Tuesday, 14 August 2007 |
Forget your traditional definition of an amusement park, Wannado
City leaves behind the cotton candy, the solicitors of large stuffed
animals, the mindless entertainment and trash. Instead the “city” has
redefined child entertainment with aspirational activities, all of
which are framed around the question: “What do you wanna do when you
grow up?”
Wannado City was crafted from the vision of Mexican-born Luis Javier
Laresgoiti, who had a eureka moment while watching his daughter “play
executive” on his business phone. Laresgoiti, with the backing of
several major corporations has crafted a dream world where children are
encouraged to take on an adult profession and see where it takes them.
The park is located in Sawgrass Mills Mall in Southern Florida.
Each venue has its own concentration, such as the Motorola-sponsored
M-Lab that focuses on innovation and invention. The M-Lab turns each
visitor is given a white lab coat and transformed into an “M-Ventor.”
The children are encouraged to work together on a technology-based game
to solve a difficult problem. Once they’ve solved the situation at
hand, they’re greeted with a congratulatory “Mission Accomplished”
banner.
M-Lab however, goes far above and beyond the standard protocol for
children’s playthings. The space was designed in collaboration with Motorola and Gensler,
a self-proclaimed “global design, planning and strategic consulting
firm.” The M-Lab lures passer-bys with its façade – clad in stark
aluminum and panelite – which contrasts with the surrounding “quaint
village” motif. Inside there are seven chambers, each meticulously
designed depending on the room’s task at hand. The end result is a
realistic series of rooms that embrace each child’s fantasy of becoming
the next influential innovator. By L. Harper
|
M-Lab 
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