ARCHITECTURE IN MOVIES

THE SHINING

Stanley Kubrick's The Shining is widely considered to be among the best big-screen adaptations of the Stephen King story by the same name

“The Shining is about Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson), an aspiring writer and recovering alcoholic, who accepts a position as the off-season caretaker of the isolated historic Overlook Hotel in the Colorado Rockies. Wintering over with Jack are his wife Wendy Torrance (Shelley Duvall) and young son Danny Torrance (Danny Lloyd). Danny possesses "the shining", psychic abilities that enable him to see into the hotel's horrific past. The hotel's cook, Dick Hallorann (Scatman Crothers), also has this and is able to telepathically communicate with Danny. The hotel had a previous winter caretaker who went crazy and killed his family and himself. After a winter storm leaves the Torrances snowbound, Jack's sanity deteriorates due to the influence of the supernatural forces that inhabit the hotel, placing his wife and son in danger.” Wikipedia

Although production took place exclusively at EMI Elstree Studios, the sets were all based on real locations such as the Ahwahee Hotel in Yosemite National Park

Kuberik is trying to create tension in this horror movie using many different techniques. Remember that architecture can make you feel all sorts of emotions; Calm, comfortable, awkward and tense, happy or sad. How does the image above make you feel? 

Cold and isolated perhaps. 

The perfect emotional response for a horror movie...

Following are some more example of how the architecture of the movie helps to create growing tension throughout the movie.

Lets start with the bar scene. Jack approaches- on axis. Everything is still calm. Jack has not yet lost his mind. Note the colours and level of contrast, muted and soft. 

The rule of thirds comes into play as the discussion between Jack Nicholson and the bar tender begins. Then back to centred images as they are shown individually.

As the tension in the scene grows the architecture changes. The contrast increases with the bar tender lit from behind and Jack below (as if Jack needs to be lit from below to look freaky). Then as things get odd the waiter and jack head into the bathrooms.

 Below is a link to the bar scene and a second for the full bathrooms scene and a couple of still in case the links don't work for you

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRviKZEWcug

 

Two great bathrooms

This fabulous red and white bathroom; a visual and psychological mash between red and white. The discussion begun earlier in the calm softly coloured bar escalates. The room already feels more tense than the last. Note the subtle red tiles on the floor alluding to drops of blood as a discussion is made about a previous murder in the hotel. 

The framing of this scene with the camera sitting on axis in both directions creating a disappearing point in the centre of the frame where the two men speak. The disappearing point distorts objects into points likes knives along the left edge.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wN6TPtaBKwk

The second amazing bathroom contrasts with the first. Soft curves and a cool green to juxtapose with the harsh lines and reds of the first bathroom. 'Room 237'

The focus is on the bath, which appears a few times in the movie alluding the final bathroom scene. As the penultimate bathroom scene contains nudity I’ll just post a still image sans bodies for the delicate folk.

Kubericks attention to detail is astounding with this movie taking over a year to film. Take a look at a few other scenes. Notice anything in common in these? 

Dark and light/ centered framing/ Red and Green; Colours used over and over to visually tie the movie scenes resulting in constant visual contrast.

The juxtaposition between dark and light; a combined visual assault between light and colour. 

The tensions grows....

Kuberic really does like the centered image in this movie, the rule of thirds happens on occasion- generally when there's some action, but the centered, on axis imagery is a real strong point. There's an awkwardness about it that adds to the tension. I love how in the opening of this following scene the architecture is king; the room and all its glory. While he is isolated, small, almost unnoticeable in the center, except for the jarring sound of the typewriter. 

See how architecture can create an intimacy or isolation.

Something else to notice in this writing room scene at a distance he is centered, but once she enters the room she disturbs the symmetry. Then  interestingly as they talk she is framed centered; even and calm, almost black and white (the sane one), while his imagery is off center and messy- red and green again (the not so sane one). 

Caution- bad language!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRRsE0LvUqU

The creepy corridor in this movie appears many times over. The hotel is deserted yet ever door is ominous as a lovely child plays. The plain white walls contrast against the wild carpet design creating feelings of fear (whats behind those doors) and a hint of the mahem about to ensue (the geometric carpet pattern).I wont give away the ending!

I'll leave it there. If you're up for one of the most iconic horror movies that is scary but not that scary, this movie and its amazing spaces are well worth the watch. The blog doesn't contain too many spoliers so there's more in store for those who dare....

THE AXONOMETRIC
 
Today I'd like to introduce you to Daniel Libeskind and his exceptional axonometric drawings. 


Through the use of drawings he can express conceptual ideas, through to built buildings.
"An architectural drawing," Libeskind has written, "is as much a prospective unfolding of future possibilities as it is a recovery of a particular history, to whose intentions it testifies and whose limits it always challenges. In any case a drawing is more than the shadow of an object, more than a pile of lines, more than a resignation to the inertia of convention."


