Inter Dependency of Architecture and Movies

INTERDEPENDENCY OF ARCHITECTURE

AND MOVIES (A STUDY OF ARCHITECTURE IN MOVIES AND

MOVIES IN ARCHITECTURE)

NINTH SEMESTER

B.ARCH DISSERTATION

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements

For the award of Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture

Of the University Of Kerala

Submitted by

RAJESH. R

Guided By

AR. SHEEJA. K. P

DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

DECEMBER – 2010

DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that this Dissertation entitled “ INTERDEPENDENCY

OF ARCHITECTURE AND MOVIES” is a bonafide record of the

Dissertation presented by RAJESH. R, under our guidance towards partial

fulfillment of the requirements for the award of Bachelors Degree in

Architecture of the University of Kerala, during the year 2010.

GUIDE HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT EXAMINERS DISSERTATION CO-ORDINATOR 1.

2.

AR. SARAMMA MATHEW .K PROFESSOR

DEPT. OF ARCHITECTURE COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

AR. SHEEJA. K. P ASST. PROFESSSOR DEPT. OF ARCHITECTURE COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

AR. AJU.R LECTURER

DEPT. OF ARCHITECTURE COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

DECLARATION

I hereby declare that the Dissertation entitled “ INTERDEPENDENCY OF

ARCHITECTURE AND MOVIES” was carried out by me during the year 2010

in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the award of the degree of

Bachelor of Architecture of the University of Kerala. This dissertation is my

own effort and has not been submitted to any other University.

Thiruvananthapuram December 2010 RAJESH. R

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

It is my pleasure to express my sincere gratitude to the people who have

helped me in the completion of this dissertation.

First I would like to record my grateful thanks to Almighty God, by whose grace I could complete this.

I would like to express sincere and unbounded gratitude to my guide Ar. Sheeja. K. P, for the timely guidance and patience shown to go through the various phases of my dissertation.

I would like to thank our dissertation coordinator Ar.Aju. R for his support

and guidance.

I am also grateful...

...to Prof. Saramma Mathew, Head of the Department and all staff members

for their help in giving ideas and guidance.

…to Dr.Binumol Tom, for her initial discussions of my dissertation topic.

… Abraham and Jose for providing me certain movies from their collection.

…to all my friends for their support and feedback especially Vivek, Keerthy, Thomas and Akhil.

I don’t have words to convey my regards to parents for their affection and

love and encouragement throughout my career.

He is afraid and confused

And his brain has been inspired with

great skill...

All he believes are his eyes

And his eyes, they just tell him lies....

- The world of cinema

An attempt to unfold the mysteries

of the, make, believe world

ABSTRACT

When one thinks of crucial contributors to the filmmaking process, the

first professions to come to mind are usually the director, who is seen in overall

control of the production; the actors, who embody and animate the fictional

characters with which audiences will identify; the scriptwriter, who creates the story

and establishes narrative situations; and the cinematographer, who is in charge of

visually capturing the narrative and the actors’ performance. One figure, however,

who could be seen as one of the more crucial creative forces in a film, yet is

someone who is regularly forgotten or neglected is the person in charge of the sets,

who is billed under various names including those of set or production designer, art

director, or film architect.

Cinema's mimetic fullness (photography, movement, sound) permits the

creation of self sufficient world. Like the architect the film director weaves diverse

media into a new reality, dramatic ugliness and tensions, even the tragic end

occur within aesthetic distance and form part of an ultimately agreeable existence.

The character dies but the author and actors enjoy our vicarious experiences,

catharsis and enhanced understanding, Drama, like architecture improves the world.

And architecture in its own way implies drama. The interrelationship of mass

and space creates pressures and tensions. Architectures immobility makes it the

natural complement of the movie camera. The basic architectural experiences

standing in a space, looking around and walking along a corridor - find their

equivalent in the screen frame, in the panning shot (the camera turns its head) and

the tracking shot (the camera walks forward or backwards). Though the screen is flat,

the camera's reticulation of movements in space confers on the succession of images

(the sequence) a quality of space in depth controlled and orchestrated.

Architecture has been described as frozen music, when the camera

moves the roof line flows past us like a river. The camera tilts rapidly up, the

banister and staircase cascade down. Thus cinema is 'unfrozen architecture'.

I n t e r d e p e n d e n c y o f A r c h i t e c t u r e a n d M o v i e s P a g e | 1

Department of Architecture, College of Engineering, Trivandrum 2011

Contents

1. INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................... 4

1.1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................... 5

1.2 AIMS......................................................................................................................... 7

1.3 OBJECTIVES ........................................................................................................... 7

1.3.1 Architecture in Film ........................................................................................... 8

1.3.2 Film in Architecture ........................................................................................... 8

1.4 METHODOLOGY ................................................................................................... 9

1.5 SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS .................................................................................. 9

1.6 COMPARING ARCHITECTURE AND MOVIES ............................................... 10

1.6.1 Production and Construction............................................................................ 11

1.6.2 Presence of overall form .................................................................................. 11

1.6.3 Creating emotions ............................................................................................ 12

1.7 INFLUENCE OF ARCHITECTURE ON MOVIES .............................................. 13

1.8 INFLUENCE OF MOVIES ON ARCHITECTURE ............................................. 14

2. LITERATURE STUDY................................................................................................ 15

2.1 MAJOR ARCHITECTURAL WORKS IN MOVIES ............................................ 16

2.1.1 Frank Lloyd Wright’s Ennis House ................................................................. 16

2.1.2 Charles Deaton’s Sculptured House in Colorado ............................................ 19

2.1.3 Le Corbusier’s Villa Savoye ........................................................................... 19

2.1.4 John Lautner’s Elrod House............................................................................. 20

2.1.5 The Malin Residence a.k.a Chemosphere ........................................................ 21

2.1.6 Varikkassery Mana ......................................................................................... 22

2.1.7 Olappamanna Mana ......................................................................................... 23

2.2 ARCHITECTURE IN THE MOVIE AEON FLUX .............................................. 24

2.3 ARCHITECTURE FOR REPRESENTING TIME. ............................................... 27

2.3.1 Architecture in Period films ............................................................................. 27

2.3.2 Architecture in futuristic films ......................................................................... 29

2.3.3 Distant Futures: The Architecture of Space ..................................................... 31



2.4 ARCHITECTURE FOR REPRESENTING REGIONS ........................................ 32

2.5 ARCHITECTURE FOR ENHANCING EMOTIONS ........................................... 32

2.6 ARCHITECTURE AS CHARACTERS................................................................. 33

2.7 ARCHITECTURE FOR CREATING VISUAL INTEREST................................. 34

2.8 ARCHITECTURE IN EXPRESSIONIST MOVIES ............................................. 35

2.9 ARCHITECTURE IN MODERNIST MOVIES .................................................... 37

2.10 MOVIES IN ARCHITECTURAL CURRICULUM ............................................ 39

2.10.1 Visionary Architecture and Film ................................................................... 40

3. CASE STUDY .............................................................................................................. 41

3.1 RAMOJI FILM CITY ............................................................................................. 42

3.2 STAR WARS .......................................................................................................... 46

3.2.1 Plot overview ................................................................................................... 46

3.2.2 Naboo ............................................................................................................... 48

3.2.3 Tatooine .......................................................................................................... 49

3.2.4 .Coruscant ........................................................................................................ 50

3.2.5. Kamino ............................................................................................................ 51

3.2.6. Geonosis .......................................................................................................... 52

3.2.7 Kashyyk ........................................................................................................... 53

3.2.8. Felucia ............................................................................................................. 53

3.2.9 Utapau .............................................................................................................. 54

3.2.10. Mustafar ........................................................................................................ 54

3.2.11. Alderaan ........................................................................................................ 55

3.3 THE LORD OF THE RINGS ................................................................................. 56

3.3.1 Shire ................................................................................................................. 58

3.3.2 Rivendell .......................................................................................................... 59

3.3.3 Osgiliath ........................................................................................................... 59

3.3.4 Minas Tirith - Gondor ...................................................................................... 60

3.3.5 Lothlorien ......................................................................................................... 61

3.3.6 Isengard ............................................................................................................ 61

3.3.7 Mordor ............................................................................................................. 62



3.3.8 Rohan ............................................................................................................... 63

4. INFERENCE................................................................................................................. 64

4.1 INFERENCE........................................................................................................... 65

5. CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................. 68

5.1 CONCLUSION ....................................................................................................... 69

6. BIBLIOGRAPHY ......................................................................................................... 70

LIST OF FIGURES .......................................................................................................... 71



1. INTRODUCTION



1.1 INTRODUCTION

The Architect and the filmmaker have much in common. Their

professions demand a combination of courage, determination, and hubris that

allow them to impose a personal vision on an often unreceptive world. Both

practice synthetic arts, where collaboration and compromise are rules rather

than exceptions and where clients have financial—if not creative control.

Orchestrates of complex productions, they require a supporting cast of able

craftsmen who must carry out their tasks with creativity, intelligence, and

practicality. If they don't, if a project fails to live up to expectations, the principal

alone will take the blame. Conversely, it is the heroic auteur who will bask in the

adulation of any grand success, the role players fading quietly into the

penumbra. We should all know better.

Filmmakers, with the help of production designers, art directors,

location managers, and countless other members of cast and crew, insert

architecture into their films. On a practical level, architecture sets a scene,

conveying information about plot and character while contributing to the overall

feel of a movie. In more discreet ways, filmmakers call use their cameras to

make statements about the built or unbuilt environment, or use that

environment to comment metaphorically on any subjects, from the lives of the

characters in their films to the nature of contemporary society. Architects, for

their part, create not only the structures that appear in films but the structures in

which films appear—theaters—and the very infrastructure that supports the film

industry.

As arguably the defining art form of the twentieth century, film has had

a profound effect on both the way architects envision their work and the way the

public consumes architecture. Meanwhile, a number of avant-garde



practitioners hate sought more abstract inspiration front the medium of film,

finding in its use of montage, sequential progression, and spatial composition

devices applicable to their own work.

Both film and architecture operate as languages communicating

through a library of signs. These signs can be divided into two parts, the

signifiers, which are the physical states of signs, and the signified, which are

the thoughts, ideas and notions of what the signifiers embody. For film, these

signifiers succeed largely in signifying the signified, on the other hand,

architecture can’t always succeed to that extent of the film, as for architecture

there are different factors that get involved in the production process of a

building, and these factors don’t help all the time in revealing the messages

behind the architectural work.

Like the architect the film director weaves diverse media into a

new reality, dramatic ugliness and tensions, even the tragic end occur within

aesthetic distance and form part of an ultimately agreeable existence.

The basic architectural experiences standing in a space, looking

around and walking along a corridor - find their equivalent in the screen frame,

in the panning shot (the camera turns its head) and the tracking shot (the

camera walks forward or backwards). Though the screen is flat, the camera's

reticulation of movements in space confers on the succession of images (the

sequence) a quality of space in depth controlled and orchestrated.

Cinema has continually experimented with elaborating

architectonic objects and spaces, and now caters to a public always more

attentive with suggestions, interpretations and constructions. On the

other hand, architecture has recognized the cinema as an extraordinary



means for the investigation of lived space, an instrument with the capacity of

demonstrating what words, designs and photographic images cannot. All of

this, with the development of means of digital production and communication,

enjoys a new actuality.

1.2 AIMS

To study the relation between Film and Architecture and to prove the

interdependency of Architecture and Movies.

• To study the application of architecture in modern production

design of Movies.

• To study the use of existing eminent architectural works in movies.

• To study the use of Architecture as a background in Movies.

• To analyze the use of Movies in the architecture curriculum for easy

lecturing.

1.3 OBJECTIVES

Film is one of the most pervasive and accessible media forms of the

21st century. The architectural curriculum has long used films for support and

presentation variety for lecture based courses. These courses are normally

rooted in architectural history, modern architecture and contemporary cultural

themes. There are great opportunities to exploit the potentials of film in order to

enhance the critical dialogue regarding visions of architecture of the past and

future.

