Spatial Concepts in Film and Architecture

Abstract

The course deals with spatial phenomena at the interface of film and architecture. The alternating influence of these two media will be analiyzed, the dispositions of perception and effect will be compared and thus will sharpen the view for a architectural way of looking at space.

Objective

The examination of filmic space situations and performance discloses new perceptions of architecture which will be studied on behalf of film analyses and experimental topics. During the course space-effective creative means such as editing or framing will be introduced and discussed under perceptive aspects. Mediality within spatial perception can thus be integrated into a development of cultural history and leads towards a conception which goes beyond the limits of architecture and stimulates new processes of design.

Content

Like architecture, film can be understood both as an autonomous artistic discipline and as a politically and socially determined form of expression of a particular time and culture. "Few films are pure 'works of art', but all are to a greater or lesser extent historic documents", Siegfried Kracauer remarked already in 1947 in his famous study 'From Caligari to Hitler'. "As historic documents, however, they reflect the external and internal state of a society which, for its part, expects pretences from film." Based on the tension between the poles of artwork and document or reflection and pretence, we will look at, analyse and discuss ten selected award-winning films of contemporary international cinema. The focus lies on the architectural and cinematic space, whose staging, function and symbolism will be critically examined in the context of current social issues. The seminar will start with an introduction to the construction tools of cinematic space and the study of selected texts on spatial and film theory. The films are presented and analysed by the students.

Resources