Compost sinks, color changing walls, a self-making bed—these are just some of the visions of the future that visitors had in our Open Studio last month. The futuristic theme was inspired by the 50th Anniversary of the 1964 New York World’s Fair, where Walt Disney Productions debuted their “Carousel of Progress”. This attraction made use of Audio Animatronic characters to take viewers through the evolution of electricity in household settings from the 1890’s to the 1960’s, and then beyond!
Using the “Carousel of Progress” as inspiration, we created a “Neighborhood of Progress” where visitors could post their designs of future homes and innovations they predict will be part of our everyday lives. Using a worksheet and a piece of vellum attached over top, these two-page drawings allowed designers to draw the outside of their house on one page, and then lift it to reveal the interior of their home with all of their new inventions. There was no limit to how far into the future to take your imagination, so no two homes were anything alike.
If you would like to design your own home of the future you can download our worksheet here! Just attach tracing paper over top and color the outside of your home to make it complete.
Have fun!
Jenna Calvao
Studio Coordinator
at The Walt Disney Family Museum