Disney has opened its secretive kingdom for the first time, to Karal Ann Marling, curator of an exhibition on view through September 28 at the Canadian Centre for Architecture (CCA). But Mickey Mouse needn't worry. The Architecture of Reassurance: Designing the Disney Theme Parks persuasively, even lovingly, upholds the architectural merits of the company's themed environments. A cultural historian who teaches atthe University of Minnesota, Marling uncovered spectacular drawings and models during her dig in Disney's attic. They are on display for the first time ever-and the show's principal joy. Marling lucidly explains the parks' for-mal designs and intent-particularly in Disney's use of color, scale, symbol, and orienting devices to relax and amuse tourists-making these ideas accessible to both architects and laypeople. The exhi-bition itself didactically re-creates the Disneyland diagram with galleries addressing its various themed areas.
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