Sunday, June 10, 2007

A Place to Rest

A bench at Walt Disney World seems like such a simple concept - just a place to rest before heading to the next attraction. Yet no detail is ever overlooked by the Imagineers. I took a trip around World Showcase, photographing each bench (garnering a few curious looks in the process - you would think I would be used to it by now!). What follows is an assemblage of 11 different cultures set in metal, concrete and wood.


We begin in Mexico, with dark wood and ornate, heavy metal.


Norway's design features an airy back with thin vertical bars in metal outlined in a stained wood. It complements nicely with the surrounding architecture.


China's bench is a very distinct constrast to the previous two countries, with a heavy, yet still graceful, concrete seat.


Visions of the Black Forest and the decorative Bavarian architecture spring to mind with the design of Germany's bench.


Italy has two designs, but both equally capture the elegance of the architecture. The concrete bench has a very ancient Roman feeling to it.



The benches of the American Adventure are very colonial in style, like something you would find in Williamsburg. Yet they also have the quaintness of something you would find in a park today.


Similar to China, Japan's bench is also backless, but the curved motif is more prominent here.


Morocco's design echoes the great decorative elements found in the tile work.


Parisian flare finds its way into the simplistic elegance of France's bench design.


The bench at the United Kingdom is very simple in its design, but the heavy wood is a great accent to the rich brick buildings around it.


A very rustic flair is found in the benches at Canada.