Wicked Architecture: Imagineers Reveal Architectural Inspirations Behind Highly-Anticipated Villains Land at the Magic Kingdom

Research trips to France and Spain have given Villains Land an Art Nouveau-inspired design.

One of the most-anticipated panels of Destination D23 had to be “Disney Villains: Icons of Evil." Many Disney fans were expecting some news about the Villains-themed land coming to the Magic Kingdom. While we didn’t receive any news, per se, we did learn a bit more about the architectural inspirations behind the land.

What’s Happening:

  • The best place to start when designing a land based on classic Disney Villains has to be the animation source material itself and the Walt Disney Animation Studios artists responsible for it.
  • From there, Imagineers determined that it was critical to reflect the look and feel of the characters’ animation in the land’s physical structures and appearance. That led them on a trip to Paris, France and Barcelona, Spain to learn about each city’s architecture and its unique attributes.
  • The team studied Art Nouveau architecture design and the unique form, scale, and color that define this style, which flourished in the late 1800s.
  • Through partnerships with local professors, along with art and architectural historians, Imagineers received an intimate look at the architectural aesthetics that will serve as the overall design inspiration for the land.
  • You can see many of those architectural inspirations in the images below.

  • Paris is a city full of classic Art Nouveau examples – the team highlighted the way natural motifs and swirling designs there make nature appear to be “cursed" like magic has frozen it into place.
  • On the other hand, Barcelona’s art style is Modernisme, which has less natural patterns but gives the architecture an otherworldly, unnerving appearance.
  • Another fascinating discovery that they made in both places was how many of the architectural elements had a wonderful color palette, full of rich tones.
  • These discoveries led to the team coining the term “Conjured Architecture," referring to the blend of historical components and fantastical worlds that have merged to ultimately create something wicked that will be able to be experienced firsthand – a villains-inspired land.  

  • As we previously reported, Disney Legend and former animator Andreas Deja is serving as a consultant on the Villains Land project. He is perhaps best known for his work on three key Disney Villains – Gaston from Beauty and the Beast, Jafar from Aladdin, and Scar from The Lion King.
  • Deja shared a video message with the crowd at Destination D23, which is also available to watch below.

More on Magic Kingdom’s Villains Land:

  • This new land will be home to the Disney Villains we know and loathe from our favorite Walt Disney Animation Studios classic films — “which means happily ever after may feel like just a distant dream."
  • The evil ambition of all these Villains means that the possibilities are endless for the stories that can be told — and visitors to the dark and thorny land should be prepared for whatever chaos might come their way.
  • The space will be home to two major attractions, dining, and shopping on an incredibly twisted grand scale.
  • Land preparation is already underway at the Magic Kingdom for this new land.

More News from Destination D23:

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