The palace and Golden City of the fictional African nation of Wakanda had to have the feeling of being a "complete" world, including streets filled with people and a transportation system. "We really wanted to make sure that we were always thinking about what impact the city had on its natural surroundings, and how it is integrated into the ecology and topography of its location in Wakanda," says production designer Hannah Beachler, who adds that the architecture of the late Zaha Hadid was a huge influence. "The way she used space and form is breathtaking."

The main inspiration for the palace and much of the design language of Wakanda is the South African ruins of Mpumalanga, which is thought to be the oldest civilization known to man, dating back 100,000-plus years. "We looked to nature for the shapes of the buildings — for example, using the shape of the twisted horn of the eland as inspiration for a skyscraper," adds Beachler. "Wakanda is a technologically advanced society that still has a sense of its own historical, cultural past, one that has not been affected by Western standards."

This story first appeared in the Nov. 14 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.