Sci-Fi Films & Architecture

SCI-FI FILMS & ARCHITECTURE

Understanding Architectural response to the narrative of Science Fiction Films By - Saumil Upadhyay Guided by - Prof. Supriya Pal

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SCI-FI FILMS & ARCHITECTURE Understanding Architectural response to the narrative of Science Fiction Films

Bachelor of Architecture Research Thesis dissertation JUNE 2021

Submitted By

Saumil Upadhyay 16BAR033

Institute of Architecture & Planning Nirma University Ahmedabad 382481 Institute of Architecture & Planning, Nirma University

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Acknowledgment

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Acknowledgment

Acknowledgment I was six years old when I saw the first ever Hollywood film in theatre with my father, it was ‘Superman Returns (2006)’. Since than knowingly or unknowingly I was inclined towards science-fiction films.

I would like to thank my father for taking me to watch ‘Superman Returns (2006)’ and support my interest towards science fiction films. I would like to thank my mother for raising me in a beautiful way and teaching me values. I would like to thank both of them for believing in me. I would like to thank my brother for debating over new technologies, movies and many more things. I would like to thank my family for supporting me.

I would like to thank my guide Prof. Supriya Pal for guiding me. I am grateful to have such an experienced faculty as my guide. The thesis wouldn’t have been this crisp and polished without her inputs. I would like to thank other faculty members who gave their valuable inputs during the semester: Prof. Jitendra Meghani, Prof. Jitesh Mewada, Prof. Digisha Mehta, Prof. Sujan Umaraniya, Prof.

Jaydeep Bhagat, Prof. Purvi Jadav, and Prof Vinay Shah.

I would like to thank my friends Kush and Rushiraj for spending all the sleepless nights together, food trips, gaming nights, and being there when I needed, for making the college life fun and interesting, for always supporting me. I would like to thank my cousin Heli and friend Anuja for peer reviewing my work and giving some valuable inputs. I would like to thank my friend Parina for helping me with diagrams and supporting me throughout the research.

I would like to thank some experts who helped me narrow down my topic and shared some important information about the film and architecture : Architect, writer and director Rajesh Latkar, Architect and set designer Mihir Sir, Writer Mayank Satpathy.

I would also like to thank these you-tube channel for inspiring me explore this topic further: Corridor Crew, Captain Disillusion, Dust.

I would like to thank Nirma University for giving me a platform to learn and explore.

Last but not least, I would like to thank me, for believing in me and doing all the hard-work, for exploring my true potential and following my passion, for giving myself a direction for the future through this thesis, for never giving up. I would like to thank me for being me.

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Content

Content

Abstract

1. Introduction

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1.1 Background - Significance of Cinema - Significance of Science Fiction genre in Cinema 1.2 Aim & Objectives 1.3 Research Questions 1.4 Scope & Limitations 1.5 Methodology 1.6 Research Gap

2. Science Fiction Films & Reality 2.1 How Science Fiction Films help Architects in reality?

2.1.1 Fictional architecture: A valid exercise in architectural design 2.1.2 Imagination: A powerful tool that shaped our reality 2.2 How science fiction turns into reality?

2.2.1 Real world Architecture inspired by Science Fiction Films 2.2.2 Direct translation of Science Fiction concepts into reality

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Content

3. Science Fiction Films: Narrative & Architecture

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3.1 Architecture: A tool for story-telling in Science-Fiction Cinema 3.2 Literature 1: Narrative relationship between Film & Architecture 3.3 Literature 2: Representative relationship between Film & Architecture

4. Analytical Framework

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4.1 Framework of the research 4.2 Framework for detailed Analysis 4.3 Criteria for selection of films 4.4 List of selected Films 4.5 Criteria for selection of frames

5. Case Study

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5.1 Blade Runner (1982) 5.2 The fifth element (1997) 5.3 Equilibrium (2002)

6. Conclusion

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Abstract

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Abstract

Abstract Architecture and film share a lot of commonalities, they both allow people to travel through space and experience it through either physical or imaginary movement within the space. A film director has limited frames to create a meaningful spatial experience and induce emotions into space through spatial planning and decisions, while in real life we have infinite frames to convey the meanings and feelings in the spaces.

Human activity within these imaginary or fictional spaces is guided by the narrative. Narrative is necessary to create a place and give it a meaning or a purpose.

The thesis attempts to analyze architectural representation in films developed as a response to the narrative of futuristic science fiction films. In science fiction films, the architectural representation is meant to be interpreted through the idea of city and architectural elements. The relationship between film, narrative and Architecture will be established by analyzing three science fiction films of a similar genre: ‘Blade Runner (1982)’, ‘The fifth element (1997)’, ‘Equilibrium (2002)’.

The research hopes to utilize this analysis to establish the narrative relationship between film and Architecture, to decipher architectural response to the speculative narration of science fiction films, and draw reader’s attention towards futuristic concepts of architecture represented in the films.

The thesis can act as a reference for architects, as well as art directors. With this research, we are looking at a method of imaginative exploration.

Keywords: Architecture, Future, Narrative, Science fiction films

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Introduction

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Introduction

Introduction

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Introduction

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Introduction

1. Introduction 1.1

Background Significance of Cinema During 20th century cinema was becoming increasingly popular, which allowed the spread of stories at a broader scale and faster rate. Its ability to reach global audience in a very less duration allowed the spread of new architectural styles and ideas at a much faster rate.

In early times exhibitions, fairs, and magazines were different mediums to convey new ideas and concepts to people, which could only reach a limited audience and also had limitations in terms of representation and conveying the idea. After the evolution of cinema Architects started testing new architectural styles through spatial designs in films.

Significance of Science Fiction genre in Cinema Science Fiction: “Science fiction (sometimes shortened to sci-fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel universes, and extraterrestrial life. It has been called the ‘literature of ideas’, and often explores the potential consequences of scientific, social, and technological innovations.” (Gilks, Fleming, and Allen, 2003).

Science fiction genre first appeared in the medium of literature in the nineteenth century. Science fiction has been widely popularized through films since the broad commercialization of cinema in the 1930s. As a result science fiction genre has a broader reach and it is a well-established genre of films now.

This wide-scale popularity of Science Fiction genre creates a broader impact on people and society. It allows Architects to express their work without any bounds and experiment with it. Architects can showcase pure architecture without worrying about any constraints or criteria of practical life. Films translate architectural visions into visual imagery which can be seen and visualized by everyone in the same way. Thus viewers can see the architectural imaginations and interpret the same meaning out of it, on which further discussion can take place and further possibilities can be explored (Border, 2017).

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Introduction

1.2

Aim & Objectives Aim ˗˗ Aim of the research is to analyze architectural representation in films, developed as a response to the narrative of futuristic science fiction films.

Objectives ˗˗ The research will look into the architectural representation used as a tool to convey the narrative to the viewers of science fiction films. ˗˗ The architectural representation in science fiction films is meant to be interpreted through the concept of city and architectural elements. ˗˗ This research will investigate the architectural elements used to convey ideas and futuristic concepts of the narrative within science fiction films.

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Research Questions ˗˗ Understanding the narration in science fiction films, in order to understand, what is the primary concept of the film, around which the whole story revolves? ˗˗ What is the architectural response to the narration and context along with the concept of the film, in terms of built environment and spatial connotation? ˗˗ How narrative and architecture are interrelated and form a complete environment for the film?

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Introduction

1.5

Scope & Limitations Scope Scope of the research consists of three main themes. ˗˗ Narration in the film ˗˗ Architectural representation in the film ˗˗ Interrelation of narration and architecture forming a complete film The research revolves around these three themes. By understanding narration in the film, one can analyze architectural response to the narration and explain the interdependency of narration and architecture in the film.

The thesis looks at prominence of frames that depict narration in the film through built environment, so that further discussion can be done on the relation of architecture and narrative in science fiction films.

Limitations ˗˗ Analysis of the film is limited to specific buildings shown in the film and those buildings are studied through selected frames. It is not possible to analyze the whole film, as some of its aspects will be irrelevant and increase the length of the research unnecessarily. ˗˗ As the research explores three movies of a specific genre, the data collected is applicable to only such films and is not universal. ˗˗ Only 2d representation of the frames is possible. Three dimensional representation or motion pictures cannot be included in this medium of representation. ˗˗ Temporal aspect of the frames is not considered for this research, as it requires a different methodology which doesn’t fit under the scope of this research. ˗˗ The research is subjective, due to the methodology of qualitative analysis and criteria chosen for analysis. ˗˗ Due to time and word count restrictions, a limited amount of references were feasible. Potential references could not be utilized due to accessibility whether it be located distantly or be of great expense.

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Introduction

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Methodology Qualitative analysis will be beneficial for this research, over quantitative analysis. Aim of the research and research questions consist of topic that only observationally descriptive and opinion pieces will avail. Thus, qualitative data will not be relevant to this thesis.

The research analyzes three films under following titles. ˗˗ Plot

˗˗ Context

Narrative

˗˗ Cityscape

˗˗ Built spaces

Architecture

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Narrative and Architecture

Interrelation

These key points provides insight into how narrative and architecture are interrelated and help in creating a complete environment for the film.

Architecture is aided through narrative and narration can be manipulated with the help of architecture.

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Research Gap Analyzing science fiction films through the lens of an Architect, under three themes mentioned in the scope forms a research gap. It aims to collaborate the themes to produce a thesis that will provide knowledge of analyzing stills in films – ‘Blade Runner (1982)’, ‘The fifth element (1997)’, ‘Equilibrium (2002)’.

By linking narrative, architecture and their interrelation in the formation of a complete film provides insight into how architecture is aided through the narrative of the film and can assist in communicating the narrative to form a complete environment for the film.

The research differs from other studies, as no other paper links these three themes to analyze given science fiction films.

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Introduction

Figure 1.1 Why?, What?, & How? (By Author)

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Science Fiction Films & Reality

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Science Fiction Films & Reality

Science Fiction Films & Reality

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Science Fiction Films & Reality

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Science Fiction Films & Reality

2. Science Fiction Films & Reality 2.1

How Science Fiction Films help Architects in reality?

“These science fiction based films tend to be the ‘favorites’ in courses that relate architecture and film, as they generate the most provocative, compelling, and even disturbing, images of the future.” (Boake, 2001) Film has an incredible ability to realistically represent possible architectural and environmental visions of the future; an ability to convincingly ask ‘What if?’ Science Fiction Films can have significant influence on the design of current and future environments.

2.1.1 Fictional architecture: A valid exercise in architectural design “The films encourage imaginative thinking and project management skills, and they also teach students the fundamental principles of design.” Says Bartlett tutor Simon Kennedy (Shaw, 2015).

Science fiction films play an important role in an Architect’s life. It strengthens one’s visualization which can help him/her in practical life. In today’s reality, every stage of designing has turned from physical to digital. Every drawing, model, simulation can be called a work of fiction, an imagination of the designer, until it is built in reality. Thus when the fictional work is taken seriously, it turns into reality.

Fictional architecture is a valid exercise in architectural design. Physical environments in films can be compared with exercises in architectural design.

One of the reasons behind digital transformation in architectural profession is films. Due to films, the act of designing has shifted from paper to screen (Kanpillewar, 2019).

Architecture in film is a representation of built space in a virtual world, on a virtual plane, in a three-dimensional environment, which makes it very close to real-life built environment. It is not materialized in actual dimension or we can say it is not built on a physical plane, but we still perceive it as real, which makes it closer to reality. “I’ve never been so close to designing a space, realizing how it feels before I started making films,” says architect Angelika Vasileiou (Shaw, 2015). You can say architecture of the film and V.R. walk-through of a real building is the same thing. The only difference is one is built-in reality and the other is just virtual. Architecture in virtual space is as effective as real-life architecture, thanks to technology.

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Science Fiction Films & Reality

Figure 2.1 Bruno Taut’s Glass Pavilion, 1914. ‘Fantastic Architecture’.

Figure 2.2 Ship’s on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles, 1958 (‘Googie Architecture’: Fifties Coffee Shop Architecture by Alan Hess)

Figure 2.3 Film: Le Voyage dans la Lune (A Trip to the Moon), 1902

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Science Fiction Films & Reality 2.1.2 Imagination: A powerful tool that shaped our reality Fiction is rooted in reality, and imagination is influenced by the empirical world we inhabit. An imaginary, exaggerated, or altered version of reality can inspire innovations in the real world (Kanpillewar, 2019). Historian N. H. Yuval in his book ‘Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind’ highlights that “the human ability to imagine things and then collectively treat them as a part of reality”, appears to be the main distinction between humans and other animals (Harari, 2015).

Many developments in technological fields like space travel, communication, transport, entertainment have been inspired by fictional imaginations and futuristic depictions; a major source being the science fiction genre. Gene Roddenberry, the creator of ‘Star Trek’ stated, “For me, science fiction is a way of thinking, a way of logic that bypasses a lot of nonsense. It allows people to look directly at important subjects.” (Press, 2015).

Fiction includes fantasy: A powerful form of imagination. A utopian connotation amongst enthusiasts. ‘Star Trek: The original series (1966)’ and ‘Star Wars (1977)’ encouraged experts to turn fantasy into reality (Press, 2015). Science fiction brought new terms to architecture such as, ‘Fantastic architecture’: A style followed by architects Gaudi, Bruno Taut, and Hans Poelzig in order to create striking and amusing forms for the aesthetics and pleasure of the owner (Curl and Wilson, 2015) (Fig. 2.1). ‘Googie Architecture’: Cantilevered roofs and hard angles, sweeping arches, and bold colors, these characteristics define ‘Googie Architecture’ (Fig. 2.2). It became widely popular in Southern California during the pinnacle of the modern age. A meshing of car culture and Space Age influenced this type of architecture. It can be described as gaudy and garnished architecture (LeMaire, 2011).

