RESEARCH IN ARCHITECTURE

Name : Khushi Thorat

ROLL. No : 72
Day : Monday
Date : 10/04/2023

Synopsis ( Draft 1)
Title : Role of Architecture in Cinema : Set Construction / Set Designing.

Keywords : Set Design / Construction, Cinematic Spaces, Representation, Art

Directors, Production Designers, Cinematic expression, Architectural experience,
Perception, Spatial configuration, Scenography, Dystopic Cities.

Aim : The aim of this research is to study the intersection of the 2 art forms
architecture and cinema that is set design / construction.

Objectives :

1. To understand the role of an architect in set design.

2. The process of set design.
3. Representation of spaces in movies and its effect on perception by audience.
4. Difference in the cinematic spaces and architectural spaces.
5. Scope of architects in the field of set designing.

Research Questions :

1. How do architecture and film intersect, and what insights can we gain from
studying this intersection ?
2. How does architecture contribute to the visual language and storytelling in
cinema ?
3. In what ways do the architectural design and use of space in films reflect and
shape our understanding of real-world architecture and urban environments ?
4. What are some of the most iconic examples of architecture being used in film,
and why do you think they are so memorable ?
5. How do you think the use of real-life locations versus sets or CGI affects the
impact of architecture in film ?
6. In what ways do you think architects and filmmakers can collaborate to create
more impactful and meaningful films ?
7. How do filmmakers use architecture to convey character, mood, and theme in
their films ?

Background :
Set construction / Set Designing is the process undertaken by a construction manager
to build full-scale scenery, as specified by a production designer or art director working
in collaboration with the director of a production to create a set for a theatrical, film, or
television production.
Set construction is undoubtedly one of these moments of intersection. Allowing for great
control over shooting conditions, sets built in closed studios enable the possibility of
getting rid of limitations related to the climate, lighting and eventual setbacks that may
occur in shooting in "real" environments. Alfred Hitchcock is an example of a filmmaker
who has made extensive use of sets to create spaces of tension and horror in his
productions.
It’s hard to picture a movie taking place in a vacuum. Without a scene to fill every
storyline, we can’t be transported away from our life to the cinematic universe, we’re
immersed in.Throughout the list of ways of making films, we can add another:
filmmaking with architecture. The essential architecture of cinematic expression and the
stunning visual nature of architectural experience plays an important role in how the
viewers perceive the cinema.

Case Studies :

1. Parasite : The architecture in Parasite exists as a metaphor through which

creator Bong Joon Ho explains inequality in Korea. It highlights the fact that our
built environment is a representation of society. From the Kims’ banjiha
(lower-ground apartments in Korean) to the Parks’ grand house, the film speaks
the language of architecture expressed through contrasts. Interior and exterior
spaces, design and chaos, solids and voids express the differences in social
classes. The plot is set in these houses so everything is understood through the
construction of space. The set-up demonstrates the key influence of architecture
in film and visual storytelling.

2. Black Panther : Set in the fictional Wakanda, Black Panther is the most
successful recent depiction of afro-futurism. The film’s architecture critiques
colonialism by putting forward a vision of what African urbanism could be. The
representation of urban space manifests as a Hadidesque vision of the future. It
is one that is exempt from the restrictions imposed by Eurocentric orthogonality,
which gives its inhabitants the possibility to embrace technology without rejecting
tradition.

3. Bahubali : The magician behind the grandeur of Bahubali 1 and 2, Saby Cyril,
was tasked to create an Indian empire with no resemblance to any previous
 kingdom. Set almost 300-500 years ago, Devasena’s kingdom, surrounding
villages and water bodies spread over 3-5 acres of land were created as models
by the art department and concept artists, followed by the extensions added by
the VFX team, including adding the appropriate textures, lighting, and detail.

4. Inception : The Infamous, Inception is a notoriously ambitious movie that will

have you itching to know the truth. The sci-fi best movies revolve around
Leonardo DiCaprio, a professional subconscious thief teaming up with a brilliant
Architecture student, Ariadne, who helps create complex mazes in the
subconscious realm. Featuring an architectural optical illusion, Penrose staircase
to the Parisian buildings folding onto themselves, this movie will give you the
chills and a migraine.

5. The Grand Budapest Hotel : Presented by Wes Anderson, an Architectural Film

Maker, the English film pays respects to European opulence in Gorlitz, Germany.
With most of the scenes shot in the lobby of the 1913 Art Nouveau style building,
the film features just about everything there is to Architecture. Set designers
Adam Stockhausen and Anna Pinnock, undoubtedly did the movie justice.

6. Jodha Akbar : The Mughal biopic was grand in terms of the movie sets, clothes,
and jewelry. Art Director Nitin Desai created an actual city for the movie
consisting of an inch-by-inch replica of the Agra Fort with the Diwan-i-Aam and
Diwan-i-Khas, Jodha’s Palace, and even the Mughal gardens. The set was as
massive as the seven floors of a high-rise building and was made of concrete,
fibre, scaffolding, asbestos sheets, and pipes.

7. Bajirao Mastani : A love triangle in the Maratha period in Maharashtra is

showcased beautifully in Bajirao Mastani. Years of research translated into
larger-than-life sets. The architectural marvels include Bajirao’s Darbar with 50ft
high pillars, walls made of hand-crafted wood in Shaniwar Wada, the dancing hall
with an open sky, and countless pieces of mirror sourced from Jaipur to create
the Aaina Mahal. Of the 23 sets, the trickiest to make was Shaniwar Wada as it
does not exist anymore but was still replicated to perfection.

Methodology & Methods :

 1. Firstly, the visual part of research means watching some important movies with
emphasis on great set designs or representation of architectural spaces.
Analysis of the architectural elements used in it, its effect on the storytelling, how
it helps to create a theme, mood and develop character of the movies.

2. Secondly, visit some film studios to get a closer view of the behind the scenes /
backstage work of a movie and for a better understanding of the process of set
designing and construction. Interaction with the on site labor involved in the
process of set construction and if possible the minds behind its creation that is
the production designer / set designer / art director to get a better idea of the role
of architecture and an architect in the whole process.

3. Finally, analyze the reaction of the cinematic world created in movies on the
audience who consume the content and relate to it. How it affects the perception
of architectural Design in the minds of common people.

References :

1. Angne, U. (2021, 02 20). The role of architecture in the representation of space

on screen. Rethinking the Future.
https://www.re-thinkingthefuture.com/2021/02/20/a3384-the-role-of-architecture-i
n-the-representation-of-space-on-screen/

2. Effiom, E. (2022, october 06). Architecture in film: modernism, futurism and

beyond. Wallpaper.
https://www.wallpaper.com/architecture/architecture-in-film-through-the-decades

3. PENZ, F. (2020, 08 13). Film studies: when cinema acts as an encyclopedia of

architectural spaces. The Architectural Review.
https://www.architectural-review.com/essays/film-studies-when-cinema-acts-as-a
n-encyclopaedia-of-architectural-spaces

4. Baratto, R. (2022, september 14). How Architecture Speaks Through Cinema.

ArchDaily.
https://www.archdaily.com/872754/how-architecture-speaks-through-cinema