Shanghai Disneyland’s Award-Winning Enchanted Storybook Castle

A well-established urban designer, architect, and planner, James Hanis presently engages with Walt Disney Imagineering in Orlando, Florida, as design manager. James Hanis is part of a team that spans 150 disciplines and manages all aspects of the global company’s iconic look, feel, and design across its resorts, theme parks, and cruise ships.

One prominent recent Walt Disney Imagineering project involved the complex design and build of the Enchanted Storybook Castle at Shanghai Disneyland. Featuring architectural detailing that adhered to the traditional Disney castle appearance, the structure successfully employed leading-edge Building Information Modeling techniques.

Through creating intricate digital representations of facilities and structures, a complex multi-use facility was created. Within the Enchanted Storybook Castle are dining, retail, and theatrical spaces, as well as a centerpiece ride. This marriage of diverse components of themed entertainment was accomplished through the work of multiple, geographically remote project teams.

The successful implementation of this framework earned Walt Disney Imagineering an Architectural Practice Award from the American Institute of Architects.