“Besides the actual physical operation, the comfort of mind and the happiness in the place of your work depends not only upon pure, practical and functional solutions but also on their appearance. It has been part of the psychological wisdom in the directing mind of this organization to recognize such requirements. The result depended upon a balance making the operation, structure, and economic functions a part of form and color instead of superimposed architectural or design convictions. All of the plant and its equipment has grown out of the men and the work that built the plant. Those who built the buildings and the equipment coordinated existing trends.”
KEM WEBER
Walt Disney Studios
Kenn Weber, Supervising Designer
James Lill, Structural Engineer
F. Scott Crowhurst, Supervising Contractor
RADITIONALLY, the design and construction of the new studio had to be a work of unusual urgency and complexity. For this reason design units and full size construction crew were organized on the studio payroll and coordinated in a field office (future warehouse) built on the job. In this way foundations and underground work could proceed while the superstructure was still a series of conferences and studied sketches. In addition to the usual supervision, all drawings were continually and meticulously edited by the production staff and future tenants; revisions were made or compromised hourly.
There had to be as many buildings as there are processes in production. All had to be made resistant to heat and cold, dust and darkness, noise. decay and earthquakes. The absolute necessity of function adapted to intricate and even unborn studio processes precluded any boredom on the part of the designers. A sense of economy was exercised on the architectural styling, so that the utmost in adequacy was neither stinted nor exceeded. Layout provided for future expansion of all structures.
<img>Projection Room With Adjustable Chairs Designed By Kem Weber</img>
<img>One Of The Rooms In The Office Suite Designed For Walt Disney</img>
<img>Terrace and Pergola of the Restaurant</img>
<img>The Directors Conference Room For Daily Story Discussions</img>
