Space Mountain & Myth Making

This post is a digression of the original concept arts I usually present here on The Blue Armchair. Instead, it is a analysis of one of the most iconic, and certainly my favourite, themed roller coaster in the world: Space Mountain.

Themes as Myths

Theme parks often provide a wealth of excellent case studies for semiology. On the surface, they are simply collections of fantasy of escape and entertainment, but from a visual culture standpoint, they are perpetual vehicles of spatialized modern myths that frictionlessly unfold as guests experience the attractions [1]. 

The word ‘theme’ in theme park can be interpreted as a landscape of architectural narrative with a cohesive underlying thematic framework that echoes the dominant ideologies of society. In other words, under the semiotic analysis framework proposed by Barthes [2], ‘theme’ can then be considered as mythology, and ‘park’ can then be regarded as an ensemble of fabricated signifiers. 

Case Study: Space Mountain

In this essay, we consider a classic Disney attraction called Space Mountain. The premise of Space Mountain is simple. It is a high-speed, thrilling indoor roller coaster ride in the darkness of ‘outer-space’. It is an opportunity for guests to experience the excitement of venturing into new frontiers, and immerse themselves in the mythology of exploration, adventure, possibility and future. Indeed, this is exactly what Walt Disney himself envisioned Disney parks to signify, as evident from his dedication speech in 1955: ‘... here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future. Disneyland is ... a step into the future ... new frontiers in science, adventure and ideals ... the challenge of Outer Space...’ [5]. 

The design of Space Mountain has choreographed an array of signifiers such that the aforementioned mythologies can be unfolded seamlessly as the guest experience the ride. However, as noted by Hall [3], the correlation, also known as the ‘code’, between the signifier and the signified is culturally specific and non-static [4]. This is where Space Mountain becomes interesting. This popular attraction has been built five times around the world in Florida, California, Tokyo, Paris and Hong Kong over a period of 30 years [6]. In each of the versions, designers must work upon a completely different inventory of cultural practices and knowledges, yet still creating a unified vector field of signifiers that ultimately point towards the same underlying mythology of adventure and future.

Florida, United States, 1975

The original Space Mountain opened in Walt Disney World, Florida in 1975 [6]. This masterpiece of architectural sculpture immediately confers a myriad of denotative signs and ciphers. 

Upon first impression, the sloping contour of the structure acts as an indisputable iconic signifiers that conjure up a connotative signified image of a mountain. The imagery of a mountain then acts as an symbolic signifier in a second-order of signification that denotes the idea of conquer and the epitomy of human achievements. All these ultimately echo the central mythology of adventure and exploration. 

The dominating spires that erect from the top of the structure are reminiscent of the shape of antennas; the circular rims incorporated are iconic signifiers of flying saucers; the monochromatic white color palette is suggestive of the interior of a spacecraft; and the sweeping curvature punctuated by orthogonal and rectilinear broad rims are evocative of motion and space probes. Indeed, 1970’s was towards the end of the Space Race. The American had triumphantly put man on the moon just half a decade ago. The imagery of space vehicles was very much within the realm of the general public, and the associated celebratory atmosphere of optimism and scientific achievement were undeniable. By incorporating visual elements from probes, aerials and the space industry, the architect was using them as iconic signifiers that ultimately appealed to American’s vision of exploring new frontiers, and anchored the Space Mountain’s mythology that is adventure and braving the unknown. 

It is also interesting to note the concrete material utilized for the structure. In the then-matured Brutalism architectural style, concrete was hailed as the defining material. Not only have architects mastered it to create appealing and even delicate forms, this material has enabled the world to be re-built in the speed and efficiency it had after World War II. The material, and thus Space Mountain’s use of it, was considered as symbolic signs of mastery and progress, and thus aligning itself with the attraction’s central myth.

The composition and framing of Space Mountain are also signs. The structure is set against a clear sky with no surrounding structures. This allowed the architects to exploit a technique called ‘forced perspective’, which is an optical illusion that immensely increases the perceived scale of the mountain. Here, the colossal scale itself is daunting, and acts as a symbolic signifier of wealth and growth, and ultimately the myth of possibility and future. 

Paris, France, 1995

The Parisian version of Space Mountain opened in 1995 [6]. While ultimately based on the same underlying mythology as its American counterpart, it employed a completely different set of symbolic visuals.

