BEYOND FLATLAND
ARCHITECTURE EXHIBITION
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TABLE OF CONTENTS Foreword.....................................................................................................4 Curational Notes.......................................................................................5 Exhibition Original Works Cube Within a Cube.........................................................................6 Emotions Provoking Perspectives...............................................8 Dramatic Perspective............................................................10 Pleasant Perspective..............................................................12 Relaxing-Calming Perspective............................................14 Cinematic Architecture Movie ....................................................16 Cinematic Architecture Perspectives........................................16 Contemporary Architecture Collages.......................................20 Bibliography.............................................................................................25 3
FOREWORD
Exhibition Title: “Beyond Flatland: Filippo Brunelleschi’s Re-discovery of Liner Perspective” , Based on Filippo Brunelleschi’s re-discovery, Focusing on perspective’s contemporary relevance in architecture and cinematography.
Research Question: Based on Filippo Brunelleschi’s influence on architectural representation with the re-discovery of linear perspective, what is the contemporary relevance of linear perspective in architectural spaces and their representation through cinematography?
Filippo Brunelleschi’s re-discovery of linear perspective revolutionized the way, that architects design and think about buildings, allowing them to alter audience’s perception. This exhibition is focusing on the importance of his re-discovery, regarding the vast impact it has on the contemporary architecture, as well as cinematography and the connection between perspective itself and the emotions that can be provoked by manipulating it, in cinematic architecture.
Architecture and cinematography influence and interact with each other. Through Architecture, spaces, and skilful usage of perspective, we can provoke desired emotions and feelings in movies. Stanley Kubrick, movie producer, and Abu-Obeid and Abuhassan2 both agree that using central one point perspective creates dramatic effect and increases tension in movies, as an example of many emotions provoked by different principles. In Abu-Obeid and Abuhassan’s2 research article, they stated that positive emotions are being provoked by different architectural principles, than the negative emotions, which is being displayed in this exhibition in a form of models and a movie.
1. Yip, D.Km. 202). “Advances in Creativity, Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Communication of Design”. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-51626-0_36
2. Natheer Abu-Obeid, and Lama Bilal Abuhassan. 2023. “Experiencing Cinematic Architecture: The Impact of Architecture on the Audience Emotional Engagement.” Archnet-IJAR: International Journal of Architectural Research, p. 10, 15. https://doi.org/10.1108/arch-10-2022-0210.
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CURATIONAL NOTES
Filippo Brunelleschi was born in 1377 in Florence, Italy. Pioneer of the Renaissance, architect, engineer, and planner, creating and designing in 15th century. His most significant achievement being the re-discovery of linear perspective (1410-15), altered the way we see architecture forever. It had been discovered before and known by Greeks and Romans, however it became forgotten through the European Middle Ages. Brunelleschi understood the principles of linear perspective, using mathematical methods, as well as the “Mirror Experiment” allowing him to grasp the way perspective lines converge in the single vanishing point1.
Perspective is a very powerful tool used in various fields of art, including architecture and movies production. Central perspective allows us to alter the importance of elements presented. Objects located on the centre of the vanishing point, and at the same time being closest to them, are perceived as most relevant and most noticeable. Using central perspective in movies, allows to direct viewers’ point of view to the elements that we intend to. Additionally, our sight is drawn to the vanishing point, and follows the perspective lines, which can be used in cinematography and architectural buildings to lead audience on a journey, following the “lines”.
The pieces in the exhibition focus on the relationship between architecture and cinema, as well as perspective’s relevance in perceiving created spaces. Each piece focuses on the perception of architectural areas, created with the usage of perspective, also including Camera Points of View used in cinematography. Created spaces are provoking viewer’s different emotions, showing various ways to alter them, by changing perspectives or architectural elements, as well as thoroughly describe the way that competent usage of perspective can direct viewers to the exact direction that we want to and easily lead them on an intuitive journey through those spaces. Creating not only models, but also digital collages, spaces and movies, audience will be able to comprehend the vast importance of perspective not only in real life architectural structures, but also in those presented in the cinematography.
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1. Hyman, Isabelle. 2023. “Filippo Brunelleschi.” Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. April 11, 2023. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Filippo-Brunelleschi.
