Early 1980 concept art by Tom Gilleon for Spaceship Earth and the EPCOT entrance plaza reveals a much more sleek take on the area. Gone are the overhangs and beveled edges to Spaceship Earth’s wings, and instead of angular legs, soft curves swoop up to support the geosphere. 

While this isn’t a radical departure from the final product, it does have it’s plusses. The simplistic geometric lines and shapes give Spaceship Earth a more monumental appearance, and even reduces a bit of the clutter in the atrium under the geosphere. 

Further, the concept art for this early version of the EPCOT fountain is much more elaborate and features all of the pavilion logos, something what would have looked fantastic at EPCOT’s gate and highly appropriate for the iconography of the park. Also notice that the EPCOT Center logo is a prototype of the final version and features a star in the center of the rings, rather than a globe. 

If and when Leave a Legacy finally is removed from the park, this timeless and sleek idea for the face of EPCOT would be largely welcome.