Lecture
Thursday 7 March 2024
Saskia van Stein
The Architecture of Staged Realities
"From the first animated films in the 1920s to the latest blockbusters, audiences around the globe have grown up with the standards, values, and models rooted in Disney’s magical stories. What lies behind the seemingly innocent and reassuring universe of familiar characters, films, theme parks and products is a highly scripted reality. This lecture explores the cultural, architectural and urban impact of Walt Disney’s legacy…
How do the Disney narratives influence notions of identity? What kind of city does the Disney formula give birth to? The Disney universe produces nostalgia yet is also the incubator of major cinematographic innovations, urban design principles and technological research. A total work of art of late capitalism, Disney is much more than a registered trademark, it’s an endless series of captivating feedback loops between what is real and imagined."
How do the Disney narratives influence notions of identity? What kind of city does the Disney formula give birth to? The Disney universe produces nostalgia yet is also the incubator of major cinematographic innovations, urban design principles and technological research. A total work of art of late capitalism, Disney is much more than a registered trademark, it’s an endless series of captivating feedback loops between what is real and imagined."
About Saskia van Stein
Saskia van Stein (she/her) is artistic and managing Director of the International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam (IABR). Currently, van Stein is also co - Head of Department, MA The Critical Inquiry Lab at Design Academy Eindhoven. Prior to this, she was artistic and managing Director at Bureau Europa in Maastricht (2013–2019) and curator at the Netherlands Architecture Institute (now Nieuwe Instituut) in Rotterdam (2002–2012).