Speculative fiction includes science fiction as a sub-genre. Speculative fiction is a genre that uses speculations and predictions based on existing science and technology, socio-cultural conditions, and scientific inventions. During the era of silent films, in 1902, the first science fiction film ‘Le Voyage dans la Lune (A trip to the moon)’ appeared (Fig. 2.3). Created by Georges Melies this film became largely popular after its release and is known as the origin of science fiction films.

Time-line of Science Fiction Films: 1900-2020 European filmmakers started using science fiction for speculations and predictions during the 1920s. Fritz Lang’s film ‘Metropolis’ was released in 1927, which became the most expensive film ever released till then. It inspired many upcoming science fiction films and significant influence of ‘Metropolis’ is seen in later science fiction cinema. Metropolis is considered to be “one of the most iconic science fiction films ever made.” (Time Tunnel: Metropolis, 2007).

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Science Fiction Films & Reality

Figure 2.4 Time-line of important Science Fiction Films, 1900-2020 (By Author)

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Science Fiction Films & Reality During 1930s and 1940s serious speculative films faced a downfall. Advent of sound and dialogue affected science fiction films in a negative way. Film ‘Things to Come (1936)’ was set in 100 years into the future forecasting the advent of World War two was also a box office flop. World War two impacted science fiction genre, as people became curious about development of atomic bomb and possible apocalyptic effects of a nuclear war. Anxiety about the chaos lead to a significant increase in development of new science fiction films. This was during 1950s which saw a significant success in science fiction genre and is known as a ‘Golden Age’ of Science Fiction (Silverberg, 2010). During 70s, 80s and 90s films like ‘2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)’, ‘Star wars (1977)’, ‘Star Trek (1979)’, ‘Blade Runner (1982)’, ‘Terminator (1984)’, ‘Robocop (1987)’ saw a great success. From 1990s till present a wide range of crossovers with different genres like action, animation, thriller, adventure, love-story, comedy, war, mystery, drama, and superhero has been seen.

Some of the most popular crossover works are ‘The fifth element (1997), ‘The Matrix (1999)’, ‘A.I.: Artificial Intelligence (2001)’, ‘Equilibrium (2002)’, ‘Minority Report (2002)’, ‘Spiderman (2002)’, ‘Wall-E (2008)’, ‘Avatar (2009)’, ‘Big Hero 6 (2014)’, and ‘Interstellar (2014)’ (Fig. 2.5).

Themes depicted in speculative fiction like human cloning, robots, evils and technology, and intelligent computers, social order and politics have been seen by critics as a means of expressing concern over social alienation experienced in modern society. Science fiction films have immense power of influence over realities, as it is a product of human imaginations. Imaginations enable critical thinking about the present, whether dark or utopian. “By limiting our thoughts, we limit architecture and its ability to respond to the trials and tribulations of a challenging future.” – Neil Spiller (Spiller, 2013).

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How Science Fiction turns into reality?

Architecture of science fiction films allows designers to experiment with new aesthetics and philosophies, both in terms of architectural and environmental design, and get public perception or response to those concepts and assess how they could fit in reality, present society, and culture. Science fiction challenges architectural thinking and encourages breakthroughs. It gives more freedom to designers, as constraints of current technology don’t hold them back from presenting their imaginations and explore the possibilities of the future. Thus when the technology is available we can translate it directly into reality or get influenced and translate it indirectly into reality.

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Science Fiction Films & Reality

Figure 2.5 A scene from the film: Things to come (1936), Showing elevator on exterior facade.

Figure 2.6 El Cortez Hotel, San Diego (1941), After installation of elevator on the exterior of the building.

Figure 2.7 Film: 2001 space odyssey (1968) interior

Figure 2.9 Tipoca City, Film Star Wars episode II (2002)

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Figure 2.8 kisho kurokawa’s nakagin capsule tower (1972) interior

Figure 2.10 The Water Discus underwater hotel, Deep Ocean Technology visualization (currently in the implementation phase, 2021)

Science Fiction Films & Reality 2.2.1 Real world Architecture inspired by Science Fiction Films.

Exposed Glass Elevator and Travelator ‘Things to come (1936)’ film, directed by William Cameron Menzles is set in 2036 in Everytown. This film employs design components that were impossible to achieve at the time but exists today. Glass elevators (Fig. 2.5) and moving walkways featured in this film were just a work of fiction until they were actually built over 20 years after the release of the film. They were used in 1956 in a hotel named El Cortz in San Diego. They installed the first glass elevator that slided up the facade of the hotel, serving as an attraction itself. ‘Starlight Express’ – the elevator (Fig. 2.6) was an effort to bring back hotel’s diminishing popularity. Travelator was added to the hotel later, which played a big role as the first moving walkway within a commercial complex.

Influence of this film’s architectural language was also seen in John Portman’s commercial developments. His architectural style uses aesthetic elements from ‘Thing to come’, like colossal atriums and glass elevators in building’s core. This influence can be seen in Hyatt Regency and Marriot Marquls hotels, both in Atlanta.

Modular Pods with space ship interior Nakagin Capsule Tower was world’s first example of capsule architecture followed by ‘Metabolism’ movement. It was built in Tokyo by Architect Kisho Kurokawa in 1972. After World War two a group of architects started a movement called ‘Metabolism’ in Japan, in order to design a solution that can help traditional Japanese culture to survive the rapid technological development in the country. Nakagin capsule tower’s interior design style (Fig. 2.8) with its futuristic capsules resembles to the space ships shown in science fiction films like ‘2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)’ (Fig. 2.7) and the concept of modular pods was also seen in the earlier science fiction films like ‘Cloud Atlas (Ouroussoff, 2009)’.

Skyscrapers and Discus Hotel of Dubai For economic and promotional purposes, The United Arab Emirates has cultivated a reputation as a modern utopia. Including Burj Khalifa, twelve out of the world’s tallest sky-scrapers are designed by architect Adrian Smith. He has said that architecture in the film ‘The Wizard of Oz’ inspired him. How “the huge crystallized structure formed from what seemed to be like nowhere” amazed him. Influence of this imaginative setting is seen in The United Arab Emirates. Many recent or under development projects in the Middle East have been inspired by science fiction films, for example Water Discus Hotel (Fig. 2.10) arising from the waters of Dubai resembles to cities such as Otoh Gunga and Tipoca (Fig. 2.9) in ‘Star Wars’ (Anthony, 2012).

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Science Fiction Films & Reality

Figure 2.11 Film Transformers (2007), Robot

Figure 2.13 Captain Kirk’s Communicator, Star Trek (1960)

Figure 2.15 Tom Cruise’s Gesture controlled computer, Minority Report (2002)

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Figure 2.12 Silverstre’s ‘spaceship architecture’ (2015)

Figure 2.14 Motorola Razr (1973), flip phone inspired by Film Star Trek

Figure 2.16 Motion-sensing capability of Microsoft’s Kinect (2010)

Science Fiction Films & Reality Spaceship Architecture (Houses) Skyscrapers around the world are not the only thing inspired by science fiction films. Influence of science fiction films is also seen at the scale of a traditional house. Works of architect Freddy Mamani Silvestre is an example of the same.

He has been designing homes with a bold expression of color, geometric patterns, and LED lights, due to which these houses have been nicknamed ‘Spaceship Architecture’ (Fig. 2.12). These buildings can be found in El Alto, Bolivia. Freddy Silvestre’s style is inspired by the ‘Transformers’ movies (Kim, 2015) (Fig. 2.11).

Thus science fiction films have influenced real-life architecture in various ways.

Sometimes it is just aesthetic influence, like Freddy Silvestre’s homes that looks like a spaceship and futuristic hotels in the Middle East, while sometimes it influences much larger scale buildings and concepts such as modular architecture in Japan. Science fiction films allow architects to design with materials and technologies that are not presently available, and this process allows more creative architectural explorations and encourages innovations.

Without having to think about actual rules, regulations and building codes, science fiction writers can concentrate on aesthetics, movement, comfort, and social relationships, and offer creative solutions to these issues. When innovative technology emerge, designers reveal that they have already been introduced to architecture in the comfortable surroundings of a fictional world, and now they are supposed to do so in the real world (Border, 2017).

2.2.2 Direct translation of Science Fiction concepts into reality.

Science fiction films have been promoting innovations and inspiring architectural designs. As described influence of science fiction films can be seen in many buildings. However, sometimes it has not just influenced, but directly led to development. A direct translation of the concept in real life can be seen in terms of technology, product design and architecture. When realworld technology catches up with the one shown in fiction, life imitates art.

Mobile phone and Tablet A very well-known example of it is Motorola Razr. It is a flip phone developed

by Motorola company in 1973 (Fig. 2.14), designed after Captain Kirk’s communicator, which was first seen in ‘Star Trek’ in 1960 (Fig. 2.13). Martin Cooper, who headed the Motorola team that developed the world’s first portable cell phone, stated that seeing Captain Kirk use his communicator on ‘Star Trek’ encouraged him to come up with a brilliant idea – to create a hand-held mobile device (Sloane, 2015). Surprisingly a newer version of the Razr phone was launched recently in 2019, which managed to grab people’s attention (Segan, 2019). A few more examples include 3D gesture-based user interface which was used by Tom Cruise in ‘Minority Report’ in 2002 (Fig. 2.15) 29

Science Fiction Films & Reality

Figure 2.17 Obi-Wan Kenobi receiving a holographic message, Star Wars (1977)

Figure 2.18 Researchers from Brigham Young University created a real hologram. (2018)

Figure 2.19 landscape shot of futuristic Los Angeles with huge digital billboards, Film Blade Runner (1982)

Figure 2.20 Digital billboards at Piccadilly Circus, London, by DOOH.com (2016)

Figure 2.21 Wall-E pilling up compressed blocks of waste. Film Wall-E (2008)

Figure 2.22 Lifeguard tower, Bruce’s Beach.

Constructed out of waste plastic bricks. (2019)

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Science Fiction Films & Reality is now a reality, found in most touch screens and the motion-sensing capability of Microsoft’s Kinect (Fig. 2.16). Tablet computer which appeared in the film ‘2001: A space Odyssey’ in 1968 is now a reality too, infact it is one of the most popular gadgets in recent times (Tsekleves, 2015).

Holograms and self-driving cars 3D holograms, first seen in the film ‘Star Wars’ in 1977, became reality in 2018. Researchers from Brigham Young University created a real hologram (Fig. 2.18) which resembles to the visuals shown in a 1977 film ‘Star Wars’ (Hollingshead, 2018). In the first ‘Star Wars’ movie Obi-Wan Kenobi is seen receiving a holographic message (Fig. 2.17), and today we have that technology built in reality. Currently, this technology is able to produce extremely small-scale holograms, but in a few years, as it evolves, we might see it being used as a medium to communicate and interact with each other.

Another invention which once fully evolved will have a great impact on our lives is driver-less car. Again first seen in an old science fiction film ‘Total Recall’ in 1990. In 2009 Waymo company started working on self-driving cars in collaboration with Google (Waymo, n.d.). Today (2021) we can already see self-driving cars by Tesla on roads (Elon Musk says fully automated Tesla tech is ‘very close’, 2020). Once this technology is fully evolved it will change the way we travel (Cavendish, 2020).Directly or indirectly these inventions have created a great impact on the built environment, as it directly affects how we communicate, interact, travel and live our life. There are a few inventions that have a direct impact on how we build and what we build, they have influenced and guided real-life architecture.

Digital Billboards Director Ridley Scott shows a landscape shot of futuristic Los Angeles with huge digital billboards appearing on the facade of sky scrappers (Fig. 2.19), in his film ‘Blade Runner (1982)’. This concept struck the mind of Andrew Phipps Newman, who is the CEO of DOOH.com (Digital Out Of Home), a company that makes digital billboards for advertisements. Since then (2013, when DOOH was founded) digital billboards have come a long way (Cavendish, 2020) (Zawadziński and Sweeney, 2020) (Fig. 2.20).

Waste Plastic Bricks (Building Material) Lifeguard tower built on Bruce’s Beach in Manhattan is completely constructed out of discarded (waste) plastic bricks. This tower was constructed as part of that Beach’s World Oceans Day Activities, on June 9, 2019 (Fig. 2.22). The idea is to convert plastic waste into alternative building material, which can be used to build infrastructure and homes without any insulation, and save the environment. This idea resembles to film ‘Wall-E (2008)’ which represents a dystopian environment where robots are collecting waste and turning it into a pile of compressed blocks (Wisckol, 2019) (Fig. 2.21).

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Science Fiction Films & Reality

Figure 2.23 Speculative future time-line of science fiction films. (The Sci-Fi Timeline, 2021)

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Science Fiction Films & Reality “Where is the future? How will it be built? One way of taking up these questions would be to follow the presentation of the architecture within films that seek to project the future.” -Andrew Benjamin (Hacıömeroğlu, 2008) These science fiction films (Fig.2.23) tend to portray the possibilities of future through innovative concepts and vision of the future. As seen in the previous examples some speculations make it to the reality and some remains a fantasy, but the uniqueness of the idea inspires designers to think ‘out of the box.’