Cinema and architecture are distant arts, dynamic and static

respectively; whose complex relationship gives life to each other. Sharing a

mutual respect for the parallel processes involved in producing their works, the

creators behind these two expressions have an understanding that one will

always benefit the other. Architecture gives film its believability; setting the



mood, character, time and place for the action. Film provides architecture with

an outlet for realising visions that can never exist and entreats experiences that

in reality have not occurred

1.3.1 Architecture in Film Architecture can be used cinematically in two different ways

• Expressionist films. When the technology was highly expensive and

limited to black-and-white and no sound, symbolic movements of characters

and canvas drawings of buildings and landscapes were used in order to bring

the action, as in Fritz Lang's Metropolis.

• Realistic films, both in contemporary architecture that we see in

Antonioni's films, and in surrealistic (artificial) films like sci-fi or horror, as in

Ridley Scott's Blade Runner.

In either case of the above, the intent is to create an experience derived from

film by using the filming techniques in an interplay between architecture and the

characters.

1.3.2 Film in Architecture

Film is finding its own seats in the architectural room with the advent and

affordability of technology. Films do not have to be very technologically

advanced and sophisticated in order to make a successful presentation. For

architects, film is a very powerful medium because it allows them to walk

through a virtual model or a small mock-up of the building while the client is

watching, and enables them also to demonstrate the design ideas as if the

building was explored by the eyes of the visitors. In addition, Film can be used

academically to help explore (see) and document the effects of buildings on

society, and the urban setting.



1.4 METHODOLOGY

• Data collection from literary and other resources

• Interaction with eminent architectural and film personalities including

Directors and Production designers.

• Critical analysis of selected movies.

1.5 SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS

Our world is subjected to lots of rapid changes, resulting from the

huge development of technology and capitalism, and the cinema industry plays

a major role in portraying these changes, depicting the upcoming future

through different science fiction movies, which act as an alarm for change.

Unfortunately most of this depiction views the future city as a dystopic realm,

and if we don’t manage how to fix our upcoming problems, these visions might

come true.

In professional life, architecture can’t always act as a real mirror for its

society or its context; this is due to the involvement of different factors in the

design and building process, (financial, political, ecological, etc…). Sometimes,

these factors blur the message to be sent to the viewer or the user of the

architectural work, resulting in a misunderstanding in the motives behind that

architectural work.

In the medium of film, architects can create ‘pure’ architecture, without

worrying about such things like weatherproofing, contract bidding, or building

codes. Cinemarchitecture is, thus, an ideal fulfillment of what architecture can

be about.



1.6 COMPARING ARCHITECTURE AND MOVIES

Comparing architecture and movies is a very broad term and hence

a lot of details can be put in, but due to limitation in time and space. So I'll be

concentrating just on the basic similarities and dissimilarities of both these

creative forms.

It is already mentioned architecture has a lot of similarities with

movies rather than dissimilarities. Both are perceived as visuals within a frame.

The composition of the visual is very important. The visual experiences caused

by both are very similar. They can invoke feelings and emotions in us.

Film begins and ends. It is basically a sequential progress of visuals.

But architecture may not always end. They may be continuous. Architecture

always has a function, but films may not always be functional. But there are

films with functions also.

The major difference between the two is that architecture is 3-

dimensional while movies are 2-dimensional. But in movies time acts as a 3rd

dimension. All movies are bound by a time factor. While architecture results in

the production of a solid finished object like Ron champ or Guggenheim

museum , films results in a product only perceivable by eyes and ears .

An architect has a greater responsibility towards the society. He is doing

something which will affect the whole community. What he designs will be

perceived by all. But that is not the case with movies. A person can refrain from

watching movies. A bad movie will not be affecting the spectator. But bad

architecture can hurt the sentiments of a whole community as such. It can even

change the context of an entire area. A film on the other hand never has such

dire consequences



1.6.1 Production and Construction

These are two terms that imply a same meaning in different fields, viz movies

and architecture. The basic processes involved in the making of a movie and a

building for example is very similar. The film making involves three basic stages

viz pre-production, production and post-production stages. Architecture on the

other hand basically involves discussion, construction and finishing stages

which is very similar to the above said three stages in movie making. Both have

a single person in charge of the whole process, whose ideas and inputs

conceive the whole project viz the architect and the director. A film has a script

guiding the production while a working drawing guides the construction of a

building. Both require the expertise of a number of specialists to complete the

project. The detailing involved is also very similar. A good director designs

every frame in a shot before shooting. This is quite similar to a good architect

who sees every nook and corner of the building before constructing it.

The similarities in the stage of conceiving can be explained even to a greater

extent, but again lack of space and time restricts the topic to this minimal level

1.6.2 Presence of overall form

Movies often have a form like buildings. A film is not simply a random

set of elements

. A film has form, and by, in its broadest sense, we mean the system created

by a given film. Form is the overall system of relationships among elements that

make up the whole film. This is very similar to the form we talk about in

architecture. Form in architecture is created by the combination of a number of

factors like openings, voids, projections etc.

In guides the spectator's experience. Our experience of architecture is

patterned and structured. Being made to leave before a building is fully viewed

brings frustration because of our urge for form; we realize that the system of

relationships within the Norms has not yet been completed. Something more is

needed to make the form whole and satisfying. We have been caught up in the



interrelationships among elements and want to understand how the patterns

develop and complete themselves. This is very true in the case of movies also.

Form guides our experience of a movie. Form creates the sense that

"everything is there." It is satisfying when a character glimpsed early in a film

reappears an hour later or when a shape in the frame is balanced by another

shape. Such relations among parts suggest that the film has its own organizing

laws or rules—its own system.

1.6.3 Creating emotions

When we hear the words "emotion" and "feelings" we normally get the idea of

films. Emotions represented within the film interact as parts of the film's total

system. For example, that grimace of pain might be reaffirmed by the

contortions of the comedian's body. Or, a cheerful scene might stand in

contrast to a mournful one. A tragic event might be undercut by humorous

editing or music. All of the emotions present in a film may be seen as

systematically related to one another through that film's form.

But emotions and feeling are generated by architecture also. Taj Mahal is the

best example we have in India. The path leading to the monument, its form,

proportion, everything about it arouses a very special feeling in the minds of the

spectator. People talk about how their spirits and mind are enlightened and

taken to new heights while in meditation places. Falling Waters is another

example of an emotional structure.

It is said that the walls have feelings. We develop attachments to buildings.

Human beings relate well to intimate spaces especially in their homes. We feel

emotionally attached to such spaces and cherishes being in those spaces



1.7 INFLUENCE OF ARCHITECTURE ON MOVIES

Food and clothing are the basic needs of human beings. After this

comes dwelling. Architecture depends on various factors like climatic,

geographic conditions etc. After this comes entertainment.

The mode of entertainment or recreation is again dependent on architecture. As

architecture is said to mould the character and thoughts of people, the style

and pattern of recreation depends to a large extend on the architectural

character of the place. Hence the type of recreation engaged by people in

different regions is entirely different.

In many foreign countries a system of "closed architecture" existed during early

periods. People used to sit inside their dwelling or closed environment due to

many reasons. The reasons may be climatic, military, natural disasters etc.Also

their dwellings had high Walls and they were cut off from other people once

inside their respective dwellings, so open spaces had a great role in their life.

As a result their source of entertainment and recreation were centered on these

open spaces.

E.g.: Colloseurn in Rome.

But if we take the case of Kerala, open spaces weren't that important as we had

systems like joint family etc. That reflected in our recreation spaces also.

Koothambalam is an important example.

When we come to modern times this fact holds good there also. This fact has

influenced the narration of stories also. Most of the Shakespearean dramas

were centered on open spaces.

E.g.: Merchant of Venice, Romeo and Juliet.

In ancient China also, a closed system of architecture existed. In their system,

especially lade folk were confined to the interiors. This has influenced many

narrations from Chinese.

Architecture also influences the sound, light, shadow pattern in movies.

The sound of a door closing in our region hears good sound. But the door

closing in European region produces little sound, this again the effect of



architecture. In a Malayalam movie a man sitting inside his house will hear the

sound of birds leaves Guttering in the winds etc. but in a foreign movie a man

sitting inside his house may not hear a chattering of birds. This again caused by

architecture.

Same is the case with light pattern. Light falling inside an Indian house will be

different from that in European house. The shadow cast also varies according

to the regions. This is mainly influenced by the landscape pattern.

Temples in Kerala always have a strong focus. So while showing a temple in a

movie the director needs to make sure that the feeling of the focus is

maintained. He tries to achieve this by correct use of close-ups and long shots.

Similarly in foreign churches human beings are very insignificant, courtesy the

scale of the structure. So in movies when large churches are shown more than

the men involved, something else is important. It may be a function, an action

etc.

Architecture has really influenced movie making in a lot of ways. Eminent

directors have always adopted influences from architecture. Akira Kurosawa

and Stanley Kubrick are a few of them.

Stanley Kubrick used tall, long parallel walls in almost all of his films while

composing intense scenes. He has said in an interview that he got this idea

after observing real structures.

1.8 INFLUENCE OF MOVIES ON ARCHITECTURE

Architecture also has been influenced by architecture in many ways.

People like Walter Benjamin, Le Corbusier, Bernard Schumi, and Rem Koolhaas

have all famously used film to advance ideas about architecture and urbanism.

An artist can define new comfort levels, as already mentioned artists

can mould architecture to his needs, when it is perceived only on a 2-

dimensional plane. Hence the director or whoever concerned can explore his

creativity and introduce novel, innovative ideas for human comfort. This later

makes architect/engineer think of suitable solutions and finally form one.



2. LITERATURE STUDY



2.1 MAJOR ARCHITECTURAL WORKS IN

MOVIES

2.1.1 Frank Lloyd Wright’s Ennis House The Ennis House is a residential dwelling in

the Los Feliz neighborhood of Angeles,

California, USA, south of Griffith Park. The home was

designed by Frank Lloyd Wright for Charles and Mabel

Ennis in 1923, and built in 1924.

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Ennis House in Los Feliz,

Los Angeles, has probably appeared in more

Hollywood films than any other notable modern house

and has also been heavily used for ad and fashion

shoots, music videos and television.

The building is strange enough on its own –

Mayan temple meets Arts & Crafts meets deco meets

baronial – without the additional fact that it posed as

Deckard’s apartment in the movie Blade Runner

The exteriors of Wright’s houses are unarguably

impressive, but the style of the interiors, which Wright

designed and decorated himself, seem stylistically

confused and – despite the entire natural light – weirdly

ornate and heavy.

"This residence is one of the most unusual of

Wright's California designs. In it, he combined

elements from his past work with a new vocabulary

created specifically for the sun-drenched, slightly

rugged topography of Southern California. Aware that

his client shared his affinity for Mayan art and

architecture, he drew inspiration from that culture's

Figure 1 - Enni's House

Figure 2 - Enni's House Drawings

Figure 3 - wall treatment



highly ornamented and organized buildings.

But the historical styles and references of Wright’s

interiors are plainly evident from photographs, and by any

standards they’re a very odd mix. The Ennis House interior

suggests the palatial, the hobbit, the occult and the

medieval all at once; it’s a bizarre hybrid of Arts & Craft

leaded glass, concrete tiles molded in a deliberately pre-

Columbian style (“textile blocks”), Persian carpets,

Alhambra-ish wrought iron chandeliers and chairs, and

heavy furniture in both early Renaissance and English

medieval styles which all gives the whole building a haunted

feel.

It’s sort of a megalomaniac architectural fantasy and

it’s no wonder so many Hollywood films have been shot at

the house, particularly films on the noirish end of the moral

continuum. The Horror flick Buffy the Vampire Slayer has

been shot here, further belying Wright’s quasi-spiritual

intentions for the house.

