Hey kids, welcome to a new and fresh newsletter. This week we will talk mainly about movies. Architecture in movies specifically.
I was talking with a friend a month or so ago, and we were discussing which role architecture plays in the movies. We were talking about an IG page (that I will present later) and my point is that architecture is meaningful in a movie when is used in a meaningful way (duh!). So not only as a scenery, but used in a way able to convey a message or let the audience perceive something related to the plot.
Let’s dive in and see some examples.
My name is Federico and welcome to Representations of Architecture #7.
Insights
How is japanese architect Ryue Nishizawa related to movies? The answer is simple, he is the main character of a movie called Tokyo Ride, by the artists duo Beka&Lemoine. Nishizawa rides around Tokyo on his Alfa Romeo Giulia, showing the duo some sweet spots around the city. I saw it a week ago and I loved it. Especially because I’m currently studying japanese architecture (and japanese architectural drawings). Highly recommended. I’m planning to buy some B&L movies, any tips? (Moriyama-San is definitely on the list)
In this drawing is depicted one of the masterpieces by Milan-born architect Piero Portaluppi. Apart from being an incredible and delicate ink and watercolor drawing, the building (built, and today a FAI heritage preserved spot) is one of the main locations of I Am Love, 2009 movie by italian director Luca Guadagnino (Call me by your name, anyone?). The building is an absolute gem, and Guadagnino uses it in an elegant and sober way. If you want to know more about Portaluppi the absolute bible on the architect is a book edited by Luca Molinari, and you can have a look here.
Very beautiful links
The movie starts with a beautiful series of locations of a snowy Milan with the music of John Adams. I’ll leave the video here, take 3 minutes and enjoy it (please):
I really liked also Guadagnino’s last tv series called We Are Who We Are. Give it a chance.
One of my favorite movies is Gattaca by Andrew Niccol. He uses the Marin County Civic Center by Frank Lloyd Wright as one of the main locations. In this article some old and new photos of Wright’s architectures (a bit of Blade Runner inside).
Some years ago I saw this documentary during a lazy afternoon. It’s about the making of and the secrets behind The Shining by Stanley Kubrick. It is not a perfect movie, but it gives sweet and interesting infos on Kubrick’s masterpiece. Down here the full movie. It has a weird glow in the center, probably for copyright issues.
The thing that struck me the most is how Kubrick played with the viewer’s perception using the architecture of the Overlook Hotel. If you don’t want to see the full movie skip to 23:49 to understand what I’m talking about.
Mamoru Hosoda is one of the most-acclaimed anime movie directors of the last years. His last movie is Mirai (2018), the story of a sister-brother relation through time. The movie is ok and visually stunning, but what I enjoyed the most is how Hosoda gave a special attention to the architecture that host the characters during the movie. Instead of using a banal scenery he hired an architect to design the main location, a multi-level house. In the video below he explains everything:
The house reminded me of a project by Atelier Bow Wow. Here an article where they talk about the architect behind it.
American director Joseph Kosinski is an architect. He directed Tron: Legacy and a movie called Oblivion. I enjoyed Tron for the truth, mainly for the Daft Punk (sigh..). Oblivion is not an amazing film, but has interesting architectures. Take a look.
A Domus article collecting some movies where architecture is one of the main features.
Sweet IG pages
Less than a year ago some italian guys started this underrated IG page collecting sweet architectures from different movies. There is also the above-mentioned Gattaca and many others that I really didn’t know about. Keep it up!!
Eric Wong is a digital illustrator and architect. He recently shared the news that he collaborated with japanese director Mamoru Hosoda in the making of its last movie Belle (to be released during 2021). Here a short teaser. I really love when two arts sectors collaborate in a productive way, and Hosoda showed once again how fruitful is interdisciplinarity.
Misc
This summer I saw a series that instantly became my favorite series of 2020. It is called DEVS, by director Alex Garland (Ex Machina, writer of The Beach). Sci-fi, but set in the present day in a Google-like campus. I really don’t want to spoil the story too much, it deserves to be enjoyed from the first to the last moment. Down here a trailer.
The architecture of the DEVS division is something special. Plus there is a huge statue of a little girl. Don’t ask. Here an article on the location, read it after watching the series.
This week I listened exclusively this album.
Representations of Architecture #7 is now over.
Next week: A MYSTERY.
Have a wild week-end, CIAO.
Federico