Lets start with the Micromega series; a deconstructivist study of space. 1979
Rooms shaken up and placed back down.
A conceptual exploration of architecture

https://libeskind.com/work/micromegas/

"Micromegas The Architecture of End Space"


The Moma art Gallery describes one of his Micromegas thusly

"Libeskind's Micromegas Project established many of the concerns of the architect's project City Edge, Berlin, which was included in Deconstructivist Architecture. Named after a short story by the eighteenth-century French historian and philosopher Voltaire, the Micromegas project began with eleven pencil drawings, which subsequently served as studies for a series of prints, including this one.
... projected fragments of architectural elements explode across the surface of the paper, illustrating no single moment but alluding to events in both the past and the future"

So now take that notion of the Micromega; A study, an explosion... and now consider applying those ideas to architecture in its built form. 


I'll briefly touch on some examples where he has taken this radical, illustrative idea and tried to apply the ideals into architectural form

"I think the era of rebuilding structures of the past has now passed because going back in history has never really worked – anywhere. Conservatives argue that the old city was such a good city, that it is much safer to rebuild in that image than to move forward to something unknown. But do you really want to have the old city back with all its disadvantages that are so easily overlooked? Does this actually solve the current challenges? You need affordable housing, places for kids and families, more public places. If you just follow the old building lines and volumes, you are actually treating the city like a piece of art or a museum that has to stay the same or that was finished at some point."
interview with Libeskind Uncube magazine 1 August 2015


The first example is Libeskinds Jewish museum. You can see here is his original axonometric sketch a search for meaning from the larger context. Cultural, physical and historical connections visualized. Notice also how he achieves a axonometric appearance through the addition of shadow as the projection of the plan. Not the classical axo, but I'd still considered this as an axonometric

His idea eventually honed in on a concept taken from the Star of David. A Jewish symbol used  at one time to stigmatize a culture, breaking. Broken people, lives and timelines. The building itself being born of this broken symbol opened out.

 

As second example is Potzdamer Platz also in Berlin.
Now his previous larger context sketch is revisited, reinterpreted for this site. A conceptual axonometric is born

 

His built form axonometric of the resultant design speaks volumes about the concept and its realization as a space. Where the cities connections are etched firmly in the resultant place.

 
Now to finish off with a couple of Libeskinds explorations in axonometric; described as artworks, these examples show clearly how the intention of the plan is communicated as an axonometric form.

Collage 1967

 

 

 

 

Axonometric Crystal NewYork London 1970

You can see by these examples how the axonometric can be used to express conceptual ideas, architectural spaces and even as artworks. I hope this helps you all when designing your axonometric visualization of your UNSW building concepts.

Arch 1101. The Hero Shot, The Detail shot

Five examples

Santiago Calatrava

Cuidad de las Artes de las ciencias (City of Arts and Sciences)

Valencia Spain. Completed 2009

Calatrava was an early influence on me as a young designer, as for years I felt that the structure of a building was ugly and needed to be hidden. Calatrava, a Structural engineer and later Architect expresses the structure of a building in all its skeletal beauty and inspired me to seek the beauty in the structure of my buildings. I encourage you all to take a look at his other works too.

I chose this particular building as it photographs so well. We are showing you examples of how to take images of your designs. Following is a rather unconventional architecture link, but one that shows off many "money shots" / "Hero shot" and detail shots.

http://www.takeusanywhere.com/2017/03/28/calatrava-in-valencia/

These are 2 of my favourites. An amazing night time show, lit with contrast in colour between the pure white skeleton and the dark sky. Shown off with a reflection on water. A giant set of fish bones perhaps? Is it even a building?

The detail shot brings in a personal element showing how the building isn't just about the building as a sculpture, but is also beautiful on a personal level.Imagine riding through that space...

Renzo Piano

Jean-Marie Cultural Centre

New Caledonia. Completed 1998

This is an oldie but a goodie. This building really did, in a way, stave way for a green architecture revolution. It was an early example of how to take inspiration from the architecture of a local culture, the Kanak peoples of New Caledonia, who would have over hundreds of generations learnt how to work with the weather, orientation and local environment, and mix it with contemporary design. Renzo used this local knowledge to create a building with passive ventilation, opening skylights, shading and many other environmental design techniques which together keep the building cool, light and integrated into the local environment.

Here's a link or two to a little blurb about the building, I'm sure there's many others

https://inhabitat.com/jean-marie-tjibaou-cultural-center-inspired-by-native-architecture/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Marie_Tjibaou_Cultural_Centre

This is my favourite Hero shot. In this we see the "village" of pavilions, we see that it is located near water, the cooling affect of which is used as an advantage in the environmental design. The setting sun shows off the warmth of the natural material, while the sheen gives us a glimpse of the high level of technology involved . The building soars above the trees, but still make us feel that they of the place.