On a denotative level, one can identify a use of a brown and muted color palette juxtaposed with and industrial metallic texture. There is also a heavy emphasis on radial geometries, compounded with an abundance of ornamentation and a substantial exposure of structural beams. While the spires are topologically equivalent to their American analogues, they seems to pertain a heavy emphasis on its inner mechanical and electrical workings. All these can be considered as a collection of indexical and symbolic signifiers that are connotative of the steampunk style. 

Indeed, while the American’s vision of adventure hinged on the future of space exploration, the European version was arguably rooted in history. Steampunk is an aesthetic that signifies the nineteenth century industrial steam-powered era and the Victorian era, periods where Europe experienced great technological advancements. To many Europeans, steampunk is also evocative of many great inventors such as Leonardo Da Vinci. All of these culminates toward an overarching mythology of progress and future, with a flair of nostalgia and romanticism that reflects the (perceived) personalities of French. 

Another European-specific code that the architect utilized here was related to French literature. The columbiad and the imagery of the moon and sun on the body of the Space Mountain are all references and signifiers of Jules Verne’s classic novel ‘From the Earth to the Moon’, which is about a fictional cannon that launches people to the moon with a central theme surrounding frontier exploration [6]. While familiar to most French audiences, the code between a cannon and the myth of adventure is absent for an American audience, just as imageries based on the Space Race will not resonate with Europeans as much as they do with Americans. 

Hong Kong, China, 2005

Exactly thirty years after the opening of the first Space Mountain in Florida, Hong Kong Disneyland opened its door along with its own version of the attraction [6]. 

The most striking sign identifiable from the Hong Kong Space Mountain is that it is enveloped by dense greeneries and lush hills. Gone are the days where the future is all about venturing to outer-space. Amidst the beginning of the 21st century, and in light of issues such as the global warming, the idea of the tomorrow and technological advancement have arguably shifted towards the environment and preservation. The composition of nature, juxtaposed with the man-made Space Mountain then becomes a symbolic signifier of the harmonious co-existence of the artificial and the organic, and thus echoes with the new ideologies of the future for a modern audience.

Nonetheless, it is interesting to note that this version of the attraction fundamentally shares a plethora of symbols with the original Floridian Space Mountain, most notably the identical contour, geometry and color palette. While it was argued that the mapping between the signifiers and the signifieds are culturally dependent, evidently, there are certain symbolic icons that have seemingly transcended such cultural specificities. While the Space Race or Jules Verne’s novel are most definitely not part of the mainstream Chinese’s cultural inventory, the geometry of the Space Mountain nonetheless still aspire a sense of futuristic optimism and sense of adventure.

By 2005, Space Mountain, having been built all around the world, and has been rode by millions of Disney guests, has become something of a symbol itself, a symbol of state-of-the-art thrilling entertainment. Effectively, by enduring in the theme park industry over the years and becoming a classical anchor attraction in Disney parks, it has inevitably become an object of culture through the ‘circuit of culture’ [7]. As such, Space Mountain has come full circle, from employing symbols that provoke mythologies to becoming a symbol of mythologies.

Conclusion

Theme parks and their attractions are meticulously orchestrated landscapes of signifiers. In this case study of the Space Mountain, we saw a carefully selected set of signifiers that ultimately unify and evoke the mythology of exploration, adventure, possibility and future. In particular, Space Mountain has demonstrated that, while myths themselves can be universal, the signifiers that point towards them can vary significantly both culturally and temporally, and that the mapping between the signifier and the signified is constantly changing depending on the context.

References

[1] Mitrašinovi?, M. (2006). Total landscape, theme parks, public space. Aldershot: Ashgate.

[2] Barthes, R., & Lavers, A. (1972). Mythologies. New York: Hill and Wang.

[3] Hall, S. (1980). Culture, media, language: Working papers in cultural studies, 1972-79. London: Hutchinson ;.

[4] Rose, G. (2001). Visual methodologies an introduction to the interpretation of visual materials. London: Sage.

[5] "Wave file of dedication speech". Archived from the original on December 20, 2005.

[6] Surrell, J. (2007). The Disney Mountains: Imagineering at its peak. New York: Disney Editions ;.

[7] Gay, P. (1997). Doing cultural studies: The story of the Sony Walkman. London: Sage, in association with the Open University.