Merit Award
Wildhorse Saloon
Location
Walt Disney World Pleasure Island, Lake Buena Vista, Florida
Client
Gaylord Entertainment
Design Firm
Daroff Design Inc/DDi Architects, PC/DDI Graphics
Design Team
Karen Daroff (Principal in Charge), Keith Fallon, Robert Hilton, Jack Hulme, Martin Komitzky, Simone Makoul, Glen Swantak, Qi Wang
Fabricators
International Sign & Design Corporation
Photographer
Elliott Kaufman
The challenge for the environmental graphics and signage of the Wildhorse Saloon was the concealed location of the entertainment venue along the waterfront at the end of Disney's Pleasure Island. The 18-foot-round, rotating backlit logo sign perched 70 feet above street level was designed to lure the thousand of guests entering Pleasure Island to experience the excitement of the saloon. Thundering and larger-than-life-sized, three-dimensional wild horses stampede over trompe l'oeil mountains to create visual excitement. Rusticated, distressed corrugated metal siding, weathered barn wood siding and country "billboards" complete the setting for this immersive country music experience. The interior focus to this country music themed entertainment restaurant is the hardwood dance floor with its theatrical, robotic lighting and live action country music dancing.
Jury Comment
Sited on the opposite side of the river to most foot traffic, this project successfully brings energy and excitement to what is a "warehouse-style" building in a hard-to-reach location. The combination of lighting, sculpture and graphics transform an unexceptional structure into a place of real entertainment value for the visitor.