There is no limit to how far you can project, and that aids in developing creative ideas of the future. For example the film ‘2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)’ predicted the year of 2000, whereas animated film ‘Wall-E (2008)’ predicted the year 2805, approximately 800 years into the future. Which makes it interesting how far we can imagine and turn that imagination into a believable environment with the help of narrative and architecture. (The Sci-Fi Timeline, 2021) Figure 2.23 covers all the movies released in the span of the year 1956 to 2015, predicting different years in the future from 2000 to 2805.

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Science Fiction Films: Narrative & Architecture

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Science Fiction Films: Narrative & Architecture

Science Fiction Films: Narrative & Architecture

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Science Fiction Films: Narrative & Architecture

3. Science Fiction Films: Narrative & Architecture 3.1

Architecture: A tool for story-telling in science fiction cinema As discussed in the previous chapter, science fiction films have a great influence on real-life innovations, be it architectural or technological. Thus it becomes important to study how architecture tells stories through science fiction films that inspire real-life architecture.

Architecture has been a tool for storytelling in cinema since the era of early silent films, in return, the film has served as an inspiration to architects and designers. (Căplescu, 2015) Science fiction film uses architecture to show the future and create an essence of a different time period, ahead of the current time. To imagine future structures and strange worlds, many filmmakers have studied architecture. An awareness of architecture makes film richer in terms of believability. Roger Corman (‘Death Race 2000’, ‘Battle Beyond The Stars’), Joseph Kosinski (‘Tron Legacy’), Christopher Nolan (‘The Prestige’, ‘Inception’, ‘The Dark Knight’), Fritz Lang (‘Metropolis’), Syd Mead (‘Blade Runner’, ‘Star Trek: The Motion Picture’, ‘Tron’, ‘Aliens’), Warren Ellis (‘Freak Angels’, ‘Transmetropolitan’, ‘Global Frequency’), Dr. Rachel Armstrong (‘The Grey’s Anatomy’, ‘Space Architecture’, ‘Science Fiction Aesthetics’), Greg Lynn (‘Forms, bodies and Blobs’, ‘Animate Form’), Frank Hampson (creator of ‘Dan Dare’), these people have either studied architecture or worked as an architect prior to entering into the world of films (Jackson and Anders, 2011).

“The only job that was ever of interest to me other than film-making is architecture. And I’m very interested in the similarities or analogies between the way in which we experience a three–dimensional space that an architect has created and the way in which an audience experiences a cinematic narrative that constructs a three–dimensional -reality from a twodimensional medium—assembled shot by shot. I think there’s a narrative component to architecture that’s kind of fascinating.” – Christopher Nolan (Nolan, 2010)

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Science Fiction Films: Narrative & Architecture

Figure 3.1 Elements of Narrative by Chris Roe. (Roe, 2020)

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Science Fiction Films: Narrative & Architecture

3.2

Literature 1: Narrative relationship between Film & Architecture Architecture within a science fiction film is used to passively inform narrative of the film to viewers. Directors use architecture to aid plot’s concept and narrative of the film. Annette Kuhn in his book ‘Alien Zone II: The Spaces of Science-fiction Cinema’ mentioned that “Architecture is fundamentally used within the film to assist in the grounding of a narrative, symbolizing a time and a place, though sometimes it is used by directors to function as a vision in itself.” (Kuhn, 1999) Chris Roe (Creative Producer) mentioned in his blog that a complete narrative consists of 6 elements: Setting, Characters, Plot, Conflict, Theme, and Narrative Arc. (Roe, 2020) (Fig. 3.1).

Setting: “The setting is the time and location in which your story takes place.

Settings can be very specific, but can also be more broad and descriptive. A good, well-established setting creates an intended mood and provides the backdrop and environment for your story.”

Characters: “A story usually includes a number of characters, each with a different role or purpose. Regardless of how many characters a story has, however, there is almost always a protagonist and antagonist.” ˗˗ Central Characters: “These characters are vital to the development of the story. The plot revolves around them.” ˗˗ Protagonist: “The protagonist is the main character of a story. He or she has a clear goal to accomplish or a conflict to overcome. Although protagonists don’t always need to be admirable, they must command an emotional involvement from the audience.” ˗˗ Antagonist: “Antagonists oppose protagonists, standing between them and their ultimate goals. The antagonist can be presented in the form of any person, place, thing, or situation that represents a tremendous obstacle to the protagonist.”

Plot: “The plot is the sequence of events that connect the audience to the protagonist and their ultimate goal.”

Conflict: “The conflict is what drives the story. It’s what creates tension and builds suspense, which are the elements that make a story interesting. If there’s no conflict, not only will the audience not care, but there also won’t be any compelling story to tell.”

Theme: “The theme is what the story is really about. It’s the main idea or underlying meaning. Often, it’s the storyteller’s personal opinion on the subject matter. A story may have both a major theme and minor themes.”

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Figure 3.2 The three-a ct Structure in screen-writing by Syd Field (Field, 1979).

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Science Fiction Films: Narrative & Architecture Narrative Arc: “A strong story plot has a narrative arc that has four required elements of its own.” ˗˗ Setup: “The world in which the protagonist exists prior to the journey. The setup usually ends with the conflict being revealed.” ˗˗ Rising Tension: “The series of obstacles the protagonist must overcome.

Each obstacle is usually more difficult and with higher stakes than the previous one.” ˗˗ Climax: “The point of highest tension, and the major decisive turning point for the protagonist.” ˗˗ Resolution: “The conflict’s conclusion. This is where the protagonist finally overcomes the conflict, learns to accept it, or is ultimately defeated by it.

Regardless, this is where the journey ends.” (Roe, 2020) For this research, we can narrow this list down to two elements under the name of Plot and Context. As we are looking at the architectural response to the narrative, we can choose to focus on only those elements which play a crucial role in the making of architecture. Narrative of the selected films can be explained under the title of Plot and Context, and further its influence on the development of architecture can be studied.

Plot Plot is one of the six elements (by Chris Roe) of narrative. It is a sequence of events. According to Forster, “The king died, and then the queen died, is a story, while The king died, and then the queen died of grief, is a plot.” (Forster, 1956). Plot can be called as a framework of the film, on which everything is built. It is one of the most important factors in a film.

Plot of the film can be further categorized into three parts as per the threeact structure, model given by Syd Field (Field, 1979). The three-act structure consists of Setup, Confrontation, and Resolution (Fig. 3.2). These three acts describe a beginning, middle, and an end.

Act I: Setup “The setup involves introduction of the characters, their story world, and some kind of ‘’inciting incident,” typically a conflict that propels us into the second act. It’s usually the first 20-30 minutes of a film.”

Act II: Confrontation or Build “The middle of your story should raise the stakes, you want the audience to keep watching. This is the main chunk of the story and often leads us to the worst possible thing that can happen to the character.”

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Figure 3.3 Utopian Architecture, Film Things to come (1936), H.G. Wells

Figure 3.4 Dystopian Architecture, Film Metropolis (1927), Fritz Lang

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Science Fiction Films: Narrative & Architecture Act III: Resolution or Payoff “And the end should bring some kind of catharsis or resolution, (regardless if the ending is happy or sad).” (Maio, 2019). Thus by analyzing plot of the film, one can understand complete story of the film.

Context Two of the six elements of Narrative: Setting and Theme can be covered under the title of context. Context plays a major role in science fiction films, especially when it comes to the architecture and environment of the film.

Context can be further categorized into two parts: Society and environment.

This categorization is done for the selected films only (i.e. ‘Blade Runner 1982’, ‘The fifth element (1997)’, ‘Equilibrium (2002)’), and can’t be generalized for all the films.

Society These science fiction films tend to show a larger picture of future societies, which is either exaggeration of current society or speculation according to the upcoming trends. The social structure plays an important role in the formation of the city. Fritz Lang used an exclusively built and highly stylized dystopian world filled with symbols and metaphors to express political messages in his film ‘Metropolis (1927)’, which dug into Germany’s power struggles, issues of injustice and war, and concerns for the future. (Metropolis: themes and context, 2010). This context created by Fritz Lang provided a base for the development of the city and structures within it. Class division separated the whole city into two parts, one above the ground occupied by the upper class and below the ground where slaves live and work for the people above them.

Environment Along with society environment helps in setting up the entire mood of the city, which could be either ‘utopian’ or ‘dystopian’. It is very difficult to clearly define utopia or dystopia in a science fiction film, as there is always a very thin line between them. Under the term Utopia, we can put films that are set in a peaceful future and technological advancement. Where society is portrayed as idyllic regardless of the reality that is hidden from the characters living in a bubble of utopia. Here narrative could be dystopian but due to its utopian architecture, we can put them in the category of utopia. ‘Things to come (1936)’ was the first film to show a utopian city of the future (Fig. 3.3). Its architecture evokes a utopian image in the viewer’s mind. Dystopian environment is very prolific in science fiction films. Starting from the film ‘Metroplois (1927)’ (Fig. 3.4) there have been multiple films set in a dystopian environment till date (Căplescu, 2015).

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Figure 3.5 Cityscape in the film Metropolis (1927)

Figure 3.6 Cityscape in the film Logan’s Run (1976)

Figure 3.7 Cityscape in the film Cloud Atlas (2012)

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3.2

Literature 2 :Representative relationship between Film & Architecture Architectural spaces in science fiction films invite people to travel through and experience the space the way director wants, as the frame we view is controlled and narrated as per the storyline. It allows the viewer to relate to the story through the architectural representation (Manasseh, 2000). Thus viewer becomes active participant of the world created by the director. It is very important to note here that it becomes crucial for the director to convey the same meaning to everyone through the world he has created, and to make them perceive the story as imagined by him/her.

Film-architecture is architecture of meaning, everything in a frame has something to tell and carries certain importance, there is nothing that has no meaning. It becomes very important to understand every bit of the frame to decipher the real meaning behind it (Schaal, 2000). Most of the futuristic science fiction films show cityscape of the future cities and further narrow it down to buildings within the cities. Thus the audience can get a glance at the larger picture of the city followed by the smaller details that complete the whole environment. We can categorize architecture of science fiction films into two parts: Cityscape and Built Spaces Cityscape Fascination with the representation of the city in film began as early as the beginning of cinema. Looking back at the 100 years of cinema one can note that representation of city has occupied an important place (Fig. 3.5, 3.6, 3.7). Film as a medium has represented the city impressively to the viewers (Abohela, 2015).

City as an image The city has a bigger meaning than just hosting millions of people. It is a metropolis with a system, network, and order. Every city has a unique skyline, that is generally revealed by a wide cinematic shot in the movie. This is generally a panoramic view of the city which gives viewers an idea about the nature of the city. It acts as an icon, that represents the city. Landmark plays a crucial role in the creation of the skyline. Landmark holds a very important role in conveying the idea of the city. Landmarks are basically architectural objects that symbolize the city, its power, civilization, and even destruction.

Large commercial billboards act as a tool for communication in the city. All these elements combined form an image of the city.

City Scale A city is basically a composition of different forms of various scales and sizes. A city contains life forms such as humans, animals, robots, aliens, etc; 45

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Figure 3.8 Built space in the film Things to come (1936)

Figure 3.9 Built space in the film The Matrix Reloaded (2003)

Figure 3.10 Built space in the film Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

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Science Fiction Films: Narrative & Architecture Inorganic and immobile forms such as architectural elements, buildings, bridges, statues, and geographical elements such as earth, water, valleys, hills; inorganic but mobile forms such as automobiles (planes, cars, ships, etc.), all kind of machines, etc. The difference of scale between these forms decides the mood of the city. Scale plays an important role among these existences.

Corporeal Experience Apart from the image of the city and scale, it is important to look at the corporeal aspects of the city depicted in the film, whether it is a vertical development or a horizontal cityscape, a groundless city, or the city underground. These are the fundamental elements that guide the story and provide a base to it.

It talks about the overall form of the city and its working in three dimensions.

Movement in the city Mobile elements like humans, robots, automobiles, machines, etc, define movement in the city. This movement in three dimensional world defines the space in the city. This movement is either horizontal or vertical, but very different due to the time factor. The need for certain movement at a certain speed and distance requires particular infrastructure, that allows and supports the movement within the city. All these aspects create a complete city, a complete metropolis (Hacıömeroğlu, 2008).

Built Space Cinema has acted as a laboratory for the exploration of the built world (Vidler, 1999) (Fig. 3.8, 3.9, 3.10). In return, this built environment provides background or a stage for the story or drama. Built spaces are product of the narrative, which helps in setting up the environment as per the requirements of the plot.

Juhani Pallasmaa in his book ‘The Architecture of Image: Existential Space in Cinema’ says that Architecture and cinema are in a way inseparable as they are both complimentary of each other when working in tandem rather than any possible clash. Film and architecture both forms of art try to define space by creating material settings and frames for situation of life (Pallasmaa, 2001).

Subject & Focus, Lighting, Spatial Voids To understand spatial expression of a frame it is important to know the intent of the structure in relation to the subject and focus. Subject gives meaning to the architecture as it is a part of the narration, and the built volume helps in setting up the focus as directed by the director. Lighting adds an extra layer of information to the scene, relation of time and space. If the light condition is not balanced, be it an artificial light or natural sunlight, the scene loses the continuity of outside environment and built space. Sometimes a jump-cut is 47

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Figure 3.11 A scene from the film Rear Window (1954)

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Science Fiction Films: Narrative & Architecture added to break the continuity of a scene and create a dramatic impact on the viewer. The hidden part or the part that was eliminated is called void.

