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I’m fascinated to learn more about the development of Disney’s Animal Kingdom during the 1990s. Joe Rohde and his team built concepts that would ultimately lead to Walt Disney World’s fourth theme park. This year represents the park’s 25th anniversary, and it’s the perfect time to speak with Imagineers from that group. Tom Sze is my guest on this episode of the Tomorrow Society Podcast to talk about his career and work on the Animal Kingdom. He joined Walt Disney Imagineering in 1991 after working at several architecture firms.
As a Concept Architect, Tom played a key role in developing the intricate structures and details of this beautiful park. In particular, we talk about Harambe and the way it depicts an African village. Tom recalls stories of how much work it took to create such a convincing space. We also talk about research trips to countries like Bhutan to help build the park’s story. This background helped to enhance the detailed areas throughout the Animal Kingdom.
Tom also describes his experience developing concepts for Paradise Pier at Disney California Adventure and Tomorrowland for Hong Kong Disneyland. We also cover his work on the ground at Tokyo DisneySea as that stunning park was coming together. Finally, Tom describes his current role as a Principal at Gensler. He has worked at that architecture, design, and planning firm since he left Imagineering in 2005. I really enjoyed speaking with Tom and learning about his three distinctive careers.
Show Notes: Tom Sze
Learn more about Tom Sze and his work at Gensler through his official bio page.
Check out other podcast episodes focused on Disney’s Animal Kingdom with Rick Barongi and Zofia Kostyrko-Edwards.
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