Frank Lloyd Wright’s decorative modern LA house with

its distinctive Bismuth crystal like blocks is the background

for the interior of Decker's apartment. Elsewhere in the film

famous modern buildings such as Chicago's Hancock

Tower are the influence for sets.

The Ennis house is both modern and timeless,

inventing a genuinely new decorative style - and it’s in LA,

making it highly appropriate for Blade Runner which mixed

old and new to create a vision of the future which wouldn’t

date quite as obviously as yesterdays interpretation of

modern.

Figure 4 - The Pool

Figure 5 - The Corridor



Frank Lloyd Wright’s Ennis House, 1924, has

appeared in the following films:

The House on Haunted Hill, 1958;

The Day of the Locust, 1975;

Blade Runner, 1982;

Black Rain, 1989.

Female, aka The Violent Years (1956)

House on Haunted Hill (1958)

Terminal Man (1974)

Day of the Locust (1974)

Blade Runner (1982)

The Howling II (1984)

The Annihilator (1986)

Time Stalker (1987)

Remo Williams (1987)

Karate Kid III (1989)

Black Rain (1989)

Twin Peaks (1989)

Predator 2 (1990)

Grand Canyon (1991)

An Inconvenient Woman (1991)

The Rocketeer (1991)

Fallen Angels (1993)

Murder, Obliquely (1993)

The Glimmer Man (1996)

House of Frankenstein (1997)

Rush Hour (1998)

The Replacement Killers (1998)

The Thirteenth Floor (1999)

Figure 6 - Black Rain (1989)

Figure 7 - Blade Runner (1982)

Figure 8 - Grand Canyon (1991)

Figure 9 - The house on haunted hill (1958)



2.1.2 Charles Deaton’s Sculptured House in

Colorado The house in Woody Allen's Sleeper is the

Sculptured House in Colorado, by Charles Deaton.

The sheer absurdity of the massive organic

concrete structure, although magnificent, is at the same

time an overblown caricature, perfect for the parody of

modernism in Woody Allen's science fiction comedy.

In that film, a fictional device called the Orgasmatron is

the home’s cylindrical elevator with sliding doors.

It is a significant piece of modern architecture.

Architect Charles Deaton designed and built the home in

1963 but it sat empty for years. The new owner not only

finished it but added 5,000 square feet of space

designed by Deaton's daughter and son-in-law. The

original structure has five stories and was all about the

curves. That tradition continues even with the new

additions. It's a curvilinear structure with no straight

walls.

2.1.3 Le Corbusier’s Villa Savoye

The Villa Savoye is considered by many to be

the seminal work of the Swiss-French architect Le

Corbusier. Situated at Poissy, outside of Paris, it is one

of the most recognizable architectural presentations of

Corbusier.. Construction was substantially

completed in 1929.

Le Corbusier’s Villa Savoye, was appeared in the

film French Postcards, 1979 directed by Willard

Huyck.

Figure 10 - Sculptured house, Colorado

Figure 11 - scenes from movie Sleeper (1973)

Figure 12 - scene from movie French Postcards (1979)

Figure 13 - Le Corbusier's Villa Savoye



2.1.4 John Lautner’s Elrod House

The most widely seen of Lautner's works, the Elrod

House (1968) became famous through its use as a

location in the Bond film Diamonds Are Forever. Sited on

a commanding hillside location in the desert

outside Palm Springs, California, its best-known feature

is the large circular 'sunburst' concrete canopy which

appears to float above the main living area; this area

also incorporates a large natural rock outcrop at the

edge of the room, creating the impression that the fabric

of the building is fused with the rock.

Known as one of Lautner's most exceptional

designs embodying his ideas of "free architecture",

The canopy is fitted with curved glass-and-aluminum

sliding doors that allow the space to be completely

opened around half its circumference, opening out to a

semi-circular swimming pool and a broad terrace.

In Diamonds Are Forever, Elrod was used as the home

for a character named Willard Whyte, the reclusive

billionaire. The character bears resemblance to Howard

Hughes, a well-known billionaire of the time. There were

discussions that maybe Hughes had died and his

minions were running his empire, which sort of

influenced the movie's story line, so the house needed to

be something that would belong to a visionary, futuristic

billionaire who knew design. The home incorporates

rugged rock outcroppings to create a massive circular

concrete and glass structure.

Figure 14 - Elrod House exterior

Figure 16 - Elrod House interior

Figure 15 - shot from Bond movie Diamonds are Forever

(1971)



The house was a visionary choice for the filmmakers,

but it wasn't their only trend-setting move. Whyte's two

female bodyguards would set the stage for a new type of

Bond adversary. To paraphrase a line from the Ian Fleming

novel, "Nothing is forever but diamonds, death and great

architecture." This home remains true to the cool and

timeless secret-agent style that is James Bond.

2.1.5 The Malin Residence a.k.a Chemosphere

The Chemosphere, built by American architect John

Lautner in 1960, is an innovative Modernist octagon

house in Los Angeles, California.

The building stands on the San Fernando Valley side

of the Hollywood Hills, just off of Mulholland Drive. It is a one

story octagon with around 2200 square feet (200m2) of living

space. Most distinctively, the house is perched atop a

concrete pole nearly thirty feet high. This innovative design

was Lautner's solution to a site that, with a slope of 45

degrees, was thought to be practically unbuildable. The

house is reached by a funicular.

The building was first used in a dramatic film as a

futuristic residence in the 1964 ABC-TV program "The Outer

Limits: The Duplicate Man," based on a science fiction story

by American author Clifford D. Simak. Exterior scenes for the

television episode were shot on location; a detailed sound-

stage set of the house's interior was built. It was also used in

the film Body Double. It is the house of the main character in

Brian De Palma's Body Double. A set for a scene in Charlie's

Angels was inspired directly by the Chemosphere. .

Figure 18 - Malin Residence (chemosphere)

Figure 17 - shot from movie Body Double (1984)

Figure 19 - plan drawing (chemosphere)



2.1.6 Varikkassery Mana

Varikkumancheri Mana, popularly known as

Varikkassery (Varikkassery) Mana is one of the

centuries old aristocratic Namboodiri Illam (house)

in Kerala. It is located at Manissery, a village about

4 km to the west of Ottapalam, in Palakkad district.

Today, The Mana is known to many as a film

shooting location.

Nalukettu-structure is typically a rectangular

structure where four halls are joined together with

four verandas (called Nalirayam) to form an open

quadrangle (called Nadumuttam).

Most parts of this building were built

during the first decade of 20th century. It

was Velanezhi Jathavedan Namboodiri who

designed the Nalukettu building, as per the Vastu

Shastra. The elegant poomukham (portico) of

Varikkassery Mana was designed by Krishnan

Namboodiripad. It is 63 years old. Nalukettu

building is in three floors. Ground floor has

Vadakkini, Kizhakkini, Thekkini, Padinjatti, three

kitchens (Adukkala in Malayalam) and a

Poomukham (portico). There are lots of other

comparatively small rooms, which were used as

Storage-rooms or Pooja-rooms (Sreelakam). Most

of the spaces inside and outside the Mana are

portrayed beautifully in a lot of Malayalam movies

including Devasuram, Aaramthampuran, Rappakal,

Thoovalkottaram, Madambi, Drona etc.

Figure 20 - Varikkassery mana front

Figure 22 - the entrance Gopuram

Figure 21 - a shot from the movie Devasuram (1993)

I n t e r d e p e n d e n c y o f A r c h i t e c t u r e a n d M o v i e s

Department of Architecture, College of Engineering

2.1.7 Olappamanna Mana

The Mana (house) is located at Vellinezhi, a

small village 40 kms (25 miles) away from Palakkad

The main building is known as Ettu Kettu

structures with two open quadrangle), having two

each Halls on Eastern side, Western side, Southern

side, one at Central portion and one at Northern

side called Kizhakkini, Thekkini etc.

Malayalam movies were shot here which includes

blockbusters like Aakasha Ganga,

Thampuran, Thanmathra,

Vanaprastham, Parinayam, Naran, Madambi

In the 1993 Malayalam film Manichithrathazhu

directed by Fazil, The whole story is

around a palace, which was

palaces, One is the Thripunithura hill

other one is Padmanabhapuram palace.

In most of the Malayalam movies Traditional

Kerala Architecture has been an unavoidable

and hence most of these movies are visually

In movies like Perumthachan the story is about

Kerala Traditional architecture

other temple construction techniques. So movies

like these can be included in the study curriculum of

Architecture. There is a scene in the movie where

Perumthachan fixes the Koodam of a temple

nowadays it’s hard to find such a

such things through movies onl

I n t e r d e p e n d e n c y o f A r c h i t e c t u r e a n d M o v i e s

Department of Architecture, College of Engineering

Olappamanna Mana

located at Vellinezhi, a

small village 40 kms (25 miles) away from Palakkad.

The main building is known as Ettu Kettu (Eight

structures with two open quadrangle), having two

Eastern side, Western side, Southern

rtion and one at Northern

, Thekkini etc. Lot of

shot here which includes

blockbusters like Aakasha Ganga, Aaram

Thampuran, Thanmathra, Narasimham,

Vanaprastham, Parinayam, Naran, Madambi etc.

In the 1993 Malayalam film Manichithrathazhu

directed by Fazil, The whole story is centered

, which was actually shot in two

One is the Thripunithura hill palace and the

Padmanabhapuram palace.

In most of the Malayalam movies Traditional

Kerala Architecture has been an unavoidable part,

hence most of these movies are visually great.

movies like Perumthachan the story is about

Kerala Traditional architecture including Vastu and

other temple construction techniques. So movies

like these can be included in the study curriculum of

is a scene in the movie where

Perumthachan fixes the Koodam of a temple, and

hard to find such a thing; we can see

things through movies only.

Figure 23

Figure 24 - Olappamanna mana rear side

Figure 26 - Thripunithura hill palace in Manichithrathazhu

Figure 25 - Padmanabhapuram palace

P a g e | 23


23 - Olappamanna mana

Olappamanna mana rear side

Thripunithura hill palace in Manichithrathazhu

Padmanabhapuram palace



2.2 ARCHITECTURE IN THE MOVIE

AEON FLUX

Aeon Flux is a 2005 science fiction film directed

by Karyn Kusama. The film is a loose adaptation of

the animated science fiction television series of the same

name, which was created by animator Peter Chung and

stars Charlize Theron as the title character. The film was

released on December 2, 2005, by Paramount.

Berlin’s modernist and contemporary architecture

stands in for Aeon Flux‘s fictional city of Bregna in the

year 2415 with surprisingly little alteration. The future city

of Bregna was purportedly built as a utopian haven but

quickly reveals itself as a dark dystopia, its superb

architecture suddenly taking on a more chilling

nightmare feel.

. The photos show the interior and exterior of

the Baumschulenweg Crematorium of Alex Schultes and

Charlotte Frank, which served as the ruling regime’s HQ

in the film .

Fig 30 is the 1935 Berlin Windkanal or aerodynamic

testing wind tunnel for German aircraft, built in 1932 and

now designated a technical landmark.

After WWII the Soviets removed all the equipment,

leaving only the tunnel behind. It stands in for the “maze”

and government complex in the film.

The Benjamin Franklin Conference Center

Kongresshalle (Fig 38), by Hugh Stubbins with Werner

Düttmann and Franz Mocken, 1957. It’s been renamed

House of World Culture, but Berliners call it the ‘pregnant

Figure 27 - Baumschulenweg Crematorium interior (shot

from the movie)

Figure 28 - Baumschulenweg Crematorium interior (shot

from the movie)

Figure 29 - Baumschulenweg Crematorium exterior

Figure 30 - Berlin Windkanal (shot from the movie)



oyster’. Its roof, which has been rebuilt after a collapse in

1980, is the setting for a nighttime battle between Aeon

on guards. on the roof at night.

