Cinderella’s Castle
In Jenck’s article, “The Emergent Rules”, he lists eleven of the most significant facets of postmodern architecture. As I was reading, I noticed many of the ideas coincide fantastically with “Cinderella’s Castle” in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World.
“Cinderella’s Castle” is fraught with “dissonant” beauty. The castle portion represents magic, fantasy and the imaginative wonder of little princesses’ around the world. It also is used to represent Disney as a cut-throat, winner-takes-all, ideological impending corporation. The castle fuses old world elegance with the reeking stench of merciless capitalism.
The castle is modeled after the castle in the fairy tale “Cinderella”. The castle from the fairy tale is a reproduction of the “Gothic” inspired castles built during the middle ages. The castle, however, is not made of stone and mortar. It has concrete walls and windows to no-where. It is a gate into a strange, post-modern fantasy land where a lot of money can get you just about anything. The castle is filled with technology as well. Its superficial designed has morphed many times, it even experienced a brief year decked in birthday cake attire. It is the ultimate combination of “classic” and “modern” thought architecturally. The castle also holds a valid postmodern symbolic value.
Millions of people are inspired to dream, and to follow their dreams when they see the castle. “Cinderella” is swept from her hum-drum life by “Prince Charming” to live her most perfect life as a princess. Many people find beauty and hope in the story that their own lives will magically change. They see this beauty and hope of a better life in the castle.
Millions of people are also contained to a life of false expectations, stuck on a circular path, because of the ideologies represented by the castle. Disney as a corporation forces millions of people to dehumanize and become “part of the scenery”. It plants dreams and hopes into children that are not logically possible. For example, it relates the idea of a “prince charming” as an actual possibility for young girls. In reality, there is no such thing. The castle is symbolic of all Disney ideals, good and bad, old and new.
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The content of Hope's post prefigures a little assignment I have for each of you: to identify local examples of postmodern architecture in our surrounding community/ies. Notably, we know that downtown Orlando offers some interesting examples (and many of these buildings are those we have not yet discussed!). Are there others? More to come in class on 9/16!
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