Cube Within a Cube
Model made using grey cardboard – representing objects as cubes – and white string rope – representing central perspective lines - meeting in the vanishing point located at the back wall of the larger cube. Looking directly from the front of the model, the perspective lines overlay the edges of the cubes, which lead to the vanishing point as well, demonstrating the central perspective’s principle. Additionally, model proves the relevance of objects closer to vanishing point over the rest. While looking at it, the viewers’ attention should be drawn firstly to the smaller cube, as it is closer to the vanishing point, even though it is lesser in size.
WHICH CUBE BRINGS MORE ATTENTION TO YOU ?
ARTIST STATEMENT MATERIALS
- grey cardboard
- white, thin rope
- scissors
- cutting knife
- pencil
- ruller
- cutting mat
- compas
-glue
IN- PROCESS DEVELOPMENT
Smaller cube placed inside the bigger one, using two cardboard stilts to hold it in place, and give impression of “floating in the air”. Cube placed in the exact spot, that overlays together both rope, smaller cube edges and bigger cube edges - while looking from a central perspective view.
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Emotions Provoking Perspectives
ARTIST STATEMENT
Collection of 4 consistent models, depicting three various iterations of a space representing thoughts and emotions provoking corridors. Inspired by movie director Stanely Kubrick, who have used linear perspective as a tool in creating dramatic and unsettling visual effects in his productions, as well as “Experiencing Cinematic Architecture” Article1. Each model alters viewers’ emotions in a different way, depending on a perspective used, presenting simultaneously distorted, however real at the same time point of view of an audience, if spaces were to be created in 1:1 scale, or captured with a camera view in movies production.
MATERIALS
- white, grey and black cardboard
- scissors
- cutting knife
- pencil
- ruller
- cutting mat
- glue - paper
IN- PROCESS DEVELOPMENT
I wanted to create emotions provoking spaces, using different cardboard colors, as well as different perspective techniques and architectural elements. I have designed those three different spaces, focusing on the emotions, that are felt while experiencing them.
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1. Abu-Obeid, Natheer, and Lama Bilal Abuhassan. 2023. “Experiencing Cinematic Architecture: The Impact of Architecture on the Audience Emotional Engagement.” Archnet-IJAR: International Journal of Architectural Research, https://doi.org/10.1108/arch-10-2022-0210.
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Dramatic Perspective
Two models made using a black cardboard, to emphasise dramatic effect, as well as negative emotions, resulting from viewing this space. Central perspective, and narrow, closing corridor, used often by Stanley Kubrick, bring plethora of tension and not pleasant emotions to the viewers.
In the first model, I used axonometric and 90 degrees angles to create the space, as it would have been built in real life. However, the small size of the corridor, doesn’t let the audience to fully immerse into the space and achieve the feeling of the closing corridor. Therefore, instead of creating a very long hall model, I decided to imitate the viewers’ point of view, by modelling it with using perspective angles for the walls, which allows to perceive the space as in real life, or on a camera shot used in movies.
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ARTIST STATEMENT
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Pleasant Perspective
ARTIST STATEMENT
Model created using grey cardboard, to neutralize viewers’ experiences. One-point perspective, however, this time not a central one. Vanishing Point tends to go to the left side of the space, to add depth and more open space to the experience. Elevating the corridor and adding stairs also increases distance from the floor to the ceiling, creating impression of higher walls. Leaving the end of the corridor open, brings the feeling of mystery, as well as more breathable space and sense of directionality. All those emotions leave the viewer with pleasant feelings, according to the “Experiencing Cinematic Architecture” Article1.
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1. Natheer Abu-Obeid, and Lama Bilal Abuhassan. 2023. “Experiencing Cinematic Architecture: The Impact of Architecture on the Audience Emotional Engagement.” Archnet-IJAR: International Journal of Architectural Research, p. 8. https://doi.org/10.1108/arch-10-2022-0210.
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Relaxing-Calming Perspective
ARTIST STATEMENT
Model created using white cardboard to generate softer lightning and shadows. Use of soft, flowing lines and curves, calm the audience and easily lead them to the end of the corridor, which from the central point of view is not visible, adding a hint of mystery. Perspective created from the curves, does not define viewers’ point of view, but instead slowly leads them along the path. This particular procedure can be used in movies, to focus the audience on the journey, not on the destination itself, slowing down and calming the process of getting to it.
