Designing Buildings (DB) features a timely piece on ‘Architects, architecture, buildings, construction and inspiration in film’.
DB writes:
Architecture, construction, and design share a deep and intrinsic connection with photography, film making, cinema, and the movies. While distinct by function, these disciplines converge by their shared objectives to create immersive, emotionally resonant spaces that tell stories, evoke moods, and influence perceptions. In some respects these forms of creative endeavour can feed off and into one another, with buildings as backdrops, architects as characters or movies as inspiration for what might be possible in the physical world.
Architecture, design and construction shape the physical world, using technology, materials, engineering and imagination to push the boundaries of what is buildable and how space is occupied. Cinema uses visual, acoustic and spatial language, supported by technology, creativity and drama to construct imaginary worlds, create scenes from the past, study the present or imagine the future, and in doing so films themselves can inspire innovation in how the built environment is shaped, occupied, adapted, treated and preserved.
Traditionally the synergy between film and design has been through disciplines such as production design, set construction, direction, sketching, storyboarding and scripting. Today with the increasing use of CGI, AI, computer modelling and so on, the two are in many ways even more closely tied, as these same tools have become an inherent part of design and architectural practice. Whilst on the other side photography, sketching, site studies, film, modelling, animation, fly throughs and walk throughs have for a long time been key design development tools for built environment professionals..
At heart of this relationship is the role of space. Architects, designers, film-makers, directors and actors all consider how people move through, interact with, and respond to spaces. In cinema, the design of sets and choice of location can profoundly affect the tone and narrative of a film. Designers in both fields rely on colour theory, texture, materials, and spatial composition to evoke emotion and guide experience. Likewise, the relationship between site, location, form, and orientation, tie to materiality, narrative, cultural landscape and emotions. Only by working closely with construction teams, craftspersons, clients and designers can visions or even fantasies, which may have never existed before be realised.
Film and photography are key tools of design, helping to more closely inspect sites, record and explain how designs change, how they are used, adapted and built, to test theories, and in a playful way to communicate ideas. Film is an increasingly key tool when working with clients, contractors, and planners alike. The collaborative dance between these disciplines continues to be a fertile ground for innovation and expression, reminding us that great storytelling is often built, designed, and constructed as much as it is written or performed.
Films continue to be a source of knowledge, inspiration, enlightenment in their many different ways. We have tried here to start a long list of films from seminal pieces to what some might say trashy flicks, from detailed documentaries to self-promotion, and serious research to artistic studies – they all connect in some way between these two disciplines. Enjoy and feel free to add any that we are missing!
