Film analysis to shophouse design

From the film analysis I did I would like to focus on transition for this phrase. In all 3 films of Kar-wai, various techniques are used to help with transitions from one scene/chapter/stoey to another. Firstly, stepping out to see a bigger picture of the 3 films, they are linked by the content transition (Mr.Chow is introduced at the end of Days of Being Wild as a transition to the second film, In the Mood For Love. At the end of the second movie, the secret hold covered with mud is introduced and the similar kind of hole appears once again in the very beginning of the third film, 2046.).

Lighting transition also plays a significant role. There are changes of light from the end of one movie to the beginning of another to create a smoother transition or referring events back to time.

Other transitions found are the use of abstraction at the beginning of scenes and black out at the end to help changing the settings, collage to give smooth transitions and also aids the quantity effect, and sound to introduce the next coming event/character in the next scene. Cross-cutting with the same frame sizing are used a lot in the first to films when there are conversations between two characters. This helps to give a sense of timing.

Repetition is one of the most important tools. Not only it helps with timing, it also helps to emphasize the main theme of the movie and in In the Mood for Love it also aids hinting. Lastly, another very important tool used is colours and tones which indicate the shifting environments/spaces, person and time. It also helps driving scenes to their peaks.

For the next phrase I want to apply the use of transition in my building. I'm interested in colours and ornamentation on building facade- interested at how/whether it creates any transition from one building to another or from the building to the road. I want to apply sound, lighting and abstraction to the introduction of each unit and between each room and building. I would like to explore the effect of different transitional tools and see what kind of environment it creates. Repetition would probably be used to help emphasizing my concept or anything I want the residents to take notice.

Summery

Shifting of environment/ space from one room/unit to another (smoothly, dramatically, repeatedly...). Creating different type of transition depending upon its usage - perhaps blurring or emphasizing the boundary between public and privacy.

Movie Analysis

          I compared all the information from all 3 of Wong ka wai movie and connected all the characters from the story in a diagram showing the connection between all the peoples and their actions,what it is influenced by or what was the effect from the actions that they made.

         One more important factor in wong ka wai's movie is the sound and the music in the movie which is mainly creates strong feelings and control the mood and emotions in the movie scenes very well.I have chose to trace a part in the movie"In the mood for love"which the song Shigeru Umebayashi:Yumeji's Theme was played.Tracing the time and the action in the movie and what is the music works on two main characters.

Nung: In the Mood for Love

I focused on the two main character interaction in the Waltz Scene. The scene are played in slow motion and no conversation occurred. The scene emphasized on the character interaction by body language.

Film Analysis: In the Mood for Love by Arm

Bom - site analysis

Fig 1.0 - This are the shading devices for the apartments and there are these all around the 4 sides. I see the device is also used for storage where people put stuff on it, and I think that is creative and might do something relate to that. Although, I do not think the two "devices" are enough shading as there are clothes sheet cover in front of the entrance as shown in the side elevation.


Fig 2.1 - I do not think it is a good idea to choose the across building as I am thinking of connecting the two together, and it is blocking the circulation. Also, the spaces in front of the apartment is so little and I do not think it is enough to be the shopmall.


Fig 2.2 - I like the way how the two apartments can be easily connected and not much have to be done, but to break through the walls. However, due to what I have in mind about maybe fixing or improving the community, I can not find a way to work with apartment, and the spaces in front of the apartments are very little.


Fig 2.3 - I like the back building most, as there are activities happen in the intersection of the two apartments, and the spaces there are big enough to create a shop mall.


Fig 2.4 - Furthermore, I would want to use the intersection spaces between the two apartments as a center of community, not only a shop mall. As far as I can see, the atmosphere around the site is rather quite and lifeless, I somehow want to integrate this shop mall into the community and let it be the center of the society as a whole. I think this will work because I do not see much shops around the specific site, only food are sold. I am already think about how it is going to relate to the movie in term of colors and connection, but it hard to explain here, so I will talk about it more on Tuesday.


Fig 3.1 - There are these lightings in front of almost every apartments, to emphasize that there is an entrance or to make the community less scary (I think). What I am thinking is to emphasize the entrance as the entrance does not look that good to me. The same logic goes to the stair, imagine you going up the stair, you won't see a door right away, there must be some sort of space in front before arriving at door, if there is space. And in the case, there is a little space in front of the entrance that has not been used. I am thinking of doing something to emphasize the entrance, to make it more lively.


Fig 3.2 - I walked around the site and observed how many light poles, and there are only 8 and they seem to not usable, and not important to the apartment. As mentioned in 3.1, I will try to do something (I don't know what yet) about the artificial lighting to make the space look lively and apart from that it will be natural lighting, on how it affect inside the house, and the artificial light using interiorly, and the "Feng Shui" which is Chinese believes and I have to further investigate.


These are the factors I have in mind right now, I am also thinking about the facade as there are two openings, which are the windows on second floor and the open space for small trees or hanging clothes on the top floor. But I still have nothing in mind yet. What do you think Aj. Camille?