This method of not showing the full image creates curiosity in the audience because incomplete information is provided and the rest is to be imagined or assumed by the viewer. These spatial voids create a dramatic experience and keep the audience engrossed in the film.

Color, Texture, Materials Colors and materials have a direct impact on our senses and emotions. Texture increases the detail of the material. Viewer can feel the sense of the material through its texture.

Depth, Scale & Proportion By delayering an image we can understand the depth of the frame which holds some important detailing. There is a hidden meaning in detail. Architects also use details in real-life buildings to broaden the imagination of the user which is not vocal at the first glimpse. Spatial alienation of space through scale and proportion is a common practice in films. Insertion of a human scale into space makes it meaningful as one can find a reference for comparison.

Monumentality cannot be visualized if there is nothing tiny in the frame to compare.

Geometry, Quality of space Some films use frames with a strong geometric influence to convey the story. In the film ‘Rear window (1954)’ director Alfred Hitchcock follows a strong geometric discipline (Fig. 3.11). In the movie photographer trapped in his apartment starts observing the street outside through a small window.

A closed geometry of his apartment and a void (the window) helps him to observe the outside world. The objects and their spatial relationship carry deep meaning in the frame (Tokas, 2018).

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4. Analytical Framework 4.1

Framework of the Research The research is structured upon three main themes, that can be explained with the help of scope of the research. Using these themes the research attempts to answer the questions asked above in the research paper. Three themes of the research can be explained under the following titles. ˗˗ Narrative: Plot, Context ˗˗ Architecture: Cityscape, Built spaces ˗˗ Inter-relation between Narrative and Architecture Method of qualitative analysis will be used to analyze selected films. A qualitative analysis of the films will develop an understanding and assist in concluding the research by answering the research questions.

Figure 4.1 Framework of the Research (By Author)

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Figure 4.2 Framework for detailed analysis (By Author)

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4.2

Framework for detailed analysis Detailed analysis of the films will be done through the following criteria. ˗˗ Plot: Set-up, Confrontation, Resolution ˗˗ Context: Society, Environment ˗˗ Cityscape: City as an image, City scale, Corporeal experience, Movement in the city ˗˗ Built Spaces: Focus and Subject, Scale and Proportion, Lighting, ColorTexture-Material, Depth, Geometry, Quality of space, Spatial voids Given criteria will help to analyze selected three films in a logical way and structured order. These criteria have been formed after referring structures of different research papers and articles.

Plot and society forms a narrative of the film, which can be represented through textual information and highlighted frames that particularly shows culture or plot of the film.

Cityscape and built spaces to be analyzed using given criteria. Selected frames showing cityscape and built spaces are to be visually analyzed and represented.

Criteria for the plot analysis have been derived from the three-act structure

by Syd Field. Three titles mentioned in this model are: Set-up, Confrontation and Resolution.

Criteria to analyze context have been derived after referring to several research papers and a literature review of the film ‘Metropolis’. Context can be categorized into two parts: Society and Environment Cityscape of the selected films will be analyzed under these four titles: City as an image, City scale, Corporeal experience, Movement in the city. T. Nhan Haciomeroglu mentioned about these four criteria to analyze a city in science fiction films in his thesis ‘Reconstruction of Architectural image in Science Fiction Cinema: A Case study on New York.’

Analysis of built environment will be done though the criteria given by Yatin Tokas. Focus and Subject, Scale and Proportion, Lighting, Color-texturematerial, Depth, Geometry, Quality of space, Spatial voids, these criteria are mentioned in ‘Learning from Cinema: The Architecture Language of Spaces in Sci-Fi Thriller Genre’, a thesis by Yatin Tokas.

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The following table contains summary of literature that was referred to finalize criteria for analysis.

Table 4.1 Literature Table (By Author)

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Figure 4.3 Blade Runner

Figure 4.4 The Fifth Element

Figure 4.5 Equilibrium

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4.3

Criteria for selection of films ˗˗ Science fiction films with futuristic approach to be selected for the research. Genre is specific to futuristic science fiction films and not any other kind of science fiction films. ˗˗ Hollywood films with duration of at least one and a half hour to be selected, not any short films or series to be studied. ˗˗ Films with color and audio to be selected. Animated films are not considered for this research. ˗˗ Film should be set on earth and not any other planet. ˗˗ Films should be of different time periods, can be between 1920-2020 ˗˗ Films representing future societies and settlements should be selected, with technological advancement and futuristic approach.

4.4

List of selected Film ˗˗ Blade Runner (1982) ˗˗ The Fifth Element (1997) ˗˗ Equilibrium (2002)

4.5

Criteria for selection of frames ˗˗ Frames with the focus on architecture should be selected. ˗˗ Multiple frames with same built environment should not be analyzed.

One frame per building should be analyzed. ˗˗ Frames showing built spaces of specific class and hierarchy should be selected. ˗˗ Frames showing built spaces of specific functions should be selected.

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5. Case study Three films have been chosen for analysis.

- Blade Runner - 1982 - The Fifth Element - 1997 - Equilibrium -2002

Due to the common theme between all three films, they can be analyzed in same manner under same criteria. Same methodology for the analysis can be followed for all three films as they are of a particular genre.

All three films show a detailed picture of society. Architectural representation holds a great impact on the narration and storyline of the film.

Here is a small description about the storyline of the films to get familiar with the concepts of the films. ˗˗ Blade Runner - “Rick Deckard, an ex-policeman, becomes a special agent with a mission to exterminate a group of violent androids. As he starts getting deeper into his mission, he questions his own identity.” (Blade Runner, 2021) ˗˗ The Fifth Element - “Korben Dallas, a cab driver, tries to secure four mystical stones and a mysterious fifth element that alone can defeat a cosmic evil force during an apocalyptic war.” (Episode 129: The Fifth Element, 2020) ˗˗ Equilibrium - “In a world where every form of human emotion is prohibited, Preston, an officer responsible for implementing the law, decides to revolt against it.” (Lannom and Kench, 2020) It is not possible to discuss the whole plot of the movie in detail, so only parts of the films will be discussed with sufficient context to understand the scene.

It is not feasible to discuss every building in detail, so only one building (which is of a greater significance) for each movie will be discussed in detail.

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Figure 5.1 Blade Runner Poster

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5.1

Blade Runner (1982) Introduction: Directed By : Ridley Scott Written By : Hampton Fancher and David Peoples Starring : Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young, Edward James Olmos Released in : 1982 Set In (Year) : 2019 Set in (Location) : Los Angeles, California, US Runtime: 117 min.

Based on: Philip K. Dick‟s novel: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep Recent re-release: Blade Runner The Final Cut (2007) ‘Blade Runner’ is an important film of Science Fiction genre, as it provides a detailed insight into the future of architecture and urbanism. The film provides a new way of exploring architecture through the analysis of the film.

‘Blade Runner’ presents the futuristic world that echoes the industrialism of advancing technology and society.

Narrative (Plot & Context) The film starts with a brief textual narration of the story which says “Early in 21st century, THE TYRELL CORPORATION advanced robot revolution into the NEXUS phase – a being virtually identical to a human – known as a Replicant. The NEXUS 6 were superior in strength and agility, and at least equal in intelligence to the genetic engineers who created them. were used off-world as slave labor, in the hazardous exploration and colonization of other planets. After bloody mutiny by a NEXUS 6 combat team in an offworld colony, Replicants were declared illegal on earth – under penalty of death. Special police squads – BLADE RUNNER UNITS – had orders to shoot to kill, upon detection, any trespassing Replicant. This was not called execution; it was called retirement.” (Scott, Blade Runner, 1982).

These replicants were developed by The Tyrell Corporation, a superior force that dominates the city of Los Angeles. Replicants had a purpose of serving the ‘off-world’ population. A settlement in the outer world, away from the earth.

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Figure 5.2 Drone advertising about the ‘off-world’ living

Figure 5.3 Crowded streets of Los Angeles

Figure 5.4 Neon Signs of foreign language

Figure 5.5 Exterior of Bradbury building

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Case study A drone hovering over the city is seen continuously advertising about the ‘off-world’ living (Fig. 5.2). Harrison Ford’s character, a retired cop is ‘blade runner’, who hunts down the replicants who have escaped from the offworld colonies and illegally living on earth.

The film predicts that by the year 2019, Los Angeles will have a population of more than 90 million inhabitants. The elite’s colonization of utopian ‘offworld’ planets has resulted in mass immigration of the upper class, leaving the city mostly inhabited by ethnic minorities.

The social structure is revealed in the beginning of the film where Deckard orders dinner at the noodle bar. This sequence depicting urban streets aims to perpetuate the bleak idea of a plebeian life pushed into a place where things are squalid (Fig.5.3). Dominance of cops over normal people and hierarchy is clearly depicted in the film. “You are not a cop; you are little people” says Bryant (Los Angeles Police Department Officer).

‘Blade Runner’ is cladded in neon signs of foreign language (Fig. 5.4), the population is multicultural and dense, and the architecture is diverse of ethnicity. The city displays motifs of Mayan, New York, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, and other geographical locations; there is no representation of what is native. The medium shot (Fig. 5.4) is used to present these dystopian notions, it displays an inner detail of the city.

The city’s economy has been decreased significantly due to the drain of wealth and mass immigration. Removal of old construction is more expensive than constructing a new one. Retrofitted buildings and modification in the old structures seemed to be the solution to this problem. The exterior space of the Bradbury building reveals a tone, which extends to the presentation of retrofitted buildings with services running on the exteriors of the building (Fig. 5.5).

“The buildings would just become surfaces on which you’d mount retrofitted electrical conduits, air conditioning ducts and all kinds of other things.

Additional power would come from a generator sitting on the street – which might be there for years, but initially it was a temporary idea. And then these big cables would be running up the sides of all the buildings … It had to look like what it was. And what it was a city whose discreet individual structures had been enveloped into sort of an urban machine, with people living inside.” Says Syd Mead (Rogers, 2012).

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Figure 5.6 City as an image

Figure 5.7 City Scale

Figure 5.8 Corporeal Experience

Figure 5.9 Movement in the city

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Case study Architecture The use of this dramatic long shot as the first visual seen by the viewer conveys a sense of dystopia, helplessness, and industrialism to the audience. It sets the tone for the rest of the film and provides insight into the city’s environment.

City as an image High rises, pyramids, and glass towers coexist with revival architecture, historical dwellings, and the ruins of former metropolitan sprawl in Los Angeles of 2019. The flames thrusting in the sky give a sense of industrialism in the city. The cityscape is totally synthetic and in a state of urban decay. The city is transforming into industrial zone and displacing the middle-class suburbs.

The city center is surrounded by the dominance of huge mega structures (Fig. 5.6).

City Scale Tyrell corporation headquarter is prevalent in the initial shot of the cityscape, due to the beams of light shooting from the top of the structure. This represents the dominance of the structure over the city, standing tall like a godly figure. This structure of the Tyrell Corporation headquarter acts as the city’s core. The presence of the building is overpowering, evoking a deep feeling of economic strength. Due to the scale of the building, which is giant compared to surrounding skyscrapers, the dominance of the structure is evident (Fig. 5.7).

Corporeal Experience Verticality of the city is defined by the skyscrapers. Tall structures and dense fabric of the buildings make it impossible to see the ground from a bird’s eye view. Buildings placed so close to each other make the streets smaller and darker as the sun is obstructed by the tall structures and the streets are only covered by the shadows of the tall buildings. Densely placed tall skyscrapers depicts dystopia at the ground level and makes the streets suffocating. The cityscape from above is covered with the lights of hundreds of skyscrapers (Fig. 5.8).

Movement in the city Movement in the city is defined by the movement of vehicles and humans.

In this wide shot of the Los Angeles a flying car is seen traveling above all the sky scrapers (Fig. 5.9). Later in the films it is identified as a cop car. Access to these type of flying vehicles is limited to the cops and rest of the population cannot afford or even use this technology. Movement of the citizens is limited to the ground through tiny dark streets which depicts the dystopian nature of the city. At the street level as well dominance of cop cars is evident. Cop cars are seen running on the streets of L.A. piercing through the crowded streets.

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Figure 5.10 Zooming in from the exterior to the interior of Tyrell Corporation

Figure 5.11 3d and 2d visualization of the space by analyzing different frames of the space, Blade Runner

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Case study Tyrell Corporation Headquarter A sequence of shots (Fig. 5.10) representing the Tyrell Corporation through the lens of Deckard who is traveling towards the Tyrell building in a flying car gives a 360 view of the pyramid structure of Tyrell building. Gradually zooming in towards the interior of Tyrell’s headquarter. A cut in the scene teleports the viewer to the interior of the Tyrell Corporation, creating curiosity in viewers.

The Tyrell Corporation headquarters is portrayed as a Mayan-style pyramid (Fig. 5.10), a significant structure in their society, represented in ‘Blade Runner’ with the same conception. The Mayans used temples to worship the Sun through human sacrifice. There is only one scene in ‘Blade Runner’ where the sun is visible, and that is from the interior of the Tyrell’s building (Fig. 5.10), indicating that he is the most powerful character in the film. Tyrell tints the windows after enduring sufficient sunshine, thereby manipulating the sun and symbolizing himself as a godlike character.

This part of the building is tiny as compared to the scale of the whole building (Fig 5.10). Director is gradually zooming into the building and eventually comparing it with the human scale. As it is not possible to compare the scale of a human and the building in a same frame, as it is enormous compared to the human scale, director has compared its scale by gradually referencing it to the smaller and smaller built forms of the Tyrell Corporation and finally comparing it with a manageable scale of the building.

