2020 Walt Disney Imaginations Design Competition: Here
Second Place awarded project out of 300+ original entries.
In collaboration with Kennedy Behling, Cecilia Gonzalez, and Abby Henning
Competition Project Prompt
"Create an iconic installation on your campus or city that serves as an inspiration, honors the past, and is a vision of the future. It can be architectural, ornamental, static, active, whatever your team feels is the best way to represent your unique chosen location. It can be intimate or grandiose, but it should always be appropriate for the location selected. In telling the very unique story of your chosen spot, it should respect and integrate local traditions and geography. Your icon should be a place to gather and celebrate, as well as reflect and educate the community. A concept that will go down in history as symbolic of your campus or city."
Deep in the heart of Texas lies a campus built on tradition, where a brand new tradition has found its place. Out of a rich history rises a living memorial like no other. Here. A place where current and former students alike can gather to relax, reflect, and remember those who came before them.
Texas A&M University was founded in 1871 as a military institution. The Muster tradition at Texas A&M University began as a yearly celebration of camaraderie on San Jacinto Day, April 21st. However, the tradition took a somber turn in 1942, on the island of Corregidor, where brave American soldiers were struggling against Japanese forces in World War II. Brigadier General George F. Moore, a graduate of Texas A&M, was desperate to get news off the island, to let those back home know that they hadn’t given up hope. On April 21st, he gathered the names of the 27 Aggie soldiers on the island, and held a roll call, known as a muster in army terms. Few survived the ensuing battles, but their courage solidified the tradition of Aggie Muster, which has lived on to the present.
While Muster Ceremony only occurs once a year, Here offers a year-round experience. It creates a space for Aggies to pause, remember those who walked these grounds before them, and revel in the camaraderie of this special tradition. Here is located on the eastern corner of Simpson Drill Field, in the center of Main Campus. Referred to as the “front lawn of campus,” this is a location brimming with historical significance, as Muster Ceremony took place here for many years until the crowds became too large.
The overall design of the installation is divided into three levels of space. First, surrounding the installation is a set of seating steps, where guests can relax, socialize, or study. Second, are the Muster Gardens, where guests can immerse themselves in the story of Muster past and present. These gardens act as a functional buffer, visually and audibly to guests approaching the installation. Finally, in the middle, stand the Candlelight Towers, the main focus of our installation. Inside, guests are encouraged to participate in a moment of reflection.
As you stroll across campus, you spot something in the distance. The sun glints off a bronze structure rising out of Simpson Drill Field.As you begin to descend the stairs or ramp, the sounds of Aggieland grow quiet around you. You’re astounded by the peace you feel in this space.
As you reach the bottom of the ampitheatre, you enter the Muster Gardens, and notice beautiful flower beds, filled with maroon flowers and dotted with vertical lights. Beside each flower bed, you see a bronze plaque. As you approach, you begin to read, and discover the history of Muster, the story of the brave Aggies on Corregidor, and the meaning of Here.
The flowers are bluebonnets - the state flower of Texas. Specifically, they’re a unique strain of aggie maroon bluebonnets, engineered by Agronomists at Texas A&M. The number of solar lights amongst the flowers represent the Aggies honored at Muster that year, while the form is reminiscent of candles. The flowerbeds and plaques create a transition scene in terms of storytelling and guest experience. The space provides a transition between the lighthearted nature of the surrounding campus, and the more somber and respectful nature of the Candlelight Towers, while engaging and educating guests about the rich history and tradition behind the installation.
As you step into the Candlelight Towers, you find yourself in a space designed for reflection. The smooth bronze walls and overhead dome create acoustics perfect for an echoed “Here”. Each alcove is also fitted with a bench wrapping all the way around the wall, allowing for comfort and relaxation, and encouraging guests to stay for a moment of quiet reflection.
As you find your way to the center, you read an inscription on the floor. “In remembrance of Aggies dear, stand in this spot and speak aloud ‘Here’”. As you follow the instructions and answer ‘Here’, your word is echoed back to you by the bronze dome above you, amplified as if you were surrounded by fellow Aggies answering with you.
You look down and notice a circle of light growing bright on the floor beneath you. The dots of light cascade outward, drawing your eye to the threshold of each surrounding alcove. The echoes envelop you, and the warmth of the growing light beneath you instills in you a sense of community and comfort, as if you were standing in Muster Ceremony, surrounded by your Aggie Family.
The curved dome and gutters of the towers between the two layers of bronze walls create a hidden drainage system, collecting rainwater and funneling it into an underground reservoir, where it is then recycled to water the Muster Gardens. A path of circular cutouts spiral upwards around the walls, allowing natural light to filter into each alcove during the day, and creating a sense of transparency and safety for those inside. A pair of LED light tubes follow the path of these cutouts, flanking them on either side, and allowing the cutouts to glow with light.
Light plays an important role in Aggie Muster. Each year at Muster Ceremony, the families of the deceased light candles as the names of their loved ones are called. Throughout the night, as more and more names are called, the light of the candles grows, eventually creating a wall of light in the darkness of the arena, displaying the strength of the Aggie Spirit. This powerful imagery is reflected in the nighttime lighting effects of our installation. As the sky begins to darken each night, the cutouts start to glow, starting at the base, and slowly growing upwards towards the sky as the sun continues to set. When night has fallen, Here glows bright with a warm light, as a reminder that light shines brighter in the dark, and no Aggie will be forgotten so long as another Aggie lives.
In 2018, a new activity was added to Muster Day: Sunrise Muster. This takes place on the morning of Muster Day every year as a precursor to the Muster ceremony. The construction of Here could be the latest addition to the Muster tradition. While this is of course, a concept, it is our hope that on the morning of April 21st, years from now, Aggies will gather Here, in sorrow and camaraderie, to honor every single Aggie that has passed in the last year, and watch as the sun rises over our installation in the heart of campus.
Personal Contributions to Project:
More Conceptual Sketches
This competition allowed me to apply the skills I’ve learned academically and professionally and work as part of a talented team of women to share the story of Muster at Texas A&M. Having a strong role in the conceptual design for the project allowed me to immerse myself in the history and symbolism of Muster. I built on my background in architectural design to translate those concepts into the overall form and lighting of our bronze structure, developing the idea of growing light being a key symbolic feature from the ceremony and integral to user experience. What I’ve learned in my architectural studio classes allowed me to partner with Kennedy to 3d model the project. My skills with architectural graphics allowed me to produce all of the still computer-generated renders seen in our project, as well as the gif renders. I applied my knowledge in graphic design to create the site map and alcove technical diagram for Here, and collaborated with Cecilia on the Here logo and the overall branding for the project to assist in the flow of the presentation.
I was just one member of an extremely passionate and hardworking team of Texas A&M women. Check out the portfolios of my teammates Abby Henning, Cecilia Gonzalez, and Kennedy Behling
Our week at Walt Disney Imagineering Headquarters in Glendale, CA
Our team had two goals when entering the competition in Late August of 2019: do our best to honor our school's traditions and see how far we could go. We were honored to receive second place for our project and to be amongst such talented, creative, and humble finalists from other around the country. I'm so grateful to everyone who helped coordinate our visit and who made the experience unforgettable.
This project was conceived by the Texas A&M University: HERE Team and created for the 2020 Walt Disney Imagineering’s Imaginations Design Competition. This project is the sole property of Walt Disney Imagineering and all rights to use these ideas are exclusive to Walt Disney Imagineering. The competition is a way for students and recent graduates to showcase their talents and for Walt Disney Imagineering to identify new talent.
