Animal Kingdom
The
majestic Tree of Life stands proudly as the icon of the
Animal Kingdom Park.
From a distance, this imposing structure appears to be the
real thing. As you draw closer, the amazing details come
to life. An international team of artisans were brought
together to design and implement the carving of nearly 400
animals in it's intricate framework.
The first challenge was designing a 145 foot tall "tree" that could stand up to hurricane force winds, but still
look realistic. A unique system of fabricating and assembling
the branches was designed that brought the flexibility that
was needed to bring this idea to life. There are 45 secondary
branches that lead to 756 tertiary branches. With 7891 end
branches, the entire structure is covered with 102,583 manmade
leaves, each of which is more than a foot long.
While this would be an amazing accomplishment on it's own,
it takes second stage to the carvings. Working within the
delicate balance between sound structure and artistry, images
began to emerge. A branch becomes an elephant's trunk, a
root a snake, each figure seamlessly flowing into another.
Style took precedence over accuracy. The goal was not to
depict the animals true to size, but to have one form lead
to another, all the while appearing to have naturally developed
during the growth of this amazing "tree."
A major part of the illusion is the painting. With varying
shades of browns and green used, you'll be tempted to reach
out and touch it to make certain that it's not actually
tree bark. Even when you're viewing it close up, the realism
is striking.
As if this wasn't enough, housed inside the base of the "Tree of Life" is the theatre for "It's Tough
To Be A Bug." This presented a new set of challenges.
With the same skillful attention to detail, the infrastructure
was camouflaged creating a cave like atmosphere that befits
this unique show.
The "Tree of Life" is one of the most photographed
structures in Disney World. For the best camera shots, look
for the Kodak picture spots that can be found on your guidemap.
Fun Fact: This tree is one of the few artificial trees among over 4 million living plants at Disney's Animal Kingdom.
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Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park
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