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UNITY SQUARE

PROJECT

  • 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.

  • 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.

PROJECT CONCEPT

Enter Heritage Hall, a unique patchwork building cultivated by generations throughout Savannah’s long and multicultural history. This ever-evolving building protects the stories of the past and invites guests to become part of the perpetually growing quilt of Savannah’s communal history.

100 years after the historic port fell out of use due to industrialization and an increase in interstate highway travel, we have restored and expanded the site into a new Savannah Square, showcasing all of the cultural vibrancy of this warm and inviting city. Unity Square consists of five buildings, a fountain, a sprawling farm-to-table garden, and green space for a relaxing stroll along the riverfront. We vowed to share the stories of all the city’s people, past, present, and future, and show the world the Savannah that has developed throughout the centuries, represented by a fountain of unity that comes to life with a unique show every evening.

Here at Unity Square, we have consulted the varied historic communities to develop a place that exemplifies the best parts of Savannah, while still remembering the many troubling times within its history. By creating a place that welcomes those from all backgrounds and abilities, Unity Square speaks to the diverse population of Savannah and its international guests. Every visitor is met with the true spirit of Southern hospitality and open inclusion. We honour the past and future through our conservation efforts and continue to build the strong sense of community which was intended by the original colonial charter.

We now invite everyone to add their own story to our community and join us in reflecting on the past, exploring the present, conserving for the future, and discovering the endless possibilities at Unity Square.

COMPETITION SLIDES

  • Eight slide presentation submitted to convey concept and story

  • Four additional slides to convey team member roles and backgrounds

  • Template provided by Disney

Project Overview
Story and User Experience
Welcome to Unity Square
Explore
Discover
Reflect
Conserve
Unity Fountain Show
Team Member Slide - Arielle
Team Member Slide - Branden
Team Member Slide - Kelly
Team Member Slide - Brendan

ILLUSTRATIONS

  • Main slide illustrations and callout illustrations

  • Scanned pencil illustrations

  • Digitally painted in Photoshop

Farmhouse Interior Illustration rev
Garden Scan
Family Quilt Illustration
Aerial Illustration Small
Summary Illustration Small
Massing Model 2

STORY DEVELOPMENT

  • Project goals to address prompt and themes

  • Invented history of our building incorporating the real history of Savannah to create an ever growing central site

  • The original port of Savannah has grown through the years as a layered patchwork history of the city and its people

  • After being abandoned for a century, the site was rediscovered and revitalized into a Savannah Square as both a monument to the past and a gathering place for the present and future community of Savannah

Mission
Timeline
Timeline
Timeline
Timeline
Timeline
Timeline
Story

FOREVER QUILT UI WIREFRAME

  • Interactive digital guest book

  • Guests design a personal square to be added to the digital quilt

  • Squares are never deleted, creating an ever growing community

  • Guests can share, email, or print their square as a keepsake

  • User interface wireframe prototype, Adobe XD

  • Quilt imagery woven throughout Unity Square project

  • Quilts were part of the four major cultural groups represented in Savannah and in Unity Square

User Interface
Welcome Screen
Design Screen
Share Help Screen
Gallery Screen (w/accessible option)

STYLE GUIDES AND SLIDE PROCESS

  • Early slide layout sketches

  • Initial colour schedule

  • Early reference image boards

Discover Slide Sketch
Explore Slide Sketch
Initial Colour Schedule
Explore Image Board
Unity Fountain Image Board
Discover Image Board
Conserve Image Boar

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

  • Used Agile Development methodology with daily scrum checkins

  • Focused on constant and open communication and iteration

  • Used Slack, Trello, and Google Applications for communication, organization, and work tracking 

Imaginations 2020 Slack SCRUM
Imaginations 2020 Trello
Imaginations 2020 Drive
Imaginations 2020 Drive

This project was conceived by the Savannah College of Art and Design Team and created for the 2020 Walt Disney Imagineering’s Imaginations Student 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.

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