I used a distorted view of a real space in this model as well, to immerse the audience in it more. The floor plan of the space with real-angled walls can be found on the panel.
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Cinematic Architecture Movie
ARTIST STATEMENT
Short Movie, inspired, and based on the movie “Blade Runner 2049”. Architectural spaces designed and subsequently rendered. Inspirations for the spaces came from the movie mentioned above. I have chosen it, as it provokes very dramatic and mysterious emotions, through using central perspectives, as well as focuses on spatial narratives and the journey that audience takes while experiencing this movie. I wanted to imitate those feeling, by using similar forms, contrasts, lightnings and compositions, as “Blade Runner 2049” movie’s producers. Cinematic Architecture Movie takes viewers on a journey throughout the spaces, corridors, and rooms with an intention to provoke exciting and dramatic emotions, as well as to demonstrate the powerfulness of linear perspective perspective itself.
Cinematic Architecture Perspectives
ARTIST STATEMENT
Rendered Images of spaces designed for the “Cinematic Architecture Movie”, inspired, and based on the movie “Blade Runner 2049”. Carefully selected Camera Shots, displaying linear perspective’s relevance in architectural spaces used in cinematography. All the images contain spaces created using central linear perspective, the exact one re-discovered by Filippo Brunelleschi in Renaissance.
IN- PROCESS DEVELOPMENT
Architectural spaces designed and created in Sketch-Up, rendered in Lumion. Perspectives post-production done in Photoshop. Movies created in lumion with post-production done in Adobe Premiere Rush.
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CINEMATIC ARCHITECTURE MOVIE 17
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Contemporary Architecture Collages
ARTIST STATEMENT
Collages based on Peter Zumthor’s Architecture Buildings – “Bruder Klaus Chapel”, Germany , “Thermal Vals”, Switzerland, “Serpentine Gallery Pavilion”, England – analysing importance of linear perspective in contemporary architecture. I have chosen Peter Zumthor, as he designs for the experiences and emotions of the space, rather than its actual structure. He incorporated principles of linear perspective in many of his designs, creating emotion provoking and immersive spaces, leading viewers through a journey and focusing their attention on important features and elements of his designs. Those few of his work’s examples show huge significance of Brunelleschi’s re-discovery of linear perspective in today’s designs and creations.
In “Thermal Vals” design, Peter Zumthor, executed emotional design approach, focusing on the emotions that are present in the built walls, instead of the technical structures itself. Application of central perspectives in the building, allowed him to create linear spaces, leading people trough a journey in the Spa. Creating enlosed and open spaces, as well as specific ligh and shadow mixture, indifferentiated various emotions, that are being provoked on this journey in the Thermal Vals design1.
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1. Woo, Ji-Yeon. "A Study on the Emotional design approach in the Therme Vals designed by Peter Zumthor." Korean Institute of Interior Design Journal 19, no. 3 (2010): 77-85.
BRUDER KLAUS CHAPEL 21
IN- PROCESS DEVELOPMENT
I created the collages based on Peter Zumthor’s buildings.
I used various textures, which I later combined in Photoshop. Therefore I added white perspective lines in Illustrator to emphasize the importance of different perspectives in those architectural designs.
SERPENTINE GALLERY PAVILION
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THERMAL VALS 23
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. Abu-Obeid, Natheer, and Lama Bilal Abuhassan. 2023. “Experiencing Cinematic Architecture: The Impact of Architecture on the Audience Emotional Engagement.” Archnet-IJAR: International Journal of Architectural Research, https://doi.org/10.1108/arch-10-2022-0210.
2. Hyman, Isabelle. 2023. “Filippo Brunelleschi.” Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. April 11, 2023. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Filippo-Brunelleschi.
3. Woo, Ji-Yeon. "A Study on the Emotional design approach in the Therme Vals designed by Peter Zumthor." Korean Institute of Interior Design Journal 19, no. 3 (2010): 77-85.
4. Yip, D.Km. 202). “Advances in Creativity, Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Communication of Design”. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-51626-0_36
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EXHIBITION executed by Klaudia Lewandowska