Sorry about all the alamy badges on this, but I chose this image as my detail shot as it shows off the mix of modern and local materials well along with how they are connected. It shows one tip of one pavilion, contrasting against the sky so that we can simply see the construction. I chose this over other similar images as the small amount of greenery gave it context, showed me where it was. Other  similar images made it look like it was floating in space and of no particular environment.

 

Antoni Gaudi

Sagrada Familia

Barcelona, Spain. Construction started 1882 and is ongoing

I'm sure many of you would have seen this building, but to see this in real life really is mind blowing. I've chosen this building- although STILL under construction- as it is both beautiful from afar but even more beautiful up close. Often, as architects, we get lost in the big picture; how our building looks from the outside, from a distance as a stand-alone 'icon'. This building also focuses on the intimate. Everywhere you look is another amazing, hand crafted detail and no expensive is being spared on creating those details. A totally over the top amount of detailing perhaps, but you leave this building (after 10 hours if you are me) feeling like you have been transformed. I've never experienced that from a building before.

Here's my hero shot. Something about sunsets perhaps? This shot emphasis the sheer scale of this building. As a religious building it should be the tallest, pointing the heavens, and this building certainly achieves that.

Now for the detail shows. Where do I start. Here's a couple I took. I'm no photographer- but I think you get the gist.

The first I chose, because, well, those ceilings are really just the most mind blowing piece of detailing. 

The second I chose as I don't think we should forget about colour. Ive shown so far examples in quite subdued colour tones, but this building mixes those subdued tones with punches of colour. This stained glass window runs almost the full length of the cathedral. the colour is so intense that you feel bathed in it, drenched in it as the sun sets outside. Talk about colour therapy! I hope you all get to stand in this light one day. It almost made me feel religious. Its amazing to think that architecture can move you so much

Tadao Ando

Chichu Art Museaum

Naoshima Island. Japan. Completed 2004

Now for something more subdued. This Gallery by Tadao Ando is an example of complex simplicity. It has simple lines, a mono materiality, but such moving and beautiful spaces. Almost completely buried underground, this is an example of how amazing a space can be that is barely visible. Housing an oval room full on Monets waterlillies, and another with a blue light sculpture by James Turrell, this a building of big experiences. Each room is over powering and an artwork in itself.

Here's a little video which analysis the Architecture as Art

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UU4_s6IEi9o

I've chosen for my money shot an exterior view, showing the small geometric portions of the building that do pop up above the ground level. I love how this building is integrated so well into the hill side of this island. 

For my detail shot I've chosen something that appears quite simple, but is in fact a very complex structural solution. This is a courtyard with a ramp which winds around the perimeter. At the junction of the two is a concrete wall with a thin slot "window" so that as you walk the ramp up, always on your right is this thin, eye level view of the central courtyard. The slot never ends, which means the concrete above appears to hover. The concrete becomes light although immensely heavy. Ando and his tricks. What a genius.

Indyk Architects - designed by myself

Embassy Theatre Bar

Wellington New Zealand. Completed 2012

For my final work I want to show you an interior example. Architects often forget the inside spaces of their building, leaving vast blank emotionless spaces. That essentially is what happened to the Embassy Theatre in Wellington, a heritage listed Art Deco building from the 1920s. A good architect is one whose interior spaces are just as good as the exterior form of the building. Add in a perfect link to the garden /external spaces too and I'll be impressed.

We were commissioned to work on this old movie theatre which had been carved up into smaller spaces to house 3 cinemas instead of the original single large cinema. We were commissioned to interior fitout a space that had been designated for a bar, down a 15m long corridor. It was left over space. An odd shaped, awkward room, barely visible from the main foyer. My initial ideas centred around a few key concepts. How do you get people to walk 15m to a bar and how do you let them know they are welcome to do so? I didn't want this to feel like an exclusive club. 

http://catherinebakker.com.au/wp/project/commercial-projects/embassy-theatre-lounge/

 

The Hero shot shown below is essentially the view just off the main foyer. Firstly we used bold black and white tones to catch your attention. The arches sway left and right and are spaced in plan closer and closer together to give the illusion that the corridor is shorter than it really is. Finally we centred the bar so that it would be visible from the foyer. Materials used in the main foyer- carrara marble were repeated throughout, mixed with warm rich colours. We included a fireplace so that as a destination in the bowels of this building it would feel warm and cosy. This was placed within a wall of heritage tiles drawing focus to one last small remnant of the original walls. You can't see all this detail from the Hero shot, but you get glimpses, and glimpses were enough to get you to walk that 15m to the destination to find out whats going on.

My second image is a detail image. I chose this detail image as I like that it is a mix of a little corner of several aspects of the room. It isn't obviously a photo of one thing or another, it isn't telling you much about the space, rather it is a collage of the various materials showing how each is quite different but has a unified language;  a discussion of materiality rather than of space.