Imaginations Design Competition
Presented By Walt Disney Imaginations
Semifinalists (Top 40 of 330 Total Teams)
In the Fall of 2017, I was a part of a 4 member team competing in the Disney Imaginations Design Competition. Imaginations is a design competition created and sponsored by Walt Disney Imagineering with the purpose of seeking out and nurturing the next generation of diverse Imagineers. Hundreds of students from universities all across the United States have participated in this competition.
Provided with a project challenge, students and recent graduates work in teams to deliver a concept in a similar way to how Imagineers develop their blue sky projects. In a matter of weeks, teams have to leverage their various artistic, technical and communication skills to prepare a submission that will appeal to judges whose backgrounds include a wide array of creative and technical disciplines.
In 2017, teams were challenged to select an actual abandoned “ghost town” from anywhere in the world and revitalize it. The location could be a working town, a historical landmark, a living museum, a themed experience, or whatever else the contestants dreamed up. Entries had to consider the historic value, as well as have respect for the traditions and communities of the original and surrounding areas of the location.
Our team imagined The Cincinnati Green Ways, an underground system of tunnels beneath the city of Cincinnati, Ohio. They contain a public rapid-transit subway system as well as paths of vibrant, interactive, and educational green space in the Downtown area.
The construction of the 1916 Cincinnati Subway project was stopped in its tracks and left partially completed. The Cincinnati Green Ways revitalizes the subway’s intention of the 16 miles of track and augments the tunnels by developing a new space for transportation, relaxation, and inspiration.
The track extends from the Downtown Ohio Riverfront to the suburbs of the metropolitan area, reaching destinations such as the Cincinnati Zoo, the Children’s Hospital, and the University of Cincinnati. By providing an alternative transportation option to commuters, the subway system will alleviate increasing highway congestion, decrease the city’s carbon footprint, and save commuters time and money.
The path in between the subway lines in the Downtown sections of tunnel function as a serene, climate controlled green space unaffected by the cold and gray winter months of Ohio. Individuals looking to sit and relax, learn about native plant life, or avoid the crowded streets can do so amongst the soothing greenery.
Download the full project for the entire story and concept design. As per competition rules, all content is owned by Walt Disney Imagineering.