Giving form to fantasy takes more than fairy dust and magic. It requires skill, creativity, innovation and a whole lot of hard work. amaZulu, Inc. has been a long-time trusted partner for an Orlando theme park. When ideas began swirling around to build a theme park attraction that was out of this world, they enlisted the services of amaZulu, Inc. to source specific materials.
Components
- Natural Material of Dried Hyacinth
- HDPE lashing
- Stainless Steel Custom Welded Frames up to 16 ft tall
- Woven Baskets
- HDPE Thatch
- Synthetic Bamboo Poles
Challenge
This Orlando theme park sought intricate woven totems, pieces no machine could make. Whether it was a woven basket or a ceremonial totem measuring 20 feet by 16 feet, each piece needed to tell a story. Some pieces had to appear as if it had been created by a Na’vi artisans with large hands.
Both synthetic and natural fibers were required for the project. While synthetics can spend six to eight weeks crossing the ocean without trouble, the natural materials can absorb moisture, which could cause mold. Therefore, we added different anti-mold chemicals to the natural treatment during the production of the custom-woven art.
When it came time to ship the custom woven art back to the States, amaZulu, Inc. used refrigerated containers to control humidity and prevent mold during shipping. The most delicate pieces were meticulously packed in wooden crates and air freighted directly to the work site.
Strategy
Since amaZulu, Inc. is a leading supplier of thatch and other natural materials, we are already partnered with artisans who have weaved most of their lives. Once we received the scaled prints and color boards, the factory devised a way to divide up each custom woven structure to scale so that the weavers could copy the detail to perfection.
We played with colors and tried different techniques between the HDPE and natural strands which turned out better than expected. Workspace was a factor, so the factory built outdoor sheltered areas. We were conscious of the dyes used so the factory also developed a separation technique where clean water could be reused and the dye particles turned solid to be disposed of correctly.
While the Na’vi are known for their distinctive blue hue, amaZulu, Inc.’s contribution to this project was decidedly green. The company routinely sources a wide range of USDA-approved, rapidly renewable and eco-friendly products, and everything that it provided for the theme park attraction is recyclable. Therefore, the contribution by amaZulu, Inc. to this amusement park construction project was innovative, practical and environmentally friendly. All the materials can be recycled whenever the theme park chooses. Nothing has to go to a landfill, but hopefully, we will see them a long time to come.
Results
amaZulu, Inc. considers their work on the attraction a resounding success. Why? “The customer is delighted! That’s the result that matters,” says Evans. “Everyone who worked on the project from Villager to Imagineer, had a great can-do attitude. It was a pleasure working so closely with them.”
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