Selective studio course (24 credits)

The Production and Representation of Architectural Space in Film: An investigation towards a discursive space in video/film.

• Architectural body and space in film have since the early days of film inspired and influenced architectural practice. New production and representation techniques in 3D-tools, games, film, and video continue to challenge our understanding for, and development of the architectural space.

• The intensive course Architecture & Film will focus on the morphology of body and space through investigations in photographic and moving images. The aim with the course is to further understand, influence and critically develop the architectural space through a phenomenological and perceptual approach.

• The course uses the video camera and editing software as creative tools to individually observe, register, and interpret different situations and phenomena – and with the aim to anew reflect upon and inform architectures spatial properties.

• In the final workshop that focuses on editing, every student should use the experience to argue for how an architectural space is created in the video montage – a space that cannot exist outside of the video. 

The student will receive an introduction to theories of architecture, film, and video connected to the topic of the course. Practical exercises will provide a basic knowledge of the use of digital video camera and editing software (Adobe Premiere) as the tools for registration, observation and creative interpretation. Exercises, lectures, and discussions contribute to give the student the opportunity to develop a critical stance on the use of camera/editing software as architectural tools in order to further facilitate an advanced, experimental design based on a current, critical architectural discourse.

The course starts with a brief historical, theoretical and philosophical discussion on film in general, and on kinetic representation of architectural space in particular. Students will be introduced to the field of investigation through lectures, literature and a series of films and video art.

Exercises in video sketching* and video editing will train the students’ practical skills and insight in the relation between space and the image, and space in the image.

The last week of the intensive course gives the opportunity for a playful and reflected production of an architectural space in video.

A typical course day consists of a lecture, the screening of a film/video and the production and discussion of the video sketches. The students work individually with the tasks and deliver at the end of the day. The material produced is discussed in plenum. Two days are reserved for the teaching and training the video editing software. The final workshop-week has its own outline.

*Video sketching: to draw – to doodle – to paint with video. 

The course starts with a brief historical, theoretical and philosophical discussion on film in general, and on kinetic representation of architectural space in particular. Students will be introduced to the field of investigation through lectures, literature and a series of films and video art.

Exercises in video sketching* and video editing will train the students’ practical skills and insight in the relation between space and the image, and space in the image.

The last week of the intensive course gives the opportunity for a playful and reflected production of an architectural space in video.

A typical course day consists of a lecture, the screening of a film/video and the production and discussion of the video sketches. The students work individually with the tasks and deliver at the end of the day. The material produced is discussed in plenum. Two days are reserved for the teaching and training the video editing software. The final workshop-week has its own outline.

*Video sketching: to draw – to doodle – to paint with video.

Participation in the studio, study-progression and weekly reviews.

Handing-inn: video/film, text, photo and 2D/3D, visualizations.

The material produced by the studio will be published.

The final outcome will be examined by an external critic. The course is assessed to a Pass - Fail grade scale subject to the Regulations for Master's degree programs at Oslo School of Architecture and Design, § 6-14.

Mandatory reading  

Text and articles are handed out every Tuesday and will be discussed in plenum

Recommended reading:

Image/cinema/video/space  

Aumont, J. (1997). The image. London: British Film Institute.

Barthes, R., & Heath, S. (1977). Image, music, text. London: Fontana Press.

Derrida, J. (1987). The truth in painting. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Godard, J.-L., & Ishaghpour, Y. (2005). How video made the history of cinema possible. In: Cinema: the archeology of film and the memory of a century. Oxford: Berg.  [Link to Google books].

Viola, B., & Violette, R. (1995). Reasons for knocking at an empty house: writings 1973-1994. Cambridge, Mass.: Anthony d'Offay gallery.

Film/Cinema – history/theory  

Arnheim, R. (1957). Film as art. Berkeley, Calif.: University of California Press.

Faure, E. (1923). The art of cineplastics. Boston: The Four Seas Company.

Tarkovskij, A. (1987). Sculpting in time: reflections on the cinema. Austin: University of Texas Press.

Taylor, R., & Ėjzenštejn, S. M. (1998). The Eisenstein reader. London: BFI Publishing.

Cinema & Architecture  

Keiller, P. (2007). Film as spatial critique. In: Rendell, J. (2007). Critical architecture . London: Routledge. [Follow this link to see the chapter in Google books].

Neumann, D., & Albrecht, D. (1996). Film architecture: set designs from Metropolis to Blade runner. Munich: Prestel.

Penz, F., & Thomas, M. (1997). Cinema & architecture: Méliès, Mallet-Stevens, multimedia. London: BFI Publ.

Schöning, P. (2006). Manifesto for a cinematic architecture. London: Architectural Association.

Schöning, P., Löffler, J., & Azevedo, R. (2009). Cinematic architecture. London: AA Publications.

Toy, M. (1994). Architecture & film. London: Academy Editions.

Architecture and animation  

Fear, B. (2001). Architecture + animation. London: Wiley-Academy.

To be extended / modified during the semester.