Visualizing 3d volume of the space with the help of multiple 2d frames that can aid in the creation of the full image of the space. This volumetric (3d) interpretation of the space (Fig. 5.11) gives a clear idea of the enclosure, proportions and scale of the building, and also helps in visualizing 3d aspect of the space along with the complete picture of the space.

Height of the column is approximately four times the height of a human (Fig. 5.11). This represents the monumental aspect of the space, and shows its importance through the scale of architectural elements. The glass window is huge in size and seen to be made out of a single sheet of glass, without any intermediate supports, which was not structurally possible when the film was released. Thus it shows the future of the material. Other than the structural strength this glass controls the amount of light that gets penetrated through its surface, which again shows the futuristic aspect of the material (Fig. 5.11).

The entrance corridor is not visible in any frame, but with the help of depth and lighting condition, we can assume it and represent it through plan and section. These drawings allow us to understand hidden parts of the building by logically assuming and connecting it with the visible parts.

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Figure 5.12 Focus and Subject

Figure 5.13 Lighting

Figure 5.14 Scale and Proportion

Figure 5.15 Color, Texture, Material

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Case study Focus and Subject The focus in this frame is the Sun and subject is placed in the center of the frame. This is the only building in L.A. from where the sun is visible and that is the reason why this scene is so important. Structures visible from the window, along with the clouds and a blurry skyline gives an idea of the height of this building. This scene is focused towards the huge window through which the sun is visible and the subject is facing towards it.

Lighting The only light source visible in this scene is the sun. Sunlight falling on the columns, floor, walls and furniture reveals the whole scene. The whole movie is shot in a darker lighting condition and artificial lights, except for this scene. Artificial light source or any impact of artificial light is not seen in this scene, the space is lit up by only the sunlight. Brightness of the sun is less powerful than usual and highlights only a few important edges of the building. The sunlight is not harsh, rather warm and defused.

Scale and Proportion This illustration helps to understand scale of the space. As shown in the image, height of the floor is three times the height of the subject (Human).

This monumental scale speaks about the importance of the building and its power. Size of the columns give an idea of the massive structure this space is built upon. We can clearly see the width of the corridor, size of the window etc. These proportions tell that the space belongs to a ruler or a king or any powerful person who has a certain position and control.

Color, Texture, Material This scene has a monochrome color palette. The materials seen in the image are highlighted by yellow sunlight. The way light is being reflected from the flooring shows the glossiness of the tile and one can also get an idea of how old it could be. All the columns have certain carving and texture of stone.

We can see a pattern in the ceiling as well which continues onto the beam.

The grains of the material bumps the light and give desired reflection.

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Figure 5.16 Depth

Figure 5.17 Geometry

Figure 5.18 Spatial Voids

Figure 5.19 Quality of space

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Case study Depth Delayering of the image shown here is further done to understand the depth of the image and the geometry of the space. The depth of the image helps us to understand the geometric relations of an enclosure. Placement of the subject in the three-dimensional environment can be tracked with the help of this method. Column placement in the enclosed space can be clearly visualized in this illustration. Cityscape outside the window also has three layers of buildings, sun and clouds.

Geometry The whole space in the scene is symmetrical and being visualized from the central axis of the space. By extending the floor lines we can get an idea of the perspective of the space, so as the focal point. This rigid geometry gives a sense of an enclosure and the perspective leads towards the openness visible from the window. Geometry balances the ratio of enclosure and openness. The chair is placed exactly in the center of the space and the subject standing next to it.

Spatial Voids The only void in this frame is the length of the space. Width and height of the space is clearly visible in this frame, but we cannot see the starting point of the enclosure. Layering of buildings outside the window blocks the skyline of the city and due to the angle of the scene and height of the building we cannot see the settlement below it. This scene gives very limited information about the context of the space. Information provided in the scene is enough to visualize the space in isolation.

Quality of space Side by side illustration of the original image and edited image tries to simplify the scene by removing unnecessary information and keeping just the subject and architecture in place. With the help of flat colors and clean illustration we can get a clear idea about the space and its characteristics.

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Figure 5.20 Illustration of the Architecture of Blade Runner

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Case study Inter-relation between Narrative and Architecture ‘Blade Runner’ is one of the most discussed and influential films of our time due to the thoughtfulness of the main premise and the layering of visuals and associations. A post-modern vision of a globalized world is formed by visual layering of architectural typologies from diverse cultural pasts.

‘Blade Runner’ presents a future of overpopulation, immigration, poverty, pollution and deterioration through the presentation of basic surroundings to manipulate the perception of the future. It presents a variety of dominant related scenes driven by the darkness, helplessness, and industrial sensation the film encompasses. Overpopulation, technical delinquency, poverty, control, and vertical class division are all topics in this bleak future.

The film employs darkness to convey uncanny, inhospitable environments.

It uses a collection of familiar buildings and materials that have been retrofitted to create futuristic visions.

The street-level future is chaotic, filthy, and teeming with a jumbled sense that any new technical advancement we invent will coexist with all that has come before it. This crucial concept distinguishes the film from other speculative urban fantasies that build science fiction cities from the ground up. Instead, ‘Blade Runner’s’ universe is a thick industrial jumble, which makes it all the more practical.

Influence of the film ‘Metropolis (1927)’ is clearly seen in this film, as it uses similar techniques to convey certain philosophies. A sense of urban gigantism and geometrical structure can be seen in both ‘Metropolis (1927)’ and ‘Blade Runner’. ‘Metropolis’ skyline is dominated by the Tower of Babel, where as the Tyrell Corporation’s headquarters pyramid serves as the city’s center in ‘Blade Runner’. Like ‘Metropolis (1927)’, Ridley Scott’s ‘Blade Runner (1982)’ shows class hierarchy by its vertical architecture.

For architects and city planners, ‘Blade Runner’ has become a source of inspiration and appreciation, as it combines architectural and narrative techniques to build a near future city. Ridley Scott has represented not too-distant future of Los Angeles through ‘Blade Runner’. Due to the architectural representation and believable narrative manipulation, the futuristic representation of the film has acted as an inspiration for Architects and Town Planners. Despite the film’s grim horror sequences, the cinematography and narration portray Los Angeles as a futuristic metropolis.

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Figure 5.21 The Fifth Element Poster

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5.2

The Fifth Element (1997) Introduction Directed and Co-written By: Luc Besson Starring: Bruce Willis, Gary Oldman, and Milla Jovovich Released in: 1997 Set In (Year): 23rd Century Set in (Location): New York City, New York, US Runtime: 126 min.

Based on: A story written by Luc Besson ‘The Fifth Element (1997)’, directed by Luc Besson, refers to a multi-universe that thoroughly speculates on future architectural changes within current cities. The film presents a rousing view of Manhattan 250 years into the future.

Many architectural forms are layered to serve as a literal vessel around the events of the film, its characters, and various time periods.

Narrative (Plot & Context) The film starts with the scene of an Egyptian temple. At the outbreak of World War I in 1914, extraterrestrials known as Mondoshawans arrive at an ancient Egyptian temple to collect the only weapon capable of fighting a Great Evil that emerges every five thousand years. The weapon was kept in a safety chamber, hidden in the temple. The weapon is made up of four stones that embodies the four classical elements, as well as a sarcophagus that houses a Fifth Element in the form of a human that incorporates the influence of the other four elements to create a ‘Divine Light’. The Mondoshawans vow their human contact, a priest, that the Elements will return in time to stop the Great Evil.

The next scene jumps into 23rd century, 300 years after the incident. In the mid-23rd Century, the Great Evil appears in space in the form of a giant ball of black fire. Mondoshawans return to Earth as promised to save the earth from evil. The story then revolves around the fifth element (Leeloo) and Korben Dallas (who was appointed for the mission to save the world). At the end he manages to save the world with the help of the fifth element (Leeloo).

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Figure 5.22 Train running vertically on the facade of a building

Figure 5.23 Leeloo’s fall from grace

Figure 5.24 Iconic fire escape staircase of New York City.

Figure 5.25 The Chinese Noodle Bar floating in the air.

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Case study The vertical movement in the movie can be interpreted in many ways. In a literal sense, it reflects mankind’s mass consumption. Overcrowded city and increasing waste has led to this type of vertical development, far above the ground. The city has created a tendency to rise upwards, as if it were a flower reaching for the sky. For maneuvering through the filth of urbanism, moving upwards has become a requirement. Vertical transportation and movement in three dimensions has become necessary (Fig. 5.22). Mankind is attempting to avoid the sins of the past by merely constructing on top of the shadows of previous lives.

The vertical movement, in a metaphorical context, reflects the transition of one’s fall from grace. Leeloo’s fall from grace (Fig. 5.23) represents a state of purgatory, neither flying nor falling. Looking at the vertical development of the city, we find a very dirty and creepy feeling in the lower levels of the city and a subtle change as the buildings get bigger, is reminiscent of other films such as ‘Metropolis’ or ‘Blade Runner’. Similarly, we witness a socioeconomic divide, with the weaker social classes living in the city’s lower levels and the powerful and wealthy ruling the whole city.

Looking at the context of the film, influence of present architecture (architecture during 1990s) is clearly seen. Director has used familiar elements of architecture in order to make it more believable. As an example after the year of 1968, according to new building codes exterior fire escapes were made compulsory for high-rise buildings. Their existence in the film and even reality is based on something that most people easily associate with New York city. Thus creator of the future New York in this film decided to use this element to familiarize viewers and give an iconic reference to the New York City (Fig. 5.24). Though it seems useless for the New York of 200 years in the future, this detail was kept intact to make it look more realistic and relate-able.

‘The Fifth Element’ depicts a world that, despite being two hundred and fifty years in the future, bears an uncanny resemblance to today’s real American world, prompting audiences to compare today’s world with the possibilities of the future world portrayed in this film. One of the major aspects that resembles to the current New York City is the food culture. The Chinese Noodle Bar with a friendly Chinese guy dressed in a typical chef attire standing behind the counter, instigating conversation, stir up a vast sense of familiarity with viewers. The chef, as well as his whole counter, has not only defied gravity but also has the power to move, being able to carry himself, along with his counter and cooking utensils, straight to the customer’s house, floating outside their windows (Fig. 5.25) for easy and convenient fast-food service.

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Figure 5.26 City as an image

Figure 5.27 City Scale

Figure 5.28 Corporeal Experience

Figure 5.29 Movement in the city

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Case study Architecture City as an image The future depicted in ‘The Fifth Element’ is wild and chaotic, and it seems to be a world somewhat similar to our own, rather than a new futuristic society.

This world is a matured version of our own, unlike the future portrayed in ‘Blade Runner’, which is a world of decay and misery that has lost and abandoned the world of the past. Taxis still clog the streets of New York City, outrageous people continue to dominate the news, and multinational companies continue to get away with whatever they want. The universe seems to behave in almost the same way it does now, with the exception that the plane of movement has changed, the ground is no longer visible (Fig. 5.26). Transportation and movements occur far above the ground. It seems like people in the future have found a way to defeat the gravity.

City Scale The sheer height of the buildings in Besson’s 2259 A.D. edition of New York is an element of the film that strikes the viewer at first sight (Fig. 5.27). The play with the intense vertical appearance of the towers, the mega dense walls, and the airspace between the buildings, which is used as a street for flying vehicles, pushes the idea of high rise buildings and urban density even further. The concept also goes as far as imagining Central Park in a future New York City, which is expected to be the same size as the actual one and in the same place - but at a height of more than 100 feet.

Corporeal Experience The surprising part about this is that the ground level, where this sort of buildings used to be located, is a very different environment than the main city level. It’s a bleak, dreary, and careless environment that’s mostly used for city services and maintenance. The current New York City was not constructed on top of existing structures, but was ripped down and rebuilt hundreds of feet above ground level (Fig. 5.28). This shows the society’s additive theory very well. It is based on past ideas combined with future technologies. This world is a very realistic prediction of where our civilization may be heading.

Movement in the city Movement in the city is in all three directions. We can see cars moving in x,y and z axis, trains traveling vertically, buses flying in the air, vendors delivering food in their flying vehicle from door to door. The portrayal of vertical travel in the city rapidly establishes the inherent danger of height in the film. The density of traffic and the pace of transportation reminds of the present traffic condition of New York City. Traffic lights having five indicators instead of three, in order to assist both horizontal and vertical movement, shows the detailing done to create a believable futuristic New York City (Fig. 5.29).

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Figure 5.30 3d and 2d visualization of the space, The Fifth Element

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Case study Korben Dallas’ Apartment One of the primary elements that arise from our present is that of compactness and convenience. Our society is preoccupied with the concept of saving time and space. In ‘The Fifth Element’, this capitalist idea is exaggerated to its fullest, and it can be seen most clearly in common people’s and intermediary spaces. The apartment of Korben Dallas is a perfect representation of the compact.

It’s about the size of a tiny bedroom, but it has all of the utilities of a regular apartment, including a bed and a bathroom. Many of these objects are stored on the sides in drawers or cabinets (Fig. 5.30). Similarly, transition spaces, such as the apartment complex’s corridors, are small and have sliding doors to reduce swing and maximize floor size. When everything becomes practical, this notion of simplicity leads to the idea that aesthetics (in the sense that we perceive them) tend to go away.

Living spaces are already being impacted by increasing population, with large spaces being more expensive and smaller areas being more affordable. ‘The Fifth Element’s’ common people and intermediate spaces are an uncanny reflection of a possible future.