Numerous scenes in the film were shot in the

Tierschutzheim Berlin (2000-2001) by Dietrich Bangert,

The building is actually a large, privately funded animal

shelter complex. Berlin’s modern concrete and glass

Mexican Embassy, was a public marketplace in the film. It

was designed by Francisco Serrano in collaboration with

Teodoro González de León in 2000.

The Volkspark Potsdam, 2001, popularly known as

the BUGA Park, also includes the biosphere used as a

tropical greenhouse in the film. The scene On Fig was

shot at the Radsporthalle (Velodrom) by Dominique

Perrault at the Landsberger Allee in Berlin Prenzlauer

Berg.

Bauhaus Archiv, which served as the exterior of the

building where Aeon and her sister Una live (the

imaginary interior,). “The museum building is a late work

of Walter Gropius [1883-1969], the founder of the

Bauhaus. It was planned in 1964 for Darmstadt and was

built 1976-79 in modified form in Berlin. Today, its

characteristic silhouette is one of Berlin’s landmarks.

Figure 31 - Mexican Embassy (shot from the movie)

Figure 32 - The Volkspark Potsdam exterior

Figure 33 - The Volkspark Potsdam (shot from the

movie)

Figure 35 - Bauhaus Archive (shot from the movie) Figure 34 - the fictional city of Bregna (shot from the movie)



Complete list of locations.

Babelsberg, Potsdam, Brandenburg, Germany

Bauhaus-Archiv, Berlin, Germany (Una’s house:

exterior), Berlin, Germany

Biosphaere, Potsdam, Brandenburg, Germany

Buga Park, Potsdam, Brandenburg, Germany

Filtergewoelbe Wasserwerk Friedrichshagen, Berlin

Former american headquarters, Berlin, Germany

Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin, Germany

Kapelle der Versoehnung, Berlin, Germany

Kirche Maria Regina, Berlin, Germany

Krematorium Baumschulenweg, Berlin, Germany

Langhansbau – Anatomisches Theater, Berlin

Mexikanische Botschaft, Berlin, Germany

Paul Löbe Haus, Berlin, Germany

Renaissance Theater, Berlin, Germany

Riehmers Hofgarten, Berlin, Germany

Sans-Souci, Potsdam, Brandenburg, Germany

Tierheim, Freiburg im Breisgau, Baden-Württemberg,

Trudelturm, Berlin, Germany

Velodrom, Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin, Germany

Windkanal, Berlin, Germany

Figure 38 - The Benjamin Franklin Conference Center

Figure 37 - shot from the movie showing an interior set

Figure 36 - shot from the movie showing an interior set

Figure 40 - shot from the movie showing an interior set Figure 39 - shot from the movie showing an exterior set



2.3 ARCHITECTURE FOR

REPRESENTING TIME.

"Architecture is of great importance in

period films. Architecture is the main factor in

showing time. After this only comes costumes

properties like furniture, vehicle etc.

Architecture is one of the strongest

representatives of time. It had a strong

evolution starting from early cave structures to

the present forms of construction. The advantage

of architecture over other factors is that it is most

visible and strong representation of time.

Architecture is easily identifiable and it can

easily register a picture of the time period in the

spectators mind. Directors have always used this

property wisely and judiciously and have

effectively communicated with the spectator.

Period films are the most important users of

this property. Creating a sense of time is very

important in these movies, and hence

directors very effectively use architecture.

Movies with futuristic themes like Blade Runner

also use this fact.

2.3.1 Architecture in Period films

Even from the very beginning of Movie

industry, Historic films are an unavoidable part.

For a historic movie the major element to express

the historic time is Architecture. Then only comes

to the costumes, make up, other things.

Figure 41 - a shot from the movie Ben Hur (1959)

Figure 42 - a shot from the movie Ben Hur (1959)

Figure 43 - a shot from the movie Blade Runner (1982)

Figure 44 - a shot from movie Agora (2009) showing the library of

Alexandria



Epics are historical films that recreate past

events. They are expensive and lavish to

produce, because they require elaborate and

panoramic settings, on-location filming, authentic

period costumes, inflated action on a massive

scale and large casts of characters.

In the 2009 Spanish Movie Agora directed by

Alejandro Amenabar, the Roman architecture is

recreated. The title of the film takes its name from

the agora, a gathering place in ancient Greece,

similar to the Roman forum.

To prepare for the task of recreating the

ancient city of Alexandria without relying on CGI,

Amenabar reviewed older sword-and-

sandal films such as The Ten

Commandments (1956), Ben-Hur (1959), and

Pharaoh (1966). A year before the start of pre-

production, designer Guy Hendrix Dyas spent

three weeks with Amenabar in Madrid to do

some preliminary work on the set designs and

the recreation of the ancient city of Alexandria so

that previs animations could be generated.

The city of Alexandria was recreated perfectly

including the Alexandrian serapium and the

library of Alexandria.

In Joseph L. Mankiewicz’ 1963 film

Cleopatra, the architecture created by the

director and his production team was highly

acclaimed. John DeCuir got academy award for

art direction for his work in Cleopatra.

Figure 45 - a shot from the movie Agora (2009) showing fort walls

Figure 47 - a shot from the movie Agora (2009) showing temple

Figure 46 - a shot from the movie Agora (2009) showing

Alexandrian Serapium

Figure 48 - a shot from the movie Cleopatra (1963)



2.3.2 Architecture in futuristic films

Science Fiction Films are usually scientific,

visionary, comic-strip-like, and imaginative, and

usually visualized through fanciful, imaginative

settings, expert film production design,

advanced technology gadgets (i.e., robots and

spaceships), scientific developments, or by

fantastic special effects. To represent future in

cinema the major element used is Architecture.

In the 1976 Michael Anderson film Logan's

Run , a dystopian future society in which

population and the consumption of resources

are managed and maintained in equilibrium by

the simple expediency of killing everyone who

reaches the age of thirty preventing

overpopulation is shown.

The film version, directed by Michael

Anderson and starring Michael York, Richard

Jordan, and Jenny, was shot primarily in

the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex (including

locations such as the Fort Worth Water

Gardens and the Dallas Market Center) .It was

nominated for Best Art Direction for Dale

Hennesy and Robert De Vestel.

The movie was shot entirely in Dallas and

Fort Worth, Texas and most of the film’s key

action takes place in the “Great Hall,” which turns

out to be the fairly bizarre and also recently

demolished Dallas Market Center Apparel Mart,

Figure 49 - A shot from the movie Logan's Run (1976) showing

futuristic interiors.

Figure 50 - Dallas Market Center Apparel Mart (shot from the

movie Logan's Run)

Figure 51 - Dallas Market Center Apparel Mart (shot from the

movie Logan's Run)



not a great piece of architecture but one that did

conveniently feature a quasi-sci-fi interior.

Style of interior is 60s mall rendition of Le

Corbusier, Notre Dame du Haut era. The film was

shot in 70’s and hence by the time the film was

made, the decor and costumes were reflecting

the 70s. The film’s commentaries on

totalitarianism, a Brave New World-style docile

populace distracted by pleasures, and youth-

oriented culture are pretty heavy-handed.

In Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 science fiction film

2001 A Space Odyssey, most of the story takes

place in outer space. Therefore an architecture

for the outer space has to be created. Through

the use of large miniatures and realistic lighting,

Kubrick created some of the best special effects

ever put on celluloid. This aspect alone almost

single-handedly created the chilling void of the

space atmosphere which is also attributed to the

music and realistic architecture.

The film has got the nominations of

academy awards for the best direction and art

direction for that year for Stanley Kubrick and

Anthony Masters respectively.

Figure 52 - Philip Johnson’s Fort Worth Water Garden Logan's Run

as Fountain Pool

Figure 53 - A shot from the movie 2001 A space Odyssey (1968)

showing interiors of a spaceship


showing the rotating set.


showing interior of a spaceship Figure 54 - A shot from the movie 2001 A space Odyssey (1968)

showing interior of a spaceship.



2.3.3 Distant Futures: The Architecture of Space

Gravity determines architectural form and structure. There is very little

that has been d e v e l o p e d t h r o u g h o u t t h e h i s t o r y o f architectural form and

structure that cannot be attributed to more and more refined responses to the

actions of gravity on structure and materials. The development of all

structural form, from the simple beam, round arch, Gothic arch and systems

of vaulting, to more complex structures, has, in combination with specific material

properties and limitations, responded to the need to control gravitational forces.

Real architecture must function in a real world, governed by the laws of science.

Gravity has also determined the way that we occupy space, and hence,

the way that we must design space. The floor is where we walk. Walls and

ceilings bound us, but we are not obliged to come into contact with those

surfaces unless we so choose. Mater ia l placements have developed that

respond to issues of wear and durability, again subject to gravitational

orientation. Scientific concerns have driven the design of structures and

architectural systems since the not ion of shelter was first conceived.

Speculations during the 1700s as to the origins of the traditions of

architecture - Laugier's "Rustic H u t " - a l l s u p p o r t t h i s t h e o r y o f t h e

development of architectural forms and typologies.

the architectural and urban representations of life in space that it proposed were

highly cognoscente of issues arising from lack of both gravity and air. The set

design of the rotating space stations was meant to realistically induce gravity

through the use of centrifugal forces. Stewardesses wear grip slippers to

remain attached to floors, walls and ceilings as they walk through the shuttle,

and sport turban like hats to contain

the (hard to film) floating hair that would also be the byproduct of zero gravity

environments.

The space genre films that followed "2001" have taken a hit and miss approach

to their acknowledgement of the science of space. This has had significant impact

on the architectural and urban settings that are contained in the films.




REPRESENTING REGIONS

Architecture is also used to represent

various regions. In movies where different parts

of the world are to be shown, Landmark

structure known to all are usually shown as an

introductory piece to make the viewer aware of

the place. In Doug Liman’s 2008 film Jumper,

the main character jumps from one place to

another, and the director has used the landmark

buildings of that particular place to represent the

places.


ENHANCING EMOTIONS

This is a shot from the movie perfume. Here

the hero was abandoned by his parents as a

small baby. He grew up eating wastes and

leftovers from a local butcher shop. When he

was ten years old, he was forced to leave the

place and he wanders around aimlessly. The

backdrop shown here reflects his life and

emotions, which is useless.

This is the scene in the movie Godfather

where Michael asks Kate to marry him. The long

stretching road, the boulevard, the yellow

leaves, all provides a perfect backdrop for

this sweet moment.

Figure 58 - Jumper (2008) showing Pyramids of Egypt

Figure 57 - Jumper (2008) showing Colloseum

Figure 59 - Perfume (2006)

Figure 60 - The Godfather (1972)



2.6 ARCHITECTURE AS

CHARACTERS

The 1994 film Shawshank Redemption

directed by Frank Darabont, portrays the story of

Andy Dufresne, a banker who spends nearly two

decades in Shawshank State Prison. The prison

has an important role in this movie. He

observes each and every corner of the prison

and finally after 20 years he escapes from the

prison. The prison is main character on the film.

The 1990 film Home Alone directed by

Chris Columbus is the story of a boy who was

left behind in his home while others went on

a vacation. Two thieves come to rob the house.

The story is how the child masters and uses his

house in preventing the thieves from robbing

it. The home has a great role in this movie.

In the 2002 film The Count of Monte Cristo

directed by Kevin Reynolds, the prison of

Chateau D’if is a main character, where the main

character is imprisoned, and from there he

escapes.

Figure 61 - The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

Figure 62 - The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

Figure 65 - Home Alone (1990)

Figure 63 - Home Alone (1990) Figure 64 - The Count of Monte Cristo (2002)



2.7 ARCHITECTURE FOR CREATING

VISUAL INTEREST

Architecture can be used to create an element

of visual interest in the minds of spectators. This is

usually done in fantasy movies where the story

requires the director to create exciting, colourful,

unimaginable sets. Usually these are created

sets rather than real structures. "Lord of the Rings",

"Harry Potter", “Clash of the Titans” etc are all

examples, where beautiful, large sets have been put

creating everlasting images in the minds of the

spectators.

