greenwich, southeast London, England, UK Design: Weston Williamson + Partners Architects photo : Morley von Sternberg Woolwich Elizabeth Line Station London Building

12 May 2016 Paddington Crossrail Station Building News Design: WestonWilliamson+Partners, architects image courtesy of architects practice Paddington Crossrail Station Building

Paddington Elizabeth Line Station London Building by Weston Williamson + Partners images / information received 230522

Location: Location: Paddington, north west London, UK

London Underground Stations

Tottenham Court Road Underground Station, Oxford Street, Central London Design: Stanton Williams Architects photo © Jack Hobhouse Tottenham Court Road Underground Station

Crossrail Stations – proposed developments Design: various Architects Crossrail Station Buildings

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Canary Wharf Station – Jubilee Line Extension, Isle of Dogs Design: Foster + Partners Canary Wharf Station

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Paddington Cube Design: Renzo Piano Building Workshop image courtesy of architects practice Paddington Cube

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London Street Development in Paddington

Comments / photos for the Paddington Elizabeth Line Station London Building by Weston Williamson + Partners page welcome

The post Paddington Elizabeth Line Station London Building appeared first on e-architect.

[enumerationofwomen-blog]

Mary Blair

Animator. Designer. Artist.  

Mary Blair was first interested in fine art.  She attended San Jose State University until winning a scholarship to the Chouinard Art Institute where she graduated in 1933.  After, she married fellow artist, Lee Everett Blair, and became a member of the California School of Watercolor.  The couple began to be known for their individual work, but art was not very lucrative for them, so reticently, they ventured into animation. 

Blair’s first job was for MGM, but she left soon after to join her husband at Walt Disney Studios and started at a sketch artist - working on early drawings for Lady and the Tramp and other “stranger, more ambitious projects (1.)”  

At one point, Walt Disney invited several Disney artists - including Blair and her husband - to South America as a sort of artistic inspiration trip, and it was here that Disney fell in love with her work.  Soon, she’d be working on concept art for Saludos Amigos and The Three Caballeros and that would turn into more work/special projects for Walt.  

Eventually, excited by her previous work, Disney assigned her to bigger projects like Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, and Peter Pan, but many of the animators didn’t care for her artistic style and used the excuse that if you “moved her art, it might not be as wonderful as it is static (1.)” On Cinderella, the animators essentially rebelled against using her work.  Oin Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan, there was some incorporation, enough that you knew her work, you could tell they drew inspiration from it, but not enough to be overly recognizable.  

After Peter Pan, Blair moved on to advertising outside of the Disney corporation.  Walt was disappointed to see her leave, but after Blair left, he realized how important it was to start incorporating varying artistic style to his films, so they did - starting with Sleeping Beauty.  Much later, Blair was invited back to Disney to help design “It’s a Small World” for the 1964 World’s Fair.  She also worked on murals for Tomorrowland and the ninety-foot Grand Canyon Concourse mural in the Contemporary Hotel at the Walt Disney World Resort.  She also drew many of the Disney Golden Books illustrations which are still in print today. 

Today, Mary Blair’s contributions to animation and design has influenced generations of animators and artists. 

To learn more about Mary Blair and to look at her work, check out my references here: 

1. https://ohmy.disney.com/insider/2016/06/11/mary-blair-history/

2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Blair

3. http://magicofmaryblair.com/about-mary.htm

4. https://waltdisney.org/exhibitions/magic-color-flair-world-mary-blair

5. http://leonardmaltin.com/rare-movie-art-by-walt-disney-favorite-mary-blair/

Photos: 

Photo - Mary Blair in her Studio via Magic of Mary Blair

Photo - Mary Blair Portrait - The Walt Disney Family Museum

Concept Art “Alice Falling Down the Rabbit Hole” by Mary Blair via The Walt Disney Family Museum

[epcotarchivist]

Disney’s Contemporary Resort

[meekosthemeparkphotos]

Fairy Godmother Gingerbread Cookie by meeko_

[mrmodswildride]