Korben Dallas begins his day by checking his messages, grabbing a quick bite, and smoking a cigarette before heading to work, all these activities are taken care by his tiny apartment. He rolls out of the garage in his car as the door opens, revealing the outer world of the future. A drastic change in the scale and a lot of information is delivered in this particular shot with the chaos of the city traffic.

Later in the film, many identical houses in a row are revealed. Which represents the mass housing of that time period (Future). The common corridor connecting these houses is completely closed from all the sides, which could be due to the privacy concerns. Each apartment having one door opening in the corridor and one window placed on the facade of the building, opening directly on the outside. Remaining two walls do not have any punctures in it as it is a common wall and also a storage for most of the facilities.

Looking at the parking facility in Korben’s apartment, it resembles to multilayered parking system. Each floor having dedicated car parking which opens directly into the floating street. Korben’s cab nearly gets smashed as he pulls it out of the parking, due to a heavy flow of traffic. The parking opening directly into the flow of fast moving cars seem hazardous, but maybe due to advanced A.I. cars itself seem to avoid any collision.

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Figure 5.31 Focus and Subject

Figure 5.32 Lighting

Figure 5.33 Scale and Proportion

Figure 5.34 Color, Texture, Material

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Case study Focus and Subject The subject in this frame (Korben Dallas) is seen talking on the phone while doing his daily activity. The subject itself is the focus of this frame.

Purpose of these scene is to introduce Korben Dallas and show his lifestyle and residence, so that viewers get an idea about him. He is a retired Army Soldier and now works as a taxi driver, lives in a small apartment in New York City.

Lighting His apartment is artificially lit up in this scene and the natural sunlight is obstructed by blinds on the window (that gets revealed in the next scene).

One rectangular ceiling light is visible and there are a few more in the grid to lit up the whole place. The tube light on the left hand side of the frame is set below eye level, which could work as a focus light. A light source is visible right above Korben’s head. All the lights are white in color and enough to evenly light the whole place.

Scale and Proportion Size of the apartment is much smaller than a regular size of any apartment in today’s time. It clearly shows the space crises in 23rd century. The ceiling height is lower than usual. Width of the house can be calculated with the help of door. Width of the apartment is three times the door width and additional two feet is provided on the left side for storage and moving parts.

Length of the room is approximately 18-20 feet (which is not visible in this scene but gets revealed in the next).

Color, Texture, Material Color used in the whole apartment is beige and white. It is a very monochrome color pallet with the same material used all over the space.

Walls and furniture is painted with the same color and tiles also follow similar color pallet. (Tiles are visible in the next scene). Color pallet gives this space a very ordinary look and doesn’t highlight anything, it doesn’t improve aesthetic beauty of the space. It represents a house of any middleclass, middle-aged person.

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Figure 5.35 Depth

Figure 5.36 Geometry

Figure 5.37 Spatial Voids

Figure 5.38 Quality of space

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Case study Depth Delayering of the image separates different elements and gives a clear idea of the space. The pattern on the metal door, placement of the ceiling lights and the utilities hidden in the left wall pop out in this illustration and clearly represent its nature.

Geometry This illustration helps to understand the geometry of the space. The space is a complete cuboid. It is enclosed from all the sides and as you can see the lines forming a regular geometric pattern. This shot is taken from the left side of the room exposing the storage and other functions hidden in the left wall. A slight edge of right wall is visible. Ceiling is clearly visible and from the height of the subject we can assume the flooring as well. Thus the volume of the frame is clearly represented.

Spatial Voids This particular scene lacks the ground plane, but it can be assumed by the height of the human. Width of the room is also unclear, but by assuming the width of the door being the width of the room we can complete the geometry of the space.

Quality of space By replacing the elements with flat colors we can visualize spatial quality of the space. It helps us to understand the depth of the image, closeness of the built space and many other features.

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Figure 5.39 Illustration of the Architecture of The Fifth Element (Flores, 2019)

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Case study Inter-relation between Narrative and Architecture ‘The Fifth Element’ features many different architectural styles, starting from Egyptian architecture to the space architecture Fhloston Paradise (Fig. 5.39). These architectural setting acts as a literal vessel for different events in the movie. It provides a sense of the place and wraps around the characters of the film to create a complete environment for the film.

As mentioned above, representation of the Korben’s compact house describe the overpopulated city. The compactness of the house is trying to portray how the government is trying to utilize every bit of space possible and compressing the current population in a very dense environment in order to fit in more.

At a city level buildings placed next to each other almost touching each other leaving bare minimum space required for the movement of the vehicles shows how dense the whole setting is. These expressions speculate what the future with ever growing population will end up looking like.

Architecture can be described as a setup for the events to take place in the film. It is generally incidental. In the case of ‘The Fifth Element’ it is clearly seen how architecture conveys the narrative of different spaces through the components and setting. It seamlessly translates the expression of a place through color, material, texture, lighting, spatial expressions, etc.

We can also see the influence of early science fiction films like ‘Metropolis (1927)’ and ‘Blade Runner (1982)’ in this film. The film’s environment seems to fulfill a famous imagination of a futuristic city, as shown by previous films in the genre. The most striking parallels between Luc Besson’s New York 2259, in ‘The Fifth Element’ and Ridley Scott’s L.A. 2019, in ‘Blade Runner’, are prominent. This is clear in the first shot, which portrays a city that has become industrialized and uninhabitable.

A reference to the 1927 film ‘Metropolis’ may also be made. ‘The Fifth Element’, like ‘Metropolis’, depicts the uncanny by the development of an upper and lower class setting. Manhattan has been transformed into a skyscraper-only city in the film. It’s also an environment where people have been pushed to live vertically separated from the barren and uninhabitable ground level city. In the future, similar to ‘Blade Runner’, the challenges of food eating, waste, and so on have multiplied to a terrifying degree.

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Figure 5.40 Equilibrium Poster

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Equilibrium (2002) Introduction Directed and Written By: Kurt Wimmer Starring: Christian Bate, Emily Watson, and Taye Diggs Released in: 2002 Set In (Year): 2072 Set in (Location): Libria (A fictional city) Runtime: 107 min.

‘Equilibrium’ is known for its bold ‘Brutalist Architectural’ style. It depicts a futuristic city in which all emotions have been subdued in order to prevent conflicts. Every type of speech that could evoke a sensory reaction is censored and suppressed. Uniformity and the unquestionable power of ‘The Father,’ who guides lives in this modern society, have replaced diversity and free thought. The entire city structure is equipped to satisfy the administration’s needs, including public space for people to gather and various types of control facilities.

Narrative (Plot & Context) The film starts with an audio narration stating “In the first years of the 21st century, a third World War broke out. Those of us who survived knew mankind could never survive a fourth that our own volatile natures could simply no longer be risked. So we have created a new arm of the law, the Grammaton Cleric, whose sole task it is to seek out and eradicate the true source of man’s inhumanity to man; His ability to feel.” (Wimmer, 2002) In 2072, in the state on Libria, feelings and creative activity are illegal.

People are given regular doses of psychoactive medications to numb their emotions. John Preston, a high-ranking official of the law enforcement community begins to experience feelings after losing a dosage of the medication, prompting him to doubt his morals and moderate his behavior while trying to stay undetected by the suspicious environment in which he lives. Finally, he begins a resistance movement with the help of advanced martial arts skills that he learned from the organization he is helping to dismantle.

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Figure 5.41 Symmetric expression of the built

Figure 5.42 Building facades covered with massive screen

Figure 5.43 Wall surrounding Libria

Figure 5.44 Preston’s apartment

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Case study Libria is ruled by an enigmatic dictator known as The Father, who holds control of the citizens by chemically suppressing all their emotions. Father has a control over the city through ‘clerics’ (officials of the law enforcement community) who enact his dream of harmony. The representation of Libria follows a black and white or extremely desaturated monochrome color pallet in order to keep the environment of the city neutral and emotionless, because color evokes feelings. Symmetric expression of the built form (Fig. 5.41) not only represents uniformity and order, but also displays an intense sense of structure and organization to the point of not being human. It shows an emotionless city in which Libria’s people are bound to survive.

Libria depicts a tightly governed society. The city’s architecture expresses the state’s emotion-suppressing agenda very well. Buildings are faceless and emotionless, much like the people who live in them. The fascist state’s media manipulation system is designed right into the city’s infrastructure: massive screens cover whole building facades (Fig. 5.42), and noisy speakers broadcast a steady stream of propaganda from every nook and cranny.

Tim McGovern, supervisor of visual effects designed the walled Librian metropolis. He said “The whole idea of fascist architecture is to make the individual feel small and insignificant so the government seems more powerful and I continued that design ethic in the visual effects. For example, Libria is surrounded by a seventy-five feet high wall, the walls just keep going on and on and use vertical and horizontal lines in a Mondrian-type way.”

(Pictures, 2002) (Fig. 5.43).

Preston’s apartment represents minimalistic architecture, without any ornamentation. Blocked windows restrain the residents from looking outside.

Home is considered to be a place of warmth, comfort and happiness, but what we see is a pale, expressionless interior of the house, with on extra furniture, ornamentation or patterns. All has been reduced to the bare essentials. This simply demonstrates how political regulation produces a mindless culture (Fig. 5.44). A big screen in the living area is covered with a screen projecting a steady broadcast of the Father, explaining his strategies to maintain the peace.

Kurt Wimmer, director and writer of the film stated “That spare architecture does convey a sense of power and a sense of the whole being more important than the individual, but it also is an architecture that pretty much disappeared after World War II. You don’t see it in the rest of the world so it feels uniquely frozen in time, which is precisely the feeling I wanted for Libria.” (Pictures, 2002).

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Figure 5.45 City as an image

Figure 5.46 City Scale

Figure 5.47 Corporeal Experience

Figure 5.48 Movement in the city

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Case study Architecture City as an image The architecture of Libria follows ‘neo-classical’ style reminiscent of Fascist architecture during WWII. This gives the city a feeling of timelessness, strength, and stability, something that is associated to Nazi mindset. Within the film, structures such as ‘Berlin’s Olympic Stadium’ and the ‘Palazzo de Congressi’ are used as instruments to build and amplify this deep association with the state of the city. The architecture of Libria is intended to express strength and timelessness (Fig. 5.45). Each public space in the city of Libria appears to have sufficient proportions to allow for orderly, efficient circulation. They’re all designed on a massive scale and have an especially bleak look.

City Scale Brutalist architectural style is followed all over the city of Libria. Buildings constructed at monumental scale with no ornamentation or color depicts a strong sense of dominance and power (Fig. 5.46). Comparing human scale to the scale of the built, one gets an clear idea about the huge difference in the scale. Humans looks tiny in front of the huge structures and architectural elements of monumental scale. The seventy five feet hight wall surrounding the city symbolizes the power of the government through its huge concrete structure.

Corporeal Experience This wall separates Libria from the outside city Nether. It is a city which is abandoned and its infrastructure has been shattered in pieces. It is in a state of decay, but still giving shelter to the people who are trying to escape from the dictatorship of The Father, people who can still feel are living under a high risk of getting executed by the police. Whereas the city of Libria is under complete control of The Father. It is isolated from the world outside and The Father claims it to be the only peaceful place that exists on earth after world war. The architecture is cladded in pale color pallet and looks like a chunk of concrete with voids (Fig. 5.47). The concrete texture is evident and it also represent the power of the Father.

Movement in the city Citizens of Libria are generally found walking in order to move from one place to another, use of vehicles for general public seems to be either prohibited or not required. Whereas cops and special agents are seen traveling by car as they often need to go out of the city in order to catch the sense offenders.

Apart from cars we also see a flying drone advertising continuously about The Fathers propaganda. We can also see some bridges going through the buildings and connecting the city. Trains are also seen running on those bridges for long distance commute. (Fig. 5.48) 97

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Figure 5.49 Zooming into Dupont’s office building

Figure 5.50 3d and 2d visualization of Dupont’s office, Equilibrium

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Case study Dupont’s Office ‘T’ the symbol of Grammaton, a group of Clerics (low enforcement officers), who make sure everything is in order and under control. The ‘T’ is often placed in a pattern where four of them faces each other forming a nazi swastika like figure. Extensive use of this symbol is seen all over the city.

Buildings of the Libria have wither printed or carved ‘T’ symbols on their facades, floorings, walls, etc. It shows the emphasis put on the symbolic gesture in the film by director. Kurt Wimmer clearly wanted viewers to believe that the society he is portraying is fascist, so he made direct symbolic comparisons to convey the idea of the culture and society the city holds.

One of the closest examples is Dupont’s office building. Dupont being Vice -Counsel is portrayed as a very powerful figure in the city, so as his office building. A huge concrete structure standing in the center of the city (Fig. 5.49) representing the symbol of ‘T’ through the cutout on the facade of the top floor, which happens to be the main administrative area.

A scene from inside the building reveals the minimalistic interior of the space with bare minimum furniture and a huge sculpture sitting in the space. John Preston is seen entering the space through a huge door painted in pure black. The exact opposite wall having a huge ‘T’ shaped symbolizing the icon while allowing the natural light to enter the space at the same time.

3d representation of the space along with plan and section (Fig. 5.50) helps in understanding the space better. It seems the space is designed to look monumental, symbolic and grand while still fulfilling the requirement of the user.