Figure 67 - Clash of the Titans (2010)

Figure 66 - Clash of the Titans (2010)



2.8 ARCHITECTURE IN EXPRESSIONIST MOVIES

The emotional intensity of film space was at

its height in the German Expressionist period, when film-

makers sought to express the inner angst of the characters

through their Gothic labyrinthine settings. Interiors and

exteriors of Film Architecture is always architecture that has

been depicted, photographed, turned into an image.. Its

presence defines the setting, the social position of the

characters and their inner moods. The openings in the

walls and ceilings, the windows, doors and slits etc,

determine the geometry of incidental Light. Visible light

sources complete the picture.

Film architecture is fict ional architecture. It

is unimportant whether a city, a building, a room exists

in reality or whether only the facades have been built up.

Film architecture is architecture of meaning. There is nothing

in the frame that is not important and does not have

something to say. Of course, this architecture is constructed,

and its importance appreciated only for the short moment of

being filmed, after that it rots away as a tiresome ruin or is

taken down, unless it becomes part of a studio tour. It lives

its essential life in the film, as a new, atmospheric truth,

The more intense, brilliant or melancholic the

atmosphere becomes, the more powerful its effect in film.

German Expressionist films were the great pioneers here -

even if on a somewhat exaggerated plane - making a

worldwide impact. The heroes of these films, threatened by

both inside and outside forces, often mad and

communicating by means of supernatural powers, roam

Figure 68 - Expressionist structures from 'The Cabinet

of Dr.Caligari' (1927)







with the exalted gestures of silent film through a labyrinth

of narrow alleys that can represent both a medieval city

and a spiritual space that has become visible.

The Expressionists no longer wanted merely to

show illuminated external worlds, but agitated inner worlds.

The cabinet of Dr Caligari by Robert Weine is one

of the most famous expressionist movies. The

architecture of Caligari consists of narrow, high rooms and

lanes, inside and out. Everything is oblique and inclined.

The walls are covered with strange signs and acute-angled

figures. A winding, lopsided tropical green house

becomes hostile, filled with carnivorous plants, huge

leaves and climbing creepers. The Labyrinth is completely

enclosed and seemingly inescapable. Windows are no

longer windows and trees are no longer trees. This

architecture holds its occupants tight within its grasp, the

walls built to fulfill this command. Through the illusionary

composition of this film the viewer also becomes trapped in

a subterranean 'inner-soul bubble', looking directly into

the mouth of madness, denied a view of the real world, of

real houses and real cities. Scenes begin and end with a

slow, visible opening and closing of the camera shutter like

eyelids. This film also reflects the period of paranoia in

prewar Germany; the threat of an all-consuming

madness and our easy subservience to it. At the end of the

turn, the entire town's people fill the asylum's atrium; a

woman plays an invisible piano, Cesare embraces a

flower. All gaze into emptiness, whilst speared on

the points and spikes of the architecture.









2.9 ARCHITECTURE IN MODERNIST

MOVIES

Modern buildings were seen with a reluctant

feeling initially and there are still people who hate

modernism. This was evident in many movies of the

early modernist times. In Jacques Tat i 's 1958 comic

masterpiece Mon Oncle Monsieur Hulot, Tati 's

affectionately drawn, bumbling alter ego, has no

difficulty with buildings in the tumbledown,

picturesque Parisian suburb in which he lives, but the

pretentious Modernist villa of his brother-in-law

becomes a forbidding, unsympathetic place in which

he becomes an awkward fool.

Mon Oncle is perhaps the most savage

cinematic satire on modern architecture, the perfect

antidote to the megalomania of Howard Roark, the

architect in The Fountainhead, which appeared nine years

earlier. The scene is set by the film's brilliant opening

credits, which appear against a background of a group of

dogs sniffing around the dustbins and lamp-posts of a

dilapidated Parisian suburb. One of the dogs is wearing

a tartan doggy-coat and as it begins to trot off home,

the camera, like the other dogs, follows it to its

destination - a ridiculous parody of a modern villa in the

new part of town where all the houses look the same.

While the little domesticated dachshund in the coat

is small enough to fit under the gate, the other stray

mongrels peer at this bizarre home through a gap in the

gate, excluded and bemused.

Figure 74 - Modernist structures in 'Mon Oncle' (1958)





Tati went on specifically to target and parody

the world of modem architecture in Playtime (1967)

where he concentrates on public and corporate space

rather than the Modernist house. This world of soulless

corridors, glass doors and privacy panels creates a

ludicrous balletic vision of legs and feet robbed of their

bodies, dancing around gaps in the architecture. The film

is unequalled in its scathing criticism of the Miesian

corporate ideal.

Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange [1971] is set

against an equally real backdrop of social engineering:

the Thames mead estate on the edge of east London.

Here, the suburban housing dream is torn apart as the

Modernist dwellings become the perfect soulless

backdrop to outrageous violence and thuggery.

Soul-destroying tower blocks have become a

stock motif of British film-makers who have built on the

harsh realism of the kitchen-sink dramas of the 1950s.

Figure 77 - 'Mon Oncle' (1958)

Figure 78 - A Clockwork Orange (1971)

Figure 79 - A Clockwork Orange (1971)



2.10 MOVIES IN ARCHITECTURAL CURRICULUM

F i l m i s o n e o f t h e m o s t p e r v a s i v e a n d accessible

media forms of the 21st century. The architectural curriculum has long used

films for support and presentat ion var iety for lecture based courses.

These courses are normally rooted in architectural history, modern

a r c h i t e c t u r e a n d c o n t e m p o r a r y c u l t u r a l themes, and many of

the f i lms are used for their "content" and are rarely discussed as a

media form. There are great opportunities to e x p l o i t t h e p o t e n t i a l s

o f f i l m i n o r d e r t o enhance the crit ical dialogue regarding visions

of a r ch i t e ct u re of t h e p ast a nd f ut u re. T he a bi l i t y o f f i lm

t e ch n o lo g i e s t o r e al i s t ic a l l y represent the possibilities of an

architecturally and environmental ly dystopic fut ure is just o n e o f

t h e m a n y w a y s t h a t t h i s i m p o r t a n t medium can impact thinking

about the design of current and future environments. Fi lm has t h e

a b i l i t y t o c o n v i n c i n g l y a s k , " w h a t i f ? " S t u d e n t s , h o w e v e r ,

n e e d t o m o r e f u l l y understand the technical medium to embark on

a ful ly s upport ed cr i t i ca l d i sc ussion of f i lm imagery and the

architectural, urban realit ies that are chosen for it to represent. Even

fi lms that have already been "seen” can be deeply e xplo red wi th

new ins i ght s, g ive n t he r ight questions.

W h a t i s i n t e r e s t i n g i n t h e u s e o f f i l m i n t e ac hin g

ar c hi t ec t ur e, in b oth t he s t ud y of specif ic f ilms as well as the

making of film, is the abi l i ty of the media to provide increased

understanding of the experiential nature of spaces and ideas that

have been trapped in 2D media, ev en i f ba sed o n wor ks of f ic t ion

r at her t ha n f ac t . Th es e v is ua l iz at i ons c an transcend barriers of

language that may exist in wr i t ten sources of information.

Requir ing students to make films assists in their critical appreciation of what

they see in films, and assists in dissecting and analyzing the validity and

potentials of the architecture and urban environments represented in film. The



study of the literary sources behind the films layers the st u dy w i t h a cr i t ica l

d i sc us sio n o f t he limitations of film technology in portraying the descriptive

word.

2.10.1 Visionary Architecture and Film

"Soylent Green" (1973), "Blade Runner" (1982), and "Brazil"

(1985) stand as the most influential dystopic film environments of this period. In

terms of cinematography, plot, v i s u a l i z a t i o n o f u r b a n f u t u r e s a n d

environmental deterioration, most of the more recent efforts can be seen to

derive their ideas from these product ions. Each f i lm uses available

technologies quite differently in creating their distinct dystopic

atmospheres. "Soylent Green", the earliest of the three films, suffers in part from

being a production piece of the 1970s. The virtual annihilation of nature is

predicted with human life reaching extreme o v e r p o p u l a t i o n , w h i c h i s

r e f l e c t e d i n overcrowding, filth and dependence on a dysfunctional social

system for distribution of nutrition substitutes. The theme of artificial

nature/food runs through "Blade Runner" where in addition to food,

humans are also replicated with life like accuracy. The setting in "Blade Runner"

has the advantage of early CGI.

“Things to Come" takes the notion of below ground living as

presented in "Metropolis" and technologies which allow for a blending of live

archi tectura l sets, shot in Los Angeles (Bradbury Building, Union

Station, Million Dollar Theatre, Ennis Brown House) with digital images which

appear to make the live sets disappear into a rainy, dark view of L.A. 2019 that

is essentially devoid of sunlight and na t ur e .



3. CASE STUDY



3.1 RAMOJI FILM CITY

Ramoji Film City is the world’s largest film production complex,

situated just 16 miles away from the historic city of Hyderabad.

Hyderabad, an international IT hub located in south-west

India, is a modern metro and home to several major

transnational corporations.

Ramoji Film City (RFC) offers comprehensive production

Services facilities for film and television productions. RFC is

known for catering to more than twenty film productions

simultaneously. We at RFC are here to serve you with quality

and convenience. Ramoji Film City is one of the largest, most

comprehensive and advanced film production facilities in the

world, designed and managed with dedicated professionalism

Some of the places for tourists to visit include: a

Japanese garden, the ETV planet (a multi-purpose editing

suit), a large pool, artificial waterfalls, intricately carved

caves, an airport terminal, hospital set, railway station,

churches, mosques and temples, shopping plazas, palace

interiors, chateaus, rural complexes, urban dwellings, a

winding highway, and model US and European sets.

Figure 80 - airport

Figure 81 - temple

Figure 82 - Ashram

Figure 85 - small town Figure 84 - Hilltop Cottage Figure 83 - HawaMahal



At Ramoji Film City, nature’s grandeur - woods, hills and

lakes – frames the stunning human conceptions such as

studios, gardens, hotels, multi-storied buildings and flexible

mock-ups. Every RFC location, whether it is an exquisitely

landscaped garden or a vividly real mock-up, has been

specially conceptualized to serve filmmaking purposes. For

instance, the façade and orientation of every film city edifice

– airport, apartment block or a medieval castle – can be

manipulated in accordance with the imperatives of a shoot.

Such a level of customization for filmmakers has been

achieved because renowned designers, landscapists and

architects – with a sterling record in executing film-specific

projects – were deployed for creating RFC locations.

The locations encompass the entire range of settings

required for film shoots: Floors/Stages, Ready

Locations/Sets, Gardens/Fountains and Streets/Avenues.

� Floors / Stages

� Gardens / Fountains

� Popular Ready Locations / Sets

In addition to the wide variety of outdoor locations RFC

has a captivating view of the landscape filled with hills and a

nature.

Figure 86 - Hospital

Figure 87 - North City

Figure 88 - Double Take House

Figure 89 - court

Figure 92 - Railway station Figure 91 - village Figure 90 - Udayananu Tharam (2005)



Streets / Avenues

The streets & avenues of RFC spans several

architectural styles.

• Princess Street

• Akbar Road

• Broadway

• Sitara to VIP Gate

• Fantasy Street

• Sitara to Tara

• Friendly Lane

• Small Town Road

• Gurunanak Street

• Tara To Angels

• Highway Road

• Temple Road

• Ishi Dora

• Twinkle to Parade

• Lovely Lane

• Twinkle to Village

• Masjid Galli

• Village Road

• Parade to Dhaba

Figure 93 - Princess street

Figure 94 - Akbar road

Figure 95 - Broadway

Figure 98 - Small Town Road Figure 97 - Gurunanak Street Figure 96 - Ishi Dora



Maya - Set Design & Construction

At Maya, Ramoji Film City’s vast and fully

equipped set construction facility, supremely skilled artisans

help filmmakers translate their flourishing fantasies into vivid

reality. Maya’s artists, architects, molders, sculptors and

carpenters have already created an inventory of 10000

objects such as pillars, cornices, brackets moulds, domes

and dado designs. An immense range of statues, busts and

curios are also available. All these objects represent the arts

of diverse eras and styles.

