In a previous newsletter we investigated how architecture is employed as an element inside the movies. We saw that most of the time architecture is used in a sterile way, just as a “good-looking location”. But there were exceptions, where directors played with the viewer spatial perception using architecture in a smarter way.
Today we’ll shift our attention towards appropriations. Where and when directors used references from architecture to build their imaginary worlds? The examples would be countless, let’s just see some of them.
My name is Federico and welcome to Representations of Architecture #25.
Insights
This is probably the most famous illegal appropriation involving a well-known architect and an acclaimed director. There is a scene in 12 Monkeys by Terry Gilliam where the Neomechanical Tower Upper Chamber depicted by Lebbeus Woods in his 1987 series Centricity is directly replicated. Woods sued the production and the result brought to a compensation and a Case-Law.
The following is a matter of public record. Judge Miriam Cedarbaum’s opinion has become part of Federal Case Law in the United States, and Woods vs. Universal City Studios, et. al., is used as a precedent in support of all lawsuits involving artists, architects and designers who believe they have a legitimate claim of copyright infringement. (via)
Hooray for justice.
But this is not the only moment where Woods and Hollywood crossed their paths. In 1990 he was hired as “conceptual architect”1 for the movie Alien3, the director was still Vincent Ward and the screenplay was written by William Gibson. The production in the end changed everything, with the movie eventually directed by a young David Fincher. You’ll find further infos inside Woods’ blog, an internet archeology piece full of amazing things.
The Tower Shaped Community, part of Marine City, is one of the most famous drawings by Kikutake and all the Metabolists. Inside an amazing book from a few years ago the original drawing is replicated, letting us discover how Kikutake assembled it. An ink drawing was photocopied and scaled, then applied to the background rendered in graphite.
Towers with replaceable capsules2 extending beyond clouds: an image too good to not use it in a motion picture. Wachowski Sisters imagined the “real world” from Matix as neverending tower clusters where humans are bred. The bottom of the towers is not shown, as Kikutake did in his drawings.
Very beautiful links
But Matrix was not the only movie where the Tower Shaped Community was directly referenced. I recently watched the latest MCU installment: Black Widow. An average action movie where at a certain point this building appears:
I know, not quite Kikutake’s vision, but still the sensation that it gave me was pretty similar to the drawing that we just saw. Mostly because it is a mash-up of other two metabolist projects:
The famous City in the Air by Isozaki is directly referenced, both in the form and in the fact that the station is literraly in the air. But the biggest reference is in the interiors:
The cells where Black Widow and Red Guardian are kept are a direct rip-off of the ultra-famous Nakagin Capsule Tower interiors. Another Metabolist project, this time by Kisho Kurokawa, that shows us how incredible was the vision of this group of architects. Still referenced after more than 50 years.
By the way, the building is risking demolition.
Sweet IG pages
Official page of the Nakagin, ‘nuff said.
Misc
I was curious to see who was the Art Director behind all these Metabolist references, and it turns out is an englishman called Jim Barr.
In this nice interview he mentions that the concept of which is most proud of is Ronan’s Chamber from James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy (2014):
“I found, among some abstract photo references, a picture of a detail in the Sidney Opera House. I then took that picture and adopted the same style, incorporating it into the design. The idea was then developed and honed into the chamber that is seen on set in the film.”
I directly checked for you, and…
… I never would have noticed! That’s probably the secret. Using subtle, qualitative elements to improve the design of a scenario.
Do you have any other reference? Let me know! I will assemble another newsletter for the joy of all the subscribers!
That’s it for this week. See you next week with another beautiful takeover.
Have a metabolist week-end,
CIAO
Federico
Quick reminder: all the past newsletters are available in a practical archive. Take a look at the previous takeovers, or just let yourself be intrigued by the apparently nonsensical titles I gave to the newsletters curated by me.
Dream Job
“Capsule” is the term that Kurokawa used. Kikutake preferred “Move-net”.