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2018: Wicker Man - General Discussion - SPOILERS! - Part One
jon81uk
TS Member
With any luck the final product will leave all of that concrete exposed so that we get consistency with The Smiler...!![]()
I know you are being sarcastic.
But Oblivion also has a lot of exposed concrete, so for The Smiler its a theming choice to make it look very industrial and partly in-keeping with Oblivion.
With this I really hope the earth is moved back up to cover the majority of the concrete as I expect a more wooden theme in keeping with Mutiny Bay.
Josh
TS Member
.With this I really hope the earth is moved back up to cover the majority of the concrete as I expect a more wooden theme in keeping with Mutiny Bay.
There is a large mound of earth that has been left in the middle of the site, so hopefully they are saving it for spreading around to cover up most of the foundations
ChristmasPud
TS Member
(Sorry you set off the architecture student in my brain!)But Oblivion also has a lot of exposed concrete, so for The Smiler its a theming choice to make it look very industrial and partly in-keeping with Oblivion.
Interesting point, Oblivion's use of concrete is very well designed and was a key part of the theme. The design of the drop zone, and levels of the queue took a lot of effort and it really paid off. In fact other areas like the buildings around the queue aren't even real concrete, they were made to look that way for a particular style and a particular effect (although the effect has partly been removed & cladded in plastic).
Oblivion/X Sector got me so interested in retro architecture and there was a conscious design effort to reflect various (concrete based) modernist architectural styles to evoke the kinda Soviet, austere and curious theme.
However The Smiler's use of concrete was purely because of a big balls up with ground surveying (the queue and pit) and the cheap buildability factor of using precast, standardised concrete panels for the building. Why the concrete & blockwork was all left uncladded, even INSIDE in most places (awful), is a major cop out I think.
The "it suits the theme" idea was just an excuse for them to leave it looking that way, instead of designing something architectural with imagination & mystery like Oblivion (in its better days). I think it's terribly limiting, and the flaws will show up badly in a few years, if it doesn't make for a horrible and bland experience walking through the queue & building already!
Case in point, SW8's station is exactly the same precast concrete flat-pack box style, even though it's a totally different theme. Let's hope it is cladded somehow. There are always cost-effective ways to do a great theme, if a proper budget is given.
I think Merlin's use of architecture in all their projects is fundamentally poor. And I don't just mean style, I mean the basic shapes and layouts of their attractions are always so limited by their formulaic design. Especially Sub Terra, which needed a shipping container add-on to even have space for any kind of ending (this is a joke); Derren Brown's GT, where what could have been a great reveal of the train in the auditorium is only seen from awkward 90 degree angles, no sense of scale of level; or The Smiler's blocky, empty blockwork indoor scenes. A whole range of wasted opportunities.
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PeteB
TS Member
I think Merlin's use of architecture in all their projects is fundamentally poor. And I don't just mean style, I mean the basic shapes and layouts of their attractions are always so limited by their formulaic design.
You'll absolutely love the Crooked Spoon Restaurant then (if you haven't already seen it). Absolutely the worst restaurant design and layout I've ever seen in the world. It's just a rentangular room with a load of tables squashed together, no walk way areas, which leads to a constant cause of frustration and anger among guests.
Merlin's designs for just about everything, completely and utterly suck. The new CBeebies Hotel design and layout is horriffic! I'm so pleased I will never have the displeasure of staying in it.
ChristmasPud
TS Member
I did have the forgettable experience of eating at the non-Crooked Spoon and yes twas cost-saving design at some of its blandest and worst for function.
The message from them really is "if we show you enough colourful saccharine graphics then you'll believe you're having a great time".
The message from them really is "if we show you enough colourful saccharine graphics then you'll believe you're having a great time".
Rob
TS Team
TheUnknown
TS Member
I heard from an inside source yesterday that SW8 is set to have a "fire theme". This backs up the Wickerman speculation, but maybe there are plans to incorporate special effects throughout the ride. Reliability is of course a major concern here.
Plastic Person
TS Member
I heard from an inside source yesterday that SW8 is set to have a "fire theme".
Seems like a sensible choice for a wooden coaster.
addy2503
TS Member
But they've only had a few minor fires... I don't see what could possibly go wrong!In addition Alton Towers neither have a good record with fire nor maintaining intricate theming elements so doesn't bode well if your "inside source" is right.
bluesonichd
TS Member
A steel erection