Maya employs professionals who have mastered

various genres of relevant craftsmanship.. The unit can also

design and execute miniatures of any setting for specialized

filmmaking needs

Maya artists, artisans, and architects do more

than just create physical structures. They are trained to work

closely with the art director/production designer to translate

their concept into a completely authentic and vivid evocation

of a milieu or mood.

.

Figure 99 - Fibre moulding

Figure 100 - PoP (Plaster of Paris)

Figure 101 - Sets



3.2 STAR WARS

Star Wars is an American epic space opera franchise conceived

by George Lucas. The first film in the franchise was originally released on

May 25, 1977, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop

culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year

intervals. Sixteen years after the release of the trilogy's final film, the first in a

new prequel trilogy of films was released, again released at three-year

intervals, with the final film released on May 19, 2005.

More than two decades after the release of the original Star Wars, the

series continued with the long-awaited prequel trilogy; consisting of

Episode I: The Phantom Menace, released on May 19, 1999, Episode II:

Attack of the Clones, released on May 16, 2002, and Episode III: Revenge

of the Sith, released on May 19, 2005

3.2.1 Plot overview

The prequel trilogy follows the early life of Anakin Skywalker, who is

discovered by the Jedi Knight Qui-Gon Jinn. He is believed to be the

"Chosen One" foretold by Jedi prophecy to bring balance to the Force. The

Jedi Council, led by Yoda, sense that his future is clouded with fear, but

reluctantly allow Qui-Gon's apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi to train Anakin after

Qui-Gon is killed by the Sith Lord Darth Maul. At the same time, the

planet Naboo is under attack, and its ruler, Queen Padmé Amidala, seeks

the assistance of the Jedi to repel the attack. The Sith Lord Darth

Sidious secretly planned the attack to give his alter-ego, Senator Palpatine,

a pretense to overthrow the Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic



Republic. The remainder of the prequel trilogy chronicles Anakin's gradual

fall to the dark side of the Force as he fights in the Clone Wars, which

Palpatine secretly engineers in order to destroy the Republic and lure

Anakin into his service.[5] Anakin and Padmé fall in love and secretly wed,

and eventually Padmé becomes pregnant. Anakin has a prophetic vision of

Padmé dying in childbirth, and Palpatine convinces him that the dark side

holds the power to save her life; desperate, Anakin submits to the dark side

and takes the Sith name Darth Vader. While Palpatine re-organizes the

Republic into the tyrannical Galactic Empire — appointing himself Emperor

for life — Vader participates in the extermination of the Jedi Order,

culminating in a light saber battle between himself and Obi-Wan. After

defeating his former apprentice, Obi-Wan leaves Vader for dead. However,

Palpatine arrives shortly after to save him and put him into a mechanical suit

of black armor that keeps him alive. At the same time, Padmé dies while

giving birth to twins Luke and Leia. The twins are hidden from Vader and are

not told who their true parents are.

Each of the Planets mentioned in the movie are given different

architecture, which simply explains the alien characters and galactic

characteristics of the whole film.

Planets in the movie are described as follows..



3.2.2 Naboo

Naboo is a fictitious planet in the

fictional Star Wars universe with a mostly

green terrain and which the home world of

two societies is: the Gungans who dwell in

underwater cities and the humans who live

in colonies on the surface. The main city

and capital of Naboo is Theed.

A temperate planet inhabited by the

peaceful Naboo and the more warlike

Gungans. Covered by thick swamps, rolling

plains, and green hills, Naboo is a fairly

idyllic world. The Naboo typically populate

striking cities such as Theed, while the

Gungans dwell in exotic bubble cities

hidden in lakes and swamps.

Theed's architecture, while referencing

Ancient Rome and other classical

traditions, was heavily inspired by the Frank

Lloyd Wright-designed Marin County Civic

Center in California and the Hagia Sophia.

Figure 102 - Naboo

Figure 103 - City of Theed, capital of Naboo

Figure 106 - City of Theed, capital of Naboo Figure 105 - Plaza de España in Seville, Spain, used as scenario for Naboo

Figure 104 - Naboo



3.2.3 Tatooine

Although far from the center of the

galaxy and the Galactic Republic,

Tatooine occupies a strategic location. As

a result, Tatooine has been the site of

many orbital battles between rival

gangsters and smugglers, and its surface

is littered with ancient starship wrecks.

Water prospectors can also be found

roaming the desert in search of untapped

sources of subterranean moisture.

Tatooine is marked by tall mesas, deep

canyons, and expansive desert seas.

The architecture of the planet Tatooine

is based on a desert climate. Most of the

buildings are domed with igloo model

houses. And posses structures similar to

adobe pueblos in New Mexico.

Each and every detail shown in the

planet are sketched, detailed and well

worked by director George Lucas and his

production design team. There is a

sequence in the movie, where there is a

race. The stadium for race is well

designed and worked, which has become

the highlight of the movie.

Figure 108 - Tatooine

Figure 107 - The igloo model house on Tatooine

Figure 109 - the race course of Tatooine

Figure 110 - the underwater planet



3.2.4 .Coruscant

Capital of the Galactic Republic. It

withstood an attack by the Sith during

the Great Hyperspace War Location of

the Republic Senate Chamber. Site of

the Galactic Museum. which is the center

of the empire that was ruled by Emperor

Palpatine and Darth Vader. And shortly

after, it reverted to the capital of the New

Republic. The architecture of Coruscant

was influenced by art deco forms.

George wanted something that was

very sleek, because he wanted Coruscant

to be a city of mixtures a combination of

really sleek architecture with some older-

style.. This part of town was the newer,

sort of Art Deco or Art Modern-type with

aluminum and glass architecture.

Figure 111 - Coruscant

Figure 114 - Coruscant (Notron)

Figure 113 - senate of Coruscant Figure 112 - Coruscant - a sketch by George Lucas



3.2.5. Kamino

A planet covered entirely by oceans

and raging storms. This is the home

world of the Kaminos. The Kaminos live

and work in huge streamlined cities just

above the crashing waves. The

architecture of Kamino is based on the

concept of water; buildings arise from

large pillared bases from oceans.

The director has given prior

importance to the interiors also by giving

white, blue and transparent materials and

shades, which will give an ocean and

cool effect for the whole planet.

Tipoca City is the capital of the

planet of Kamino. The designs are

heavily insoired from the massive oil rig

structures on sea shores.

Figure 115 - The water planet Kamino

Figure 116 - Kamino (interiors)

Figure 119 - Kamino (white and blue shades are used most)

Figure 117 - Kamino (interiors) Figure 118 - Tipoca, capital of Kamino



3.2.6. Geonosis

The home world of the Geonosians

is a hot, dry, and savage place. Only the

hardiest and vicious of species manage

to survive. The Geonosians had created

huge droid factories, and churned out

thousands upon thousands of battle

droids for the Separatist Movement in

their fight against the Republic. The

planet of Geonosis was also the location

of a pivotal meeting between leaders of

the Separatist Movement, as well as the

location of the first battle of the Clone

Wars. The concept of the planet

Geonosis is termite mound. The planet's

architecture mostly consists of domes

and buildings built into caverns and rock

spires, giving the surface landscape a

similarity to termite mounds.

Figure 121 - Geonosis

Figure 120 - The stadium of Geonosis

Figure 122 - The stadium of Geonosis

Figure 124 - The stadium of Geonosis Figure 123 - interior of buildings



3.2.7 Kashyyk

Home planet of the Wookiee's, Kashyyk

itself has played little part in the Sith history. It

was the site of one of the five ancient Star

Maps.

The Kashyyk environment is a

combination of filmmaking techniques to create

a unique world. The concept art of Wookiee

architecture described them as the "Frank

Lloyd Wrights of the galaxy." Their mastery of

woodwork resulted in elaborately organic and

ornate designs carved directly from the

enormous trees that serve as their homes.

The home world of the Wookiee species,

Kashyyk, is a forest wonderland covered nearly

from pole to pole by kilometers-high wroshyr

trees.

3.2.8. Felucia

Felucia is a boggy world covered in giant

fungus-like organisms, which appeared in Star

Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.

Felucia is filled with strange translucent

species of plants and animals. When the sun

shines, the environment glitters like

multicolored glass, with a multitude of colors.

Figure 125 - Kashyyk

Figure 126 - Kashyyk tree houses

Figure 127 - Felucia



3.2.9 Utapau

The planet's inhabitants live mostly in

cities built into the shear walls of giant sink

holes. During the Republic's attack on the

secret Separatist base on Utapau, General

Kenobi finally killed General Grievous.

The whole design of the planet is

based on the concept of sink holes. Cities

built on the walls of sink holes, are

designed with greater care so that they

never look odd.

3.2.10. Mustafar

Mustafar It is a volcanically active

moon orbiting an outer rim planet where

lava is mined for precious metals. It is here

that the last of the Separatist leaders

unsuccessfully hid before being

slaughtered by Anakin Skywalker, and

effectively ending the war.

The planet is covered by hundreds of

volcanic caldera, most of which are in a

state of constant eruption. The volcanic

activity is caused by gravitational stresses

on the planet created by the two gas giants

that affect its orbit (similar

to Jupiter's Galilean moons).

Figure 128 - Utapau

Figure 129 - The sink holes of Utapau

Figure 130 - Mustafar

Figure 131 - Mustafar



3.2.11. Alderaan

For thousands of years Alderaan was

famous as a world of unspoiled beauty and

a center of art, culture and education. Cities

were built into canyon crevasses, beneath

the polar ice, and on stilts in the shallow

saline seas.

Alderaan is a planet where the most

highly qualified scholars reside. Hence the

whole planet is designed as a highly

developed society.

Considered as a "Shining Star" of the

Core Worlds. Wild grasslands and old

mountain ranges dominated the planet's

surface. Ice-rimmed polar seas were the

only large bodies of water, though

thousands of freshwater and saltwater

lakes provided habitats for a large variety of

flora and fauna.

Cities of Alderaan were often built with

great care taken to protect nature. One city

was built on the walls of a canyon, nearly

invisible from above. Other cities were built

on stilts along the shoreline or under the

polar ice. The capital, Aldera, known for its

university, was built on a small island in the

center of a caldera

Figure 132 - Alderaan

Figure 133 - Aldera, capital of Alderaan

Figure 134 - University of Alderaan



3.3 THE LORD OF THE RINGS

The Lord of the Rings is a film trilogy consisting of

three fantasy adventure films based on the three-volume book of the same

name by J. R. R. Tolkien. The films are The Fellowship of the

Ring (2001), The Two Towers (2002) and The Return of the King (2003).

The films were directed by Peter Jackson

Set in the fictional world of Middle-earth, the three films follow

the hobbit Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) as he and a Fellowship embark on

a quest to destroy the One Ring, and thus ensure the destruction of its

maker, the Dark Lord Sauron. The Fellowship becomes divided and Frodo

continues the quest together with his loyal companion Sam and the

treacherous Gollum. Meanwhile, the wizard Gandalf and Aragorn, heir in

exile to the throne of Gondor, unite and rally the Free Peoples of Middle-

earth, who are ultimately victorious in the War of the Ring.

Jackson began storyboarding the trilogy with Christian Rivers in August

1997 and assigned his crew to begin designing Middle-earth at the same

time. Jackson hired long-time collaborator Richard Taylor to lead Weta

Workshop on five major design elements: armour, weapons,

prosthetics/make-up, creatures, and miniatures. In November 1997, famed

Tolkien illustrators Alan Lee and John Howe joined the project. Most of the

imagery in the films is based on their various illustrations. Grant

Major, production designer was charged with the task of converting Lee

and Howe's designs into architecture, creating models of the sets, whilst

Dan Hennah worked as art director, scouting locations and organizing the

building of sets.

