The future of agriculture

From The Imagineering Field Guide to Epcot:

“There are subtle but important differences in the area development of the two halves of Future World. The differences play themselves out in the shapes of the hardscape, the stylistic treatment of planters, the plant palette, and the way the plants are maintained. The East side, home to the Universe of Energy, Wonders of Life, Mission: SPACE, and Test Track, deals generally with the more technical aspects of modern science. The outdoor spaces are therefore more angular and structured, with hard corners and sculpted plantings. The West side, where we find The Living Seas, The Land, and Journey into Imagination with Figment, covers topics more natural and free-form. This leads to a treatment that is softer and more tactile, with curvilinear edges and lots of water. Even the smooth river rock in the various waterways affect this image because they represent real materials and have softer shapes the designers required.” (Imagineers, the p. 62)

First of all, after that description, does anyone else expect to see the cast members of Future World East and West snapping in time at one another inside of Millennium Plaza?

Moving on, these ideas of structured versus free-form do not end just with the hardscape stylizing of the planters, walkways, and waterways, as hinted above. The plants in Future World East are planted in firm rows, which causes natural sightlines no matter where you are standing in relation to the planters. While over in Future World West, the selected plants are group together in accepted clusters, as one would expect to find in any natural setting. Also included in this approach to the horticulture of Future World is the plant selection. Future World East utilizes plants that emphasize the strict nature of the hard sciences. Meanwhile, Future World West exploits the more ambient plant life representative of each pavilion. To really see these two styles blended, simply meander around Spaceship Earth in Future World Central, where curvilinear planters are intermeshed with solid, angular, plantlines.

Enjoy the tour of Future World’s immersive landscapes below.