The sculpture of a man holding the glob, placed in Dupont’s office, resembles to the ‘Statue of Atlas’. Atlas being the son of Titan (one of the oldest gods in Greek mythology) had a responsibility to hold up the sky. According to the Greek mythology Atlas carried the celestial sphere (the sky) on his shoulder, which could be said to be equivalent to carrying the weight of the whole world. Thus this statue symbolizes the immense power one is holding. The sculpture shown in the film is not the exact same as the ‘Statue of Atlas’, but a very identical to it, depicting the same meaning.

At the end of the movie, John Preston, the protagonist is seen observing the destruction of the drug factories around the city, through the ‘T’ shaped cutout in Dupont’s office. This scene has a brighter tone of the sunlight falling onto the building and the protagonist depicting the positive ending of the film. (Fig. 5.30)

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Figure 5.51 Focus and Subject

Figure 5.52 Lighting

Figure 5.53 Scale and Proportion

Figure 5.54 Color, Texture, Material

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Case study Focus and Subject This scene shows inside of Dupont’s office space, where Vice-Counsel Dupont (the one sitting on the chair) and protagonist John Preston (Standing in front of Dupont) are seen conversing. These to subjects are placed at the center of the frame. The ‘T’ shaped cutout on the wall behind Dupont seems to be the focus of the frame as it is letting in the ample amount of sunlight and looks the brightest in the frame, symbolizing the Grammaton.

Lighting Presence of natural light and artificial lights are seen in this building. Natural light is coming through ‘T’ shaped window which is huge compared to the human scale and allows sufficient sunlight to lit a particular area of the space, but not able to equally distribute the light over the place, which is not a major concern as it is there for the purpose of a symbolic representation and not particularly designed as a window. Side walls seem to be lit by ceiling lights. The globe in the sculpture is also illuminated to grab the viewer’s attention as it also act as a symbolic figure.

Scale and Proportion Height of the office, judging from the human figure standing next to the wall is approximately four times the height of the human, which is not usual. It shows the grandness of the space. Even the sculpture is twice as big as the human. Architectural elements like columns, window (‘T’ shaped cutout), door, are bigger than usual. The scale and proportion of the space highlights the importance of the person for whom it is built. It shows the power of the user.

Color, Texture, Material The whole frame looks very close to a black and white image due to its desaturated monochrome color pallet. Columns have a black shiny coating over them and walls are painted in plain color. Extensive use of concrete is seen all over the film. Lack of ornamentation and Brutalist architectural style with pale colors shows the emotionless nature of the space.

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Figure 5.55 Depth

Figure 5.56 Geometry

Figure 5.57 Spatial Voids

Figure 5.58 Quality of space

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Case study Depth By delayering the frame we can understand the depth of the frame and geometric relation to it in a much better way. We can see architectural elements like steps, columns, window and furniture and track their location in the three dimensional environment. This type of illustration helps in visualizing the openness of the space. By separating the components we can visualize them better.

Geometry This illustration explains the symmetry of the space. By vertically dividing the space we figure out that the other half is perfectly mirrored and the space is in complete symmetry. Use of this geometrical expression depicts order and discipline. Apart from that, we can see the space has right angles and everything is orthogonal, which also represents order and system.

Spatial Voids Spatial voids are the hidden parts that are intentionally not shown in the film in order to create a curiosity. This particular frame doesn’t reveal the height and length of the room directly. It provides some references through the geometrical expression to assume the unseen.

Quality of space By simply replacing the elements in the space with bright flat colors, we can easily visualize the frame without the distraction of light, shadow, textures, materials etc. We can clearly see the openness and spatial quality of the space through this illustration.

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Figure 5.59 Illustration of Symbolism, order and symmetry in Equilibrium.

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Case study Inter-relation between Narrative and Architecture ‘Equilibrium’ presents the city of Libria, a peaceful city, where there is no war, no rage, no anger, no jealousy. At first it seems to be a Utopian city of order and discipline, but at the cost of human emotion. This narrative is translated to the viewers through the architectural setting in the film.

Perfectly organized skyscrapers, huge gathering spaces, planned cityscape sounds like a utopian setting at first, but cladded in black and blue, desaturated color pallet, depicting the control, concrete buildings without any curves or articulation shows the power and order, symbolic impressions on the buildings, screens continuously playing The Father’s dictatorship changes the whole setting from a utopian idea to dystopian aesthetic.

Building materials, color pallet, lighting, scale, geometry plays an important role translating the narrative of the film into a believable setting.

Monumentality of the buildings depict power, symmetrical buildings represents order, lack of ornamentation and use of pale colors depicts fascist nature of the city, huge structures made up of exposed concrete represents dominance.

‘Equilibrium‘ uses colors extensively to depict the nature of the space.

Sense offenders people who can feel and have a normal life, their spaces are painted in vivid colors, decorated with vibrant paintings, ornamentation and looks alive to the viewer. On the other hand the city of Libria is lifeless, minimalistic, desaturated, rational and faceless. Color is used as a primary element to differentiate places, to show life as well as the lack of emotions, dominance and order.

Architecture of Libria is very rigid and specific, which represents the political power and its dominance in the city. For instance, the headquarter and public spaces are symmetrical and recitative. Architecture is faceless and doesn’t express any feelings or human emotions. All is sterile and uninteresting. On the other hand interior of the ‘underground’ (where people who want to feel and live their life stay hidden) is full of colors and decorations. Thus the film ‘Equilibrium’ uses architecture to manipulate the environment and set the mood for the scene.

Fim director Kurt Wimmer stated “At its core, EQUILIBRIUM is about a man learning to feel something for the first time. The entire futuristic world of Libria is really a convention we created to tell a powerful human story.”

(Pictures, 2002).

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Narrative (Plot & Context) Blade Runner (1982)

The Fifth Element (1997)

Equilibrium (2002)

Table 5.1 Narrative in all three films (By Author)

Architecture (Cityscape) Cityscape

Blade Runner (1982)

City as an image

City Scale

Corporeal Experience

Movement in the city

Table 5.2 Cityscape in all three films (By Author)

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The Fifth Element (1997)

Equilibrium (2002)

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Architecture (Built Space) Built Space

Blade Runner (1982)

The Fifth Element (1997)

Equilibrium (2002)

Focus and Subject

Lighting

Scale and proportion

Color, Texture, Material

Depth

Geometry

Spatial Voids

Quality of space

Table 5.3 Built spaces in all three films (By Author)

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Inter-relation between Narrative and Architecture Blade Runner (1982)

The Fifth Element (1997)

Equilibrium (2002)

Set in 2019, Los Angeles, A postmodern vision of globalized world.

Set in 23rd century, New York, A groundless city with extreme verticality.

Set in 2072, Libria, A peaceful city of order and discipline.

Visual layering of architectural typologies from diverse cultural pasts.

Layering of different A Utopian city of order and architectural styles, starting discipline, but at the cost of from Egyptian architecture human emotion. to the space architecture.

Overpopulation, technical delinquency, poverty, control, and vertical class division, all combined create a bleak future.

Overpopulated city with compact houses and movement above the ground level. Extreme verticality.

Perfectly organized skyscrapers, huge gathering spaces, planned cityscape, but cladded in black and desaturated blue.

The film employs darkness to convey uncanny, inhospitable environments.

Dense construction and extremely tall buildings represents overpopulation.

The Father’s dictatorship changes the whole setting from a utopian idea to dystopian aesthetic.

The film uses a collection of familiar buildings and materials that have been retrofitted to create futuristic visions.

Use of iconic elements of New York City, like firestaircases on the façade to create believable environment.

Color is used as a primary element to differentiate places, to show life as well as the lack of emotions, dominance and order.

‘Blade Runner’s’ universe is a thick industrial jumble, which makes it all the more practical.

Sky-scraper only city with tiny houses, very close to possible future.

Architecture of Libria is very rigid and specific, which represents the political power and its dominance in the city.

The film combines architectural and narrative techniques to build a near future city.

Architecture in the film conveys the narrative of different spaces through the components and setting.

The film uses architecture to manipulate the environment and set the mood for the scene.

Table 5.4 Summary of all three films (By Author)

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Conclusion

Conclusion

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Conclusion

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Conclusion

6. Conclusion The aim of the thesis was to analyze architectural representation in science fiction films, developed as a response to the narrative of the film. Then to arrive to a conclusion that how an imaginary/fictional narrative can be translated into a believable environment with the help of architectural imagery.

To achieve this aim and reach to a conclusion, following objectives were set. ˗˗ The research will look into the architectural representation used as a tool to convey the story to the viewers of science fiction films. ˗˗ The architectural representation in science fiction films is meant to be interpreted through the concept of city and architectural elements. ˗˗ This research will investigate the architectural elements used to convey ideas and futuristic concepts of the narrative within science fiction films.

Various literatures about films, narrative and architecture provided insight into basic concepts of narrative and architectural representation in science fiction films, which was further explored through case study of three science fiction films: ‘Blade Runner (1982)’, ‘The Fifth Element (1997)’, ‘Equilibrium (2002)’.

As per a general notion, architecture in science fiction films is used passively to convey director’s vision to the viewers by supporting the narrative of the film. At first glance, the use of architecture in science fiction films may seem to be a simple process, but what has derived is a more complex process in which architecture aids film and film aids architecture. Whether deliberately or unconsciously the architecture of science fiction films often ends up in a criticism of the structures depicted, their architects, and even an architecture trend as a whole. As a consequence, architecture in science fiction films is never passive; rather, it promotes dialogue. This cultivation of architectural discourse is extremely beneficial to contemporary architects and society in general, as it raises questions not only about the merits of different design styles and approaches, but also about the effect that these styles and approaches may have on society as a whole. Most science fiction films depict and analyze contemporary social problems surrounding the cityscape and climate.

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Conclusion In order to understand inter-relation between film, narrative and architecture, ‘Blade Runner’, ‘The Fifth Element’, and ‘Equilibrium’ these three films were analyzed. Key themes taken into consideration for the analysis of these films were product of the research questions. The analysis revolved around three research questions in order to come up with a discussion. ˗˗ Understanding the narration in science fiction films, in order to understand, what is the primary concept of the film, around which the whole story revolves? ˗˗ What is the architectural response to the narration and context along with the concept of the film, in terms of built environment and spatial connotation? ˗˗ How narrative and architecture are interrelated and form a complete environment for the film?

The films discussed above were released in different years, speculating different years and set in different locations. Despite of the differences the films are connected through a common thread of narrative, which makes it more convenient to do an in-depth analysis of a particular genre of science fiction films and not get distracted by the variety of themes that fall under science fiction.

Through deciphering of the films many conclusions have been established.

Architecture is aided through narrative and narration can be manipulated with the help of architecture. In certain ways, architecture and film are dependent on each other. Film’s ability to communicate with its viewers is aided by architecture. Film aids architecture by encouraging the audience to become more interested in their urban world and to see something they would never have had the opportunity to experience in real life through the medium of film. Film also establishes architecture as a mainstream forum in which both trained and untrained critics can participate; where architects can realize visions that are impossible to realize in practice. By understanding the relationship between film and architecture, we can better articulate our diverse ideas and visions for cities through architectural elements (signifiers).

I hope that these experiences from my research contribute to a deeper understanding of architectural and cinematic relationships. Architectural decisions that can aid in the creation of environments that provoke specific feelings in the user’s experiences.

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Conclusion Scope for Further Research This thesis only analyzed three films of a specific genre. There are several different films that could be studied under this topic. Analysis of more films will provide a much better and comprehensive idea of narrative relationship of films and architecture. This research has developed a potential framework that can be used to analyze a wide range of science fiction films that can enrich the study.

Due to the limitation of time, temporal aspect of the films was not considered for this research, but can be further explored to enhance the research and explore as many aspects possible.

The research can further talk about the speculative architecture and its practicality; As this segment of the architecture is not yet explored enough, but seems to have a greater impact in terms of predicting the future and preparing the world for it.

I hope this research will spread some awareness about fictional architecture and its importance in real world.

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List of Films

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List of Films Anderson, M. (Director). (1976). Logan’s Run [Motion Picture].

Besson, L. (Director). (1997). The fifth element [Motion Picture].

Cameron, J. (Director). (1984). Terminator [Motion Picture].

Cameron, J. (Director). (1986). Aliens [Motion Picture].

Cameron, J. (Director). (2009). Avatar [Motion Picture].

Corman, R. (Producer), and Bartel, P. (Director). (1975). Death Race 2000 [Motion Picture].

Corman, R., and Murakami, J. T. (Directors). (1980). Battle Beyond the Stars [Motion Picture].

Fleming, V. (Director). (1939). The Wizard of Oz [Motion Picture].

Hall, D., and Williams, C. (Directors). (2014). Big Hero 6 [Motion Picture].

Hitchcock, A. (Director). (1954). Rear Window [Motion Picture].

Kosinski, J. (Director). (2010). Tron: Legacy [Motion Picture].

Kubrick, S. (Director). (1968). 2001:A Space Odyssey [Motion Picture].

Lang, F. (Director). (1927). Metropolis [Motion Picture].

Lucas, G. (Director). (1977). Star Wars [Motion Picture].

Méliès, G. (Director). (1902). Le Voyage dans la Lune [Motion Picture].

Menzies, W. C. (Director). (1936). Things to Come [Motion Picture].

Nolan, C. (Director). (2006). The Prestige [Motion Picture].

Nolan, C. (Director). (2008). The Dark Knight [Motion Picture].

Nolan, C. (Director). (2010). Inception [Motion Picture].

Nolan, C. (Director). (2014). Interstellar [Motion Picture].