Jackson himself wanted a gritty realism and historical regard for the

fantasy. Some of their famous images of Bag End, Orthanc, Helm's Deep,

the Black Gate, and John Howe's Gandalf and the Balrog made it into the

film.



Lee worked on designs for architecture, the first being Helm's

Deep, as well as the Elven realms, Moria, Edoras, and Minas Tirith, and

although Howe primarily designed armour and the forces of evil ,he

contributed with Bag End, Minas Morgul, Cirith Ungol and the Barad-dûr.

Lee also applied a personal touch by painted imagery in Rivendell, such as

the one of Isildur removing the One Ring from Sauron, as well as tapestries

in Edoras. There are real life influences to Middle-earth: Rivendell is "a cross

between a Japanese Temple and Frank Lloyd Wright", and Minas

Tirith takes influence from Mont Saint-Michel, St Michael's

Mount and Palatine Chapel in Aachen. The City of the Dead takes

after Petra, Jordan, and the Grey Havens were inspired by the paintings

of J. M. W. Turner.

Each of the cities mentioned in the movie are given different architecture,

which simply explains the fantasy characteristics of the whole film.

The cities and locations are listed as follows..



3.3.1 Shire

The Shire is a region of J. R. R. Tolkien's

fictional Middle-earth, described in The Lord of

the Rings. The Shire refers to an area settled

exclusively by Hobbits. Hobbits are people with

less height compared to normal people and

hence the architecture of the shire is designed

based on that. They are related to rabbit holes.

Hobbits live in "hobbit-holes" or Smials,

traditional underground homes found in hillsides.

Like all Hobbit architecture, they are notable for

their round doors and windows.

Architectural Description of Shire in the movie

In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.

it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort. It

had a perfectly round door like a porthole,

painted green, with a shiny yellow brass knob in

the exact middle. The door opened on to a tube-

shaped hall like a tunnel: a very comfortable

tunnel without smoke, with paneled walls, and

floors tiled and carpeted, provided with polished

chairs. No going upstairs for the hobbit:

bedrooms, bathrooms, cellars, pantries,

wardrobes, kitchens, dining rooms, all were on

the same floor, and indeed on the same

passage.

Figure 135 - Hobbit holes in Shire

Figure 137 - A Smial (hobbit hole)

Figure 136 - A shot from the movie 'Fellowship of the Rings'



3.3.2 Rivendell

The name Rivendell is formed by two

elements: "riven" and "dell" meaning split,

cloven and valley respectively, making the whole

word purport "deeply cloven valley".

Rivendell is a cross between a Japanese

Temple Architecture and Frank Lloyd Wright

buildings. The buildings shown in Rivendell are

mostly inspired from Frank Lloyd Wright building.

The physical appearance of the valley of

Rivendell is based upon the Lauterbrunnental in

Switzerland, and Elrond's house and the narrow

bridge upon the locale of Watersmeet Lodge in

Devon, UK. In Peter Jackson's movie The

Fellowship of the Ring, the filming location for

Rivendell was Kaitoke Regional Park in Upper

Hutt, New Zealand.

3.3.3 Osgiliath

Osgiliath is a city of Middle-earth, the

old capital city of Gondor. The production team

of the movie has included some of the Roman

architecture into the Osgiliath to give it an

appearance of an older capital city.

Figure 140 - Rivendell

Figure 139 - The bridge of Rivendell

Figure 138 – Rivendell showing Japanese influence



3.3.4 Minas Tirith - Gondor

Minas Tirith is the heavily fortified

capital of the city of Gondor in LOTR

trilogy. Minas Tirith takes influence

from Mont Saint-Michel, St Michael's

Mount and Palatine Chapel in Aachen.

Gondor as it appeared during in Peter

Jackson's film adaptation of The Lord of

the Rings has been compared to

the Byzantine Empire, for numerous

reasons The production team noted their

decision to include some Byzantine

domes into Minas Tirith architecture and

to have civilians wear Byzantine-styled

clothing.

Minas Tirith was built on a hill with

seven concentric tiers culminating in the

Citadel at the summit. Each of the seven

levels stood 100 feet (30.5 m) higher than

the one below it, each surrounded by a

white wall, with the exception of the wall

of the First Circle, which was black. The

outer face of this outer wall, the lowest,

was made of black stone.

Figure 142 - The port of Gondor

Figure 141 (above) and 141a ( below) The fort of Minas Tirith showing

Byzantine influence



3.3.5 Lothlorien

Lothlorien is the fairest forest realm of

the Elves in the LOTR trilogy. Lothlorien was

located East of Moria between the Misty

Mountains and the river Anduin. Other than a

small strip of forested land to the south, the

realm was located between the rivers Anduin

and Silverlode, a region called the Naith by the

Elves or the Gore in Westron.

Architecturally certain Gothic element has been

added to the whole design of Lorien by the

production team to increase its grandeur

3.3.6 Isengard

Isengard was built in the Second Age around

the tower of Orthanc .The Isengard has been

given an appearance of a battlefield.

Its location was at the north-western corner

of Rohan, guarding the Fords of Isen from enemy

incursions into Calenardhon together with the

fortress of Aglarond to its south.

Orthanc tower

Orthanc is the black tower of Isengard. Its

name means both "Mount Fang" in Sindarin, and

"Cunning Mind" in Old English, The Orthanc

Figure 143 - Lothlorien

Figure 145 - Lothlorien

Figure 144 - Isengard



tower belongs to the wizard Sarumen and the

tower is given an evil appearance.

For The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, these

were based on the designs of illustrator Alan Lee,

who worked as a conceptual artist. According

to Richard Taylor, in the behind the

scenes documentaries from the Extended edition

of The Fellowship of The Ring the original model

for Orthanc was carved from micro-crystalline

wax.

3.3.7 Mordor

Mordor was a relic of the devastating works

of Morgoth, apparently formed by massive

volcanic eruptions. It was given the name Mordor

already before Sauron settled there, because of

its volcano and its eruptions. Mordor is the main

area of e

Barad-dûr It is the main tower of evil lord Sauron.

In The Lord of the Rings film trilogy by Peter

Jackson, Richard Taylor and his design team

built a 9 meter high miniature of Barad-dûr for

use in the film.

From the conceptual work to realization the

creation of middle earth was a massive and

rewarding undertaking. The bringing to life

J.R.R.Tolkeins words under Peter Jackson’s

direction meant giving birth to and maintaining a

Figure 147 - Isengard

Figure 148 – Barad-dur tower

Figure 149 - Mordor

Figure 146 -

Orthanc



vision of up-most quality and creativity.

3.3.8 Rohan

The capital of Rohan is the hill fort of Edoras

which is located on a hill in a valley of the White

Mountains.

The countryside of Rohan was described as a

land of pastures and lush tall grassland. The

lands of Rohan are frequently described as

appearing like "seas of grass". Most of the

Rohirrim dwelt in small villages or farms.

Several aspects of Rohan's history and

architecture seem to be inspired by Goths,

Scandinavians and the medieval Anglo-Saxons.

Figure 150 - Rohan, interiors

Figure 151 - Rohan country house



4. INFERENCE



4.1 INFERENCE

While cinema cannot transient light and shadows, architecture does just

the opposite. For regardless of whether it is considered a fine act or just the

design branch of the building industry, architecture results in solid objects.

Its end result is buildings, not the phantom places of cinema as in the

Universal classics, The Phantom of the Opera and The Hunchback of

Notre Dame Instead architecture has produced three - dimensional

structures, The Paris Opera House and the Notre Dame of Paris.

In Ramoji Film city the sets and streets are created artificially purely on

the basis of architecture. For example if we take the princess street and the

Akbar road then the difference is created by the architecture. Detailed

architectural study has been carried out to design every sets and streets. The

architecture is the thing which makes each buildings and streets unique. From

this we can infer that architecture is an unavoidable part in movie industry.

As we analyse the movies star wars each planet mentioned are

made unique by means of its architecture. The unique character of each planet

is created by architecture. In the movie the scene transitions from one planet to

the other shouldn’t create confusion. In the movie a senate is happening in the

planet Coruscant, then in the very next scene planet Naboo is shown, the

spectators should not get confused as these planets are shown without any

intervals. So to make each planet unique, Director George Lucas and his

production team has taken a lot of effort in designing each planet

architecturally.

Similar is in the case of the movie Lord of the Rings where each fictional

city has been designed uniquely by the Director Peter Jackson and his

production team so as to make each of them doesn’t look similar. The fantastic

architecture created in these movies were unexplainable.

Cinema Shapes a two dimensional picture plane which is



essentially temporal. Architecture according to Bruno Zevi is space.

Buildings are volumetric, static objects. While architectural experience is

immediate and multi sensory, the motion picture one is bis ensory, ( l imi ted

to s ight and hear ing) and mediated because the form is

representational. Furthermore the cinema spectator is structurally

separate from the motion picture image and cannot step inside.

Architecture has no spectator only participants. We must enter and

move through buildings in order to experience them. That experience in

founded on a space-time continuum. On the other hand cinema defies the

continuum. Psychologically, as our eye identifies with that of the camera,

movies provide a voluntary means of escape. Buildings are largely unavoidable

and inseparable. Architecture invites participation. Cinema communicates a

single path through the world. As art forms, cinema and architecture employ

different forms of artistic expression.

Architecture is used in a number of ways in movies, as

backdrops, narrator, as representative of time and space etc. Another fact

is that architecture can be used in films to create illusions. Since the

architecture shown in movies is 2-dimensional and as we can't feel the

space, il lusions can be created. In other words a director can mould

architecture to his needs. In real life this is rarely possible as people feel the

space right away. It may be possible, but only on a momentary level and not

in a long term basis.

Film gives us the rare three-dimensional opportunity to

completely question all that has come to be accepted in terms of the

language of architecture as well as architectural and historic convention. It

allows for educated speculation on what may have been in the past, and

what the world of the future might become. Current film technologies

provide such a high degree of realism in the product, that architectural



education can use these films as vehicles for critical discussion of the ethos

of these environments. Much like, and yet experientially speaking, well beyond

the efforts of the Visionary architects of the 18th century, film can create visions

of realistic feeling environments that can be used to reinvent the meaning and

defining factors of architectural expression.

Much the same as visionary works of art and architecture, f ilms,

and in part icular the fantasy and science fiction genres, have been used to

provide societies with a means to escape reality. Unlike architecture, film

spaces have never had to be realistic, functional, nor h a v e t h e y b e e n

o b l i g e d t o p o s s e s s a conscience. Yet, in architectural education, we can

use these "expensive", ready-made images of both past and future worlds to

center critical discussions about our world and to raise issues of conscience.

Today’s movies are using a combination of real and computer

animated settings, seamlessly joined that allowed for a highly realistic

experience of the imaginary worlds. Filming techniques now have the ability

to make visual images of environments that blend seamlessly from the

physically constructed full sized set to realist ically animated visions

of characters speeding through highly complex urban cities set on

earth or unknown planets.

From all these data and case studies it is very clear that Architecture and

Movies are interdependent.



5. CONCLUSION



5.1 CONCLUSION

The study started seeking the relationship and

interdependency between architecture and movies. From the studies

it could be concluded that the two share a very close and intense

relation, the former being an indispensable part of the latter. The

two share more similarities than dissimilarities.

Basically the idea received from the studies is that

architecture is an important part of movies. There has never been

an instance of a movie shot without some form of architecture,

be it a room, a building or even an open space. It is not because it's

not possible, but nobody could ever think of it. Architecture in

movies is more like salt in food; one is indispensable of the other.