Ps. sorry I couldn't make it today as I had morning class, and I didn't finish this yesterday. And I couldn't upload the 2.1 Project as mine is 600mb file. I tried to reduce it into jpeg and it still 14mb and I couldn't upload it. Sorry for the complication. 

IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE- FILM ANALYSIS , yipta

Shophouse interior

Dear Aj Camilee,

as we discussed today about my take on how I'd like to approach the site analysis. These are some photographs ( on process ) I took after the exploration of the site that convey the sense of AGORAPHOBIC SPACE. I think it is more appropriate to use the term "agoraphobia" instead of claustrophobia because I think the how Wong kar-wai perceives the spatial attributes of his film is more likely to convey a sense of avoiding open/public space and prefer more closed and narrow spaces that give the feeling of privacy.

So in these photographs I attempt to convey both the temporal agoraphobic elements that help create this kind of "closed and narrow spaces" such as cars that park regularly infront of the shophouses and all the junks that left on the sidewalk, occupying the sidewalk and make it impossible to walk on it.

Based on my observation, people have to walk on the street or use the back alleyways to get from one place to another due to all the obstructions occupying the sidewalks.

And there are some of the agoraphobic spaces that exist by the physical/atemporal elements such as tight adjacency of walls.

Through the exploration today, I'm thinking about exploring the various/possible routes to get to the shophouse with the minimum exposure to open spaces. ( referring to Agoraphobia of the characters in WKW in the mood for love)

references and other

To all,




Work has to increase drastically!
This is a very rich site - you should be able to get a lot from it.


The film you will make for this site analysis can and should combine different medium:
photographs, sketches, animation (from computer models), actual footage, architectural drawings.
For now i would like to see you collecting all the material, in the light (and having learnt techniques and vocabulary) of your previous analysis and approach to the film. 
What is your take on this site?
Look back at your film analysis and extract the most important points from it.


Each of you should already be working on their concept - the generative idea of the design to come (an idea that is open to changes obviously but which will keep you focused and dedicated). Also called a parti.




Bom
http://www.olafureliasson.net/
http://www.anthonymccall.com/ (another artist working with lights to create ephemeral and evanescent ever-changing spaces)
Joseph Albers - Interaction of color
James Turrell




Nott - parametric design references
- From control to design: parametric/algorithmic architecture, published by ACTAR (maybe available at the ZERO bookshop)
- Architecture in the digital age: design and manufacturing by Branko Kolarevic
- Animate form by Greg Lynn


and also
- Architecture in the digital age: design and manufacturing by Branko Kolarevic
- Performative architecture, beyond instrumentality by Branko Kolarevic and Ali Malkawi
and R&SIe website (all should explore it as they will come to give a lecture next month in Bangkok...)




Guide
Derrida - presence and absence (in Of Grammatology)
http://csmt.uchicago.edu/glossary2004/absencepresence.htm


Cake
a short and light study on voyeurism and/in architecture (with good references)
might be helpful for your site analysis






To all, I recommend to check the TED talks website, and especially this one.
For your own pleasure and curiosity satisfaction.



Post your work on the blog - now it is mandatory before Friday 1pm. (+ the previous film analysis)
Especially Yipta and Bo who did not come for tutorials today. 
And Ploy of course!




Also i am still missing CDs of the work produced in the first part of the semester 
This is very important for the creation of INDA archive.
Whoever has not submitted it yet please leave it in my box at INDA office Friday latest.

In The Mood For Love's Diner place

As promised to Aj. Camilee,

The diner's place in 'In The Mood for Love' is called 'Goldfinch Restuarant'!
Address:

Goldfinch Restaurant (also ‘Cafe de Goldfinch’)
G/F, 13-15 Lan Fong Road
Causeway Bay
Hong Kong
Tel: 25777981
Nearest MTR: Causeway Bay, exit F

found two blogs from those who went to the diner :))

http://tastytreats.wordpress.com/2007/08/12/are-you-in-the-mood-for-love/

http://www.greentea.tk/2011/03/in-mood-for-hong-kong.html

Film analysis: Days of Being Wild

In this analysis, I observed the different voyeuristic camera views including having various voyeuristic techniques like walls, stairs, eavesdropping and etc. These techniques help me judge the issue of public and private spaces based on what the director wants us viewers to see (revealing) and what he doesn't want us to see (hidden).

"In The Mood For Love" Space Analysis

In the Mood for Love, directed by Wong Kar Wai is a great film depicting camera movements where every shot is filled with excitement and mystery. The film is heavily focused on the two protagonists' facial expressions and body movements and less about the overall space is revealed. Most of the time we are only able to see either top or bottom half of the characters' bodies and every shot is closely depicted. Spaces are never revealed. Hence, the audiences have to make his/her own associations, assuming that each setting is closely linked to one another (in reality they were filmed in different countries. Apart from the apartment, most of the settings were filmed in Thailand and Cambodia). Thus, I became interested in finding out how over all picture and how the characters use the space. By taking series of snap shots and detailed observations in each scene, I was able to create axonometric drawings for some of the settings in the film.

Project 2.1 - FILM SEQUENCE BREAKDOWN

In The Mood For Love - Wong Kar Wai

By : Varis Niwatsakul (Nott)

absent