Raimi, S. (Director). (2002). Spiderman [Motion Picture].

Roddenberry, G. (Director). (1966). Star Trek (The original series) [Motion Picture].

Schaffner, F. J. (Director). (1968). Planet of the Apes [Motion Picture].

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List of Films Scott, R. (Director). (1982). Blade Runner [Motion Picture].

Singer, B. (Director). (2006). Superman Returns [Motion Picture].

Sonnenfeld, B. (Director). (1993). Addams Family Values [Motion Picture].

Spielberg, S. (Director). (2001). A.I.: Artificial Intelligence [Motion Picture].

Spielberg, S. (Director). (2002). Minority Report [Motion Picture].

Stanton, A. (Director). (2008). Wall-E [Motion Picture].

Verhoeven, P. (Director). (1987). Robocop [Motion Picture].

Verhoeven, P. (Director). (1990). Total Recall [Motion Picture].

Villeneuve, D. (Director). (2017). Blade Runner 2049 [Motion Picture].

Wachowski, L., and Wachowski, L. (Directors). (1999). The Matrix [Motion Picture].

Wachowski, L., and Wachowski, L. (Directors). (2003). The Matrix Reloaded [Motion Picture].

Wachowski, L., Wachowski, L., and Tykwer, T. (Directors). (2012). Cloud Atlas [Motion Picture].

Wimmer, K. (Director). (2002). Equilibrium [Motion Picture].

Wise, R. (Director). (1979). Star Trek [Motion Picture].

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List of Figures

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List of Figures Figure 1.1 Why?, What? & How? (By Author) Figure 2.1 Bruno Taut’s Glass Pavilion, 1914. ‘Fantastic Architecture’. https://glassproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Taut_Glass_ Pavilion_exterior_1914.jpg Figure 2.2 Ship’s on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles, 1958 (‘Googie Architecture’: Fifties Coffee Shop Architecture by Alan Hess) https://thumbs-prod.si-cdn.com/gJPoQ1wj7gJqC6NKkBrxQsb_FH8=/fitin/1072x0/https://public-media.si-cdn.com/filer/32/b8/32b890b6-55034009-9825-fc4108a4fee2/1958-ships-sm.jpeg Figure 2.3 Le Voyage dans la Lune (A Trip to the Moon), 1902 https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/04/Le_Voyage_dans_ la_lune.jpg Figure 2.4 Time-line of important Science Fiction Films, 1900-2020 (By Author) Figure 2.5 A scene from the film – Things to come (1936), Showing elevator on exterior façade https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/ mS25WMVtVJ4jTTJCJYuoxeBvBhcWANEsCQ7niHaVqlNyK6yQ5VlI0_ OQN0NB1LUSjcv6a7sP_NOMsp2MQlmpoLtAm67ARBJdvW_qBQA35A Figure 2.6 El Cortez Hotel, San Diego 1941 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57eb44916 b8f5be752c94f84/1579015487151-7DT211U74A5J8UHALE7Q/ ke17ZwdGBToddI8pDm48kJ-fp7Rl1eS9bVp0wZotOxpZw-zPPgdn4jUwVcJ E1ZvWQUxwkmyExglNqGp0IvTJZUJFbgE-7XRK3dMEBRBhUpxq6w3KJjCjS voHcNFrIi06N_1UEUVOFfcPS7m7vnW8oGTzRVxqMp3ucNDL3FmmvYQ/ El+Cortez+Hotel+Sign+Postcard+Elevator Figure 2.7 Film: 2001 space odyssey (1968) interior https://i.pinimg.com/originals/bc/49/3d/ bc493d1c09d9e2726a306584027452a8.png Figure 2.8 kisho kurokawa’s nakagin capsule tower (1972) interior https://i.pinimg.com/originals/34/ ac/77/34ac771a8fea44792e029119192a35d1.jpg Figure 2.9 Tipoca City, Star Wars episode II (2002) https://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/starwars/images/2/2c/TipocaCity-CC. png/revision/latest?cb=20130505022521

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List of Figures Figure 2.10 The Water Discus underwater hotel, Deep Ocean Technology visualization (currently in the implementation phase, 2021) https://asset.kompas.com/data/photo/2016/01/22/1925158articles109662780x390.jpg Figure 2.11 Film Transformers (2007), Robot https://thebestofthetransformers.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/rotfratchet2.jpg Figure 2.12 Silverstre’s spaceship architecture (2015) https://i.pinimg.com/ originals/49/58/9b/49589b8674586c66ee4e1c0a5d1c4ed2.jpg Figure 2.13 Captain Kirk’s Communicator, Star Trek (1960) https://www.destination-innovation.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/ kirk.jpg Figure 2.14 Motorola Razr (1973), flip phone inspired by Star Trek https://i.pinimg.com/originals/fe/ad/1a/fead1a75403669752915ae7 6b6059642.jpg Figure 2.15 Tom Cruise’s Gesture controlled computer, Minority Report (2002) https://hips.hearstapps.com/esq.h-cdn.co/assets/ cm/15/06/54d43cbde0f9f_-_7589796-minorityreport.jpg Figure 2.16 Motion-sensing capability of Microsoft’s Kinetic https://assets.newatlas.com/dims4/default/e0e3304/2147483647/strip/ true/crop/600x400+50+0/resize/1200x800!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F% 2Fnewatlas-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Farchive%2Fmicrosoft-handtracking-1.jpg Figure 2.17 Obi-Wan Kenobi receiving a holographic message, Star Wars (1977) https://impact.griffith.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/star-wars.png Figure 2.18 Researchers from Brigham Young University created a real hologram. (2018) https://brightspotcdn.byu.edu/dims4/default/fad4ca5/2147483647/strip/ true/crop/955x798+0+0/resize/718x600!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2 Fbrigham-young-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F6a%2Fdb%2Fd475b673 cd1f8bf846cf18b03791%2Fscreen-shot-2018-01-24-at-8-38-17-am.png Figure 2.19 landscape shot of futuristic Los Angeles with huge digital billboards, Film Blade Runner (1982) https://www2.pictures.zimbio.com/mp/qoxqOOMZxnRl.jpg Figure 2.20 Digital billboards at Piccadilly Circus, London, by DOOH.com (2016) https://www.dooh.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Untitled-4.jpg 119

List of Figures Figure 2.21 Wall-E pilling up compressed blocks of waste. Film Wall-E (2008) http://www.svilendobrev.com/kartinki/wall-e-at-work.jpg Figure 2.22 Lifeguard tower, Bruce’s Beach. Constructed out of waste plastic bricks. (2019) https://www.byfusion.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/TDB-LPLASTICTOWER-0609-8A21.jpg Figure 2.23 Speculative future time-line of science fiction films. (The Sci-Fi Timeline, 2021) https://www.glow-internet.com/infographics/the-sci-fi-timeline/ Figure 3.1 Elements of Narrative by Chris Roe. (Roe, 2020) Figure 3.2 The three-act Structure in screen-writing by Syd Field (Field, 1979).

Figure 3.3 Utopian Architecture, Film Things to come (1936) https://i.pinimg.com/ originals/26/80/90/268090d6adf5ab8f303dcb8d25611797.jpg Figure 3.4 Dystopian Architecture. Film Metropolis (1927) https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/PM5MVwNXiQONnRnAeWwgU CGiWOzfa540l-Aq8TWLzF2G0qIfm15ZecSTHb04vOEb-CUFI1m6jr9e8yah_ DK7XZnFa0vEJ1cpBzmGbN6a-yMF4cR9WkKSBgLt2qba_ao4YK_dI3URWagvHR1Ec1ITVav3EZ-7QjBGF_0_3gAq5AZ6CnDO51cahBEcQ Figure 3.5 Cityscape in the film Metropolis (1927) https://i.guim.co.uk/img/static/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2014/1/6/1389021044919/fbfc92e3-a343-4276-8ca1-4aac9ad5d520 2060x1635.jpeg?width=1010andquality=85andauto=formatandfit=maxands=fcb4f1290876c1c6a7f7d1e486968855 Figure 3.6 Cityscape in the film Logan’s Run (1976) https://i.guim.co.uk/img/static/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2014/1/6/1389021471965/ee8d94c3-fe6e-44f5-8fea-ebc9455b8b712060x1324.jpeg?width=1920andquality=85andauto=formatandfit=maxands=8800e6c7ecc3e78c0e499a884e507476 Figure 3.7 Cityscape in the film Cloud Atlas (2012) http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20130705175736/cloudatlas/ images/9/97/Neo_Seoul_Road.jpg Figure 3.8 Built space in the film Things to come (1936) https://a.ltrbxd.com/resized/sm/upload/nb/89/3f/s1/things%20to%20come1200-1200-675-675-crop-000000.jpg?k=ba73ffed04 Figure 3.9 Built space in the film The Matrix Reloaded (2003) https://i.pinimg.com/originals/a7/a5/fc/a7a5fc58f2b46bfefd733fc869fcf16d. jpg 120

List of Figures Figure 3.10 Built space in the film Blade Runner 2049 (2017) https://parametric-architecture.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/ BladeRunner2049_JohnNelson_ITW_04AA.jpg Figure 3.11 A scene from the film Rear Window (1954) https://onceuponascreen.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/rear-windowwindows.png Figure 4.1 Framework of the research (By Author) Figure 4.2 Framework for detailed analysis (By Author) Table 4.1 Literature Table (By Author) Figure 4.3 Blade Runner https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNzQzMzJhZTEtOWM4NS00MTdhLTg0YjgtMjM4MDRkZjUwZDBlXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjU0OTQ0OTY@._ V1_.jpg Figure 4.4 The Fifth Element https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BZWFjYmZmZGQtYzg4YS00ZGE5LTgwYzAtZmQwZjQ2NDliMGVmXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNTUyMzE4Mzg@._V1_.jpg Figure 4.5 Equilibrium https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTkzMzA1OTI3N15BMl5BanBnXkFtZTYwMzUyMDg5._V1_.jpg Figure 5.1 Blade Runner Poster https://theaoi.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/11_Blade-Runner.jpg?auto=format Figure 5.2 Drone advertising about the ‘off-world’ living Figure 5.3 Crowded streets of Los Angeles Figure 5.4 Neon Signs of foreign language Figure 5.5 Exterior of Bradbury building Figure 5.6 City as an image Figure 5.7 City Scale Figure 5.8 Corporeal Experience Figure 5.9 Movement in the city Figure 5.10 Zooming in from the exterior to the interior of Tyrell Corporation 121

List of Figures Figure 5.11 3d and 2d visualization of the space by analyzing different frames of the space, Blade Runner Figure 5.12 Focus and Subject Figure 5.13 Lighting Figure 5.14 Scale and Proportion Figure 5.15 Color, Texture, Material Figure 5.16 Depth Figure 5.17 Geometry Figure 5.18 Spatial Voids Figure 5.19 Quality of space Figure 5.20 Illustration of the Architecture of Blade Runner https://preview.redd.it/7ksy06lrtc101.jpg?auto=webpands=9bebaac555b5be043d576b68977fbe58b521657e Figure 5.21 The Fifth Element Poster https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EWFBVRiUcAI8oyR.jpg:large Figure 5.22 Train running vertically on the facade of a building Figure 5.23 Leeloo’s fall from grace Figure 5.24 Iconic fire escape staircase of New York City.

Figure 5.25 The Chinese Noodle Bar floating in the air.

Figure 5.26 City as an image Figure 5.27 City Scale Figure 5.28 Corporeal Experience Figure 5.29 Movement in the city Figure 5.30 3d and 2d visualization of the space, The Fifth Element Figure 5.31 Focus and Subject Figure 5.32 Lighting

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List of Figures Figure 5.33 Scale and Proportion Figure 5.34 Color, Texture, Material Figure 5.35 Depth Figure 5.36 Geometry Figure 5.37 Spatial Voids Figure 5.38 Quality of space Figure 5.39 Illustration of the Architecture of The Fifth Element (Flores, 2019) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/58c87ca9db29d65a97baa1b4/ 1576000931267-2WQ1YLXRTDQ9W25PFJNY/Coddington_Coleman_Film+Diagram.jpg?format=1500wandcontent-type=image%2Fjpeg Figure 5.40 Equilibrium Poster https://i.pinimg.com/originals/dd/97/5c/dd975c01949ff4767ee3b4def02418c9.jpg Figure 5.41 Symmetric expression of the built Figure 5.42 Building facades covered with massive screen Figure 5.43 Wall surrounding Libria Figure 5.44 Preston’s apartment Figure 5.45 City as an image Figure 5.46 City Scale Figure 5.47 Corporeal Experience Figure 5.48 Movement in the city Figure 5.49 Zooming into Dupont’s office building Figure 5.50 3d and 2d visualization of Dupont’s office, Equilibrium Figure 5.51 Focus and Subject Figure 5.52 Lighting Figure 5.53 Scale and Proportion Figure 5.54 Color, Texture, Material Figure 5.55 Depth 123

List of Figures Figure 5.56 Geometry Figure 5.57 Spatial Voids Figure 5.58 Quality of space Figure 5.59 Illustration of Symbolism, order and symmetry in Equilibrium. https://i.pinimg.com/originals/0e/10/2a/0e102ab8aa4309ad006478723a9298e3.jpg Table 5.1 Narrative in all three films (By Author) Table 5.2 Cityscape in all three films (By Author) Table 5.3 Built spaces in all three films (By Author) Table 5.4 Summary of all three films (By Author)

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List of Figures

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Bibliography

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