The contribution and influence architecture has had on

movies is immense. It has influenced almost everything starting

from narration to set design. The contribution of movies to

architecture is also very significant though small compared to the

other one. A director can create wonders in a movie using

architecture. He can guide the spectator, control his emotions and can

talk about time and space using, architecture. Though films are two

dimensional, the effect of the third dimension can be brought

about by movement. Slow movements, different camera angles can

all bring about the effect of the third dimension on screen. Hence it

is said that films reconstruct the experience of architecture rather

than representing it.



6. BIBLIOGRAPHY

� Film architecture and the Transnational Imagination - Tim Bergfelder,

Sue Harris, Sarah Street

� The Art Direction Handbook for Film - Michael Rizzo

� The Hidden Dimension - Edward T Hall

� The Visual Language of film.

� Art of film – A way of Architectural Communication - Liliana Petrovici

� Film and Architecture - Andy Brooks

� Architecture and Film: Experiential Realities and Dystopic Futures - Terri

Meyer Boake

WEBSITES

� http://blog.ounodesign.com/2009/06/11/architecture-in-the-movies

� http://www.leninimports.com/cabinet_of_dr_caliga.html

� http://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=609389

� http://www.wikipedia.org/

� http://www.starwars.com/

� http://www.imdb.com



LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1 - Enni's House ........................................................................................................... 16

Figure 2 - Enni's House Drawings .......................................................................................... 16 Figure 3 - wall treatment ......................................................................................................... 16

Figure 4 - The Pool ................................................................................................................. 17

Figure 5 - The Corridor ........................................................................................................... 17

Figure 6 - Black Rain (1989) .................................................................................................. 18 Figure 7 - Blade Runner (1982) .............................................................................................. 18 Figure 8 - Grand Canyon (1991) ............................................................................................. 18 Figure 9 - The house on haunted hill (1958)........................................................................... 18 Figure 10 - Sculptured house, Colorado ................................................................................. 19 Figure 11 - scenes from movie Sleeper (1973) ....................................................................... 19 Figure 12 - scene from movie French Postcards (1979) ......................................................... 19 Figure 13 - Le Corbusier's Villa Savoye ................................................................................. 19 Figure 14 - Elrod House exterior ............................................................................................ 20 Figure 15 - shot from Bond movie Diamonds are Forever (1971) ......................................... 20

Figure 16 - Elrod House interior ............................................................................................. 20 Figure 17 - shot from movie Body Double (1984) ................................................................. 21 Figure 18 - Malin Residence (chemosphere) .......................................................................... 21 Figure 19 - plan drawing (chemosphere) ................................................................................ 21 Figure 20 - Varikkassery mana front ...................................................................................... 22 Figure 21 - a shot from the movie Devasuram (1993) ............................................................ 22 Figure 22 - the entrance Gopuram .......................................................................................... 22 Figure 23 - Olappamanna mana .............................................................................................. 23 Figure 24 - Olappamanna mana rear side ............................................................................... 23 Figure 25 - Padmanabhapuram palace .................................................................................... 23 Figure 26 - Thripunithura hill palace in Manichithrathazhu ................................................... 23 Figure 27 - Baumschulenweg Crematorium interior (shot from the movie) .......................... 24

Figure 28 - Baumschulenweg Crematorium interior (shot from the movie) .......................... 24

Figure 29 - Baumschulenweg Crematorium exterior.............................................................. 24 Figure 30 - Berlin Windkanal (shot from the movie) ............................................................. 24 Figure 31 - Mexican Embassy (shot from the movie) ............................................................ 25 Figure 32 - The Volkspark Potsdam exterior .......................................................................... 25 Figure 33 - The Volkspark Potsdam (shot from the movie) ................................................... 25 Figure 34 - the fictional city of Bregna (shot from the movie) ............................................... 25 Figure 35 - Bauhaus Archive (shot from the movie) .............................................................. 25 Figure 36 - shot from the movie showing an interior set ........................................................ 26 Figure 37 - shot from the movie showing an interior set ........................................................ 26 Figure 38 - The Benjamin Franklin Conference Center ......................................................... 26 Figure 39 - shot from the movie showing an exterior set ....................................................... 26 Figure 40 - shot from the movie showing an interior set ........................................................ 26 Figure 41 - a shot from the movie Ben Hur (1959) ................................................................ 27



Figure 42 - a shot from the movie Ben Hur (1959) ................................................................ 27 Figure 43 - a shot from the movie Blade Runner (1982) ........................................................ 27 Figure 44 - a shot from movie Agora (2009) showing the library of Alexandria ................... 27

Figure 45 - a shot from the movie Agora (2009) showing fort walls ..................................... 28

Figure 46 - a shot from the movie Agora (2009) showing Alexandrian Serapium ................ 28

Figure 47 - a shot from the movie Agora (2009) showing temple.......................................... 28

Figure 48 - a shot from the movie Cleopatra (1963) .............................................................. 28 Figure 49 - A shot from the movie Logan's Run (1976) showing futuristic interiors. ........... 29

Figure 50 - Dallas Market Center Apparel Mart (shot from the movie Logan's Run) ........... 29

Figure 51 - Dallas Market Center Apparel Mart (shot from the movie Logan's Run) ........... 29

Figure 52 - Philip Johnson’s Fort Worth Water Garden Logan's Run as Fountain Pool ........ 30

Figure 53 - A shot from the movie 2001 A space Odyssey (1968) showing interiors of a spaceship ................................................................................................................................. 30

Figure 54 - A shot from the movie 2001 A space Odyssey (1968) showing interior of a spaceship. ................................................................................................................................ 30

Figure 55 - A shot from the movie 2001 A space Odyssey (1968) showing interior of a spaceship ................................................................................................................................. 30

Figure 56 - A shot from the movie 2001 A space Odyssey (1968) showing the rotating set. 30

Figure 57 - Jumper (2008) showing Colloseum ..................................................................... 32 Figure 58 - Jumper (2008) showing Pyramids of Egypt ......................................................... 32 Figure 59 - Perfume (2006)..................................................................................................... 32 Figure 60 - The Godfather (1972) ........................................................................................... 32 Figure 61 - The Shawshank Redemption (1994) .................................................................... 33 Figure 62 - The Shawshank Redemption (1994) .................................................................... 33 Figure 63 - Home Alone (1990).............................................................................................. 33 Figure 64 - The Count of Monte Cristo (2002)....................................................................... 33 Figure 65 - Home Alone (1990).............................................................................................. 33 Figure 66 - Clash of the Titans (2010) .................................................................................... 34 Figure 67 - Clash of the Titans (2010) .................................................................................... 34 Figure 68 - Expressionist structures from 'The Cabinet of Dr.Caligari' (1927) ...................... 35

Figure 69 - Expressionist structures from 'The Cabinet of Dr.Caligari' (1927) ...................... 35





Figure 74 - Modernist structures in 'Mon Oncle' (1958) ........................................................ 37 Figure 75 - Modernist structures in 'Mon Oncle' (1958) ........................................................ 37 Figure 76 - Modernist structures in 'Mon Oncle' (1958) ........................................................ 37 Figure 77 - 'Mon Oncle' (1958) ............................................................................................... 38 Figure 78 - A Clockwork Orange (1971) ................................................................................ 38 Figure 79 - A Clockwork Orange (1971) ................................................................................ 38 Figure 80 - airport ................................................................................................................... 42

Figure 81 - temple ................................................................................................................... 42



Figure 82 - Ashram ................................................................................................................. 42

Figure 83 - HawaMahal .......................................................................................................... 42 Figure 84 - Hilltop Cottage ..................................................................................................... 42

Figure 85 - small town ............................................................................................................ 42

Figure 86 - Hospital ................................................................................................................ 43

Figure 87 - North City............................................................................................................. 43

Figure 88 - Double Take House .............................................................................................. 43 Figure 89 - court...................................................................................................................... 43

Figure 90 - Udayananu Tharam (2005) .................................................................................. 43 Figure 91 - village ................................................................................................................... 43

Figure 92 - Railway station ..................................................................................................... 43

Figure 93 - Princess street ....................................................................................................... 44 Figure 94 - Akbar road ............................................................................................................ 44

Figure 95 - Broadway ............................................................................................................. 44

Figure 96 - Ishi Dora ............................................................................................................... 44

Figure 97 - Gurunanak Street .................................................................................................. 44 Figure 98 - Small Town Road ................................................................................................. 44 Figure 99 - Fibre moulding ..................................................................................................... 45 Figure 100 - PoP (Plaster of Paris) ......................................................................................... 45 Figure 101 - Sets ..................................................................................................................... 45

Figure 102 - Naboo ................................................................................................................. 48

Figure 103 - City of Theed, capital of Naboo ......................................................................... 48 Figure 104 - Naboo ................................................................................................................. 48 Figure 105 - Plaza de España in Seville, Spain, used as scenario for Naboo ......................... 48

Figure 106 - City of Theed, capital of Naboo ......................................................................... 48 Figure 108 - The igloo model house on Tatooine ................................................................... 49 Figure 107 - Tatooine.............................................................................................................. 49

Figure 110 - the race course of Tatooine ................................................................................ 49 Figure 109 - the underwater planet ......................................................................................... 49 Figure 111 - Coruscant............................................................................................................ 50

Figure 112 - Coruscant - a sketch by George Lucas ............................................................... 50 Figure 113 - senate of Coruscant ............................................................................................ 50 Figure 114 - Coruscant (Notron)............................................................................................. 50 Figure 115 - The water planet Kamino ................................................................................... 51 Figure 116 - Kamino (interiors) .............................................................................................. 51 Figure 117 - Kamino (interiors) .............................................................................................. 51 Figure 118 - Tipoca, capital of Kamino .................................................................................. 51 Figure 119 - Kamino (white and blue shades are used most) ................................................. 51 Figure 120 - The stadium of Geonosis .................................................................................... 52 Figure 121 - Geonosis ............................................................................................................. 52

Figure 122 - The stadium of Geonosis .................................................................................... 52 Figure 123 - interior of buildings ............................................................................................ 52 Figure 124 - The stadium of Geonosis .................................................................................... 52



Figure 125 - Kashyyk.............................................................................................................. 53

Figure 126 - Kashyyk tree houses ........................................................................................... 53 Figure 127 - Felucia ................................................................................................................ 53

Figure 128 - Utapau ................................................................................................................ 54

Figure 129 - The sink holes of Utapau .................................................................................... 54 Figure 130 - Mustafar ............................................................................................................. 54

Figure 131 - Mustafar ............................................................................................................. 54 Figure 132 - Alderaan ............................................................................................................. 55

Figure 133 - Aldera, capital of Alderaan ................................................................................ 55 Figure 134 - University of Alderaan ....................................................................................... 55 Figure 135 - Hobbit holes in Shire .......................................................................................... 58 Figure 136 - A shot from the movie 'Fellowship of the Rings' ............................................... 58 Figure 137 - A Smial (hobbit hole) ......................................................................................... 58 Figure 138 – Rivendell showing Japanese influence .............................................................. 59 Figure 139 - The bridge of Rivendell ..................................................................................... 59 Figure 140 - Rivendell ............................................................................................................ 59

Figure 141 (above) and 141a ( below) The fort of Minas Tirith showing Byzantine influence................................................................................................................................................. 60

Figure 142 - The port of Gondor............................................................................................. 60 Figure 143 - Lothlorien ........................................................................................................... 61

Figure 144 - Isengard .............................................................................................................. 61

Figure 145 - Lothlorien ........................................................................................................... 61

Figure 146 - Orthanc ............................................................................................................... 62 Figure 149 - Isengard .............................................................................................................. 62

Figure 148 – Barad-dur tower ................................................................................................. 62 Figure 147 - Mordor................................................................................................................ 62

Figure 151 - Rohan, interiors .................................................................................................. 63 Figure 150 - Rohan country house .......................................................................................... 63

Inter Dependency of Architecture and Movies

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