LEGACY: 10 Years Later

Amongst the multitude of movies infecting the worlds of Epcot, there is only one that is completely excluded from contempt. TRON's simulated digital frontier symbiotically created to synergistically exist alongside (and even inside) Walt Disney Productions' future-focused theme park.
From its architectural aesthetics to its commentary on the relationship between humanity, technology, and religion, EPCOT Center & TRON not only share the same birth year but also perfectly complement each other's ethos in much the same way as The Lion King with Animal Kingdom or The Rocketeer with the Disney•MGM Studios. 
Fast-forward 1400 Cycles (or 28 Years) and the world was invited to enter "The Grid" once again with TRON: Legacy — a film that is just as stunning and profound as its predecessor. Beginning with a beautifully "Digitized" Disney Castle was exquisitely evocative (and is still my favorite variation on the Walt Disney Pictures logo), yet I thought it was a missed opportunity to call back to the origins of the film and its relationship with physical worlds of Disney. Clearly, Spaceship Earth and not Cinderella Castle should have begun this new cinematic experience. 

In honor of TRON: Legacy's 10th Anniversary and to celebrate The E82 Project's 10th year, today we pay tribute to both ideologically-aligned entities with Future World's iconic geosphere entering "A digital frontier to reshape the human condition."                  

The 21st Century — 35 Years Later

35 years into its existence and with so many of its prophecies realized, it has become extremely difficult to comprehend just how unique, all-encompassing and utterly miraculous was the creation of EPCOT Center. A pathetically insignificant cartoon studio, led by the single greatest creative mind of the 20th Century, had grown to give birth to entirely new art forms, pioneered amazing technologies, created Kingdoms and established new Worlds. And on October 1st, 1982 actually performed what today would seem chronologically impossible: Walt Disney Productions quite literally transported us over 20 years into the future. And not without purpose... 
The world EPCOT Center was born into may not have been the most lethal but it was most assuredly one of the darkest for the human spirit. At great financial risk and personal sacrifice Disney, General Electric, Sperry Computers, Exxon, Kodak, General Motors, Kraft, American Express, Coke-Cola, & United Technologies banded together to elevate humanity out of a global depression and restore hope to the passengers of Spaceship Earth.
Signaling this audaciously avant-garde endeavor was an austerely mysterious masterpiece of minimalist futurism. The geodesic icon of this new center depicted as that which it was being created to symbolize what Ray Bradbury described as a "small, silent and fragile island drifting in the night sky". 

Originally created by graphic designer Norm Inouye, this painting has been lovingly (and obsessively) re-created dozens of times by yours truly over the years, and this is merely my latest attempt to capture the essence of its streamlined serenity.        

Logo Series — Spaceship Earth

Like a grand a miraculous spaceship, our planet and sailed through the universe of time. And for a brief moment, we have been among it's passengers. But where are we going? And what kind of future will we discover there? The 2007 Siemens sponsored edition of Spaceship Earth endeavored to engage its guests to invent their own future, beginning with this forward-thinking logo design that simultaneously reflects a classic Future World aesthetic.       

Geodesic Series

Taking its cue from the prismatic qualities of its many triangular facets, the Geodesic Series begins to explore the many lighting schemes of Spaceship Earth. Every month this year we’ll be adding a new edition to this series with a 50/50 mix of historic replications and uniquely imagined color schemes.

Our Series begins with varation on the color scheme that has existed for over 15 years.  

Gateway Gifts 2015

One of the quainter shops in Future World, Gateway Gifts more than makes-up for its miniscule Square Footage with its location — in both architecture and proximity. If one can look past the merchandise, Gateway Gifts possesses intriguing design. From its multi-level future-industrial ceiling treatments to its impressive view of the geosphere it supports, the shop itself is a subtle but prime example EPCOT Center’s unique architectural achievements.

Quite recently, Gateway Gifts began shifting its color scheme from bright oranges and electric blue to a more subdued teal-green and blue. This transformation reached completion with the installation of a new carpet that maintained the same design as the original.