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Building A Dream: The Art of Disney Architecture    by Beth Dunlop Amazon.com order for
Building A Dream
by Beth Dunlop
Order:  USA  Can
Disney, 2011 (2011)
Hardcover
* *   Reviewed by Bob Walch

'Of all the arts, it seems most unlikely that architecture could have a plot. Architecture is proportions and aesthetics, craft and construction – not heroes and villains behind a curtain wall. Yet, for the buildings of The Walt Disney Company, every architect must turn storyteller,' writes Beth Dunlop in the first chapter of this pictorial story.

The stories that these individuals tell is captured in the form and function of the very special buildings they create for this international corporation. Whether it is in the construction of a ride, the layout for one of Disney's worlds, or the more utilitarian structures that house staff, The Company has set new standards for the imaginative use of popular imagery in architecture.

In this totally redesigned and updated edition, the structures and the stories behind them are brought to life. Some of the world's most famous architects, such as Robert A. M. Stern, Frank Gehry, Michael Graves and Arata Isozaki, have worked with the company to create some eye popping buildings. No matter whether they be hotels, resorts, movie studios, theme parks or offices, these projects evince Disney's use of popular, often surreal, imagery and iconography.

This beautiful volume features original architectural drawings and color photos of the projects along with an expert text that incorporates interviews with the architects and executives involved.

No matter whether you are a collector of Disney memorabilia or someone fascinated by innovative architecture, this is a book you'll want to own. Admittedly it is a little pricy at $60, but once you page through Building A Dream you'll agree that it would be a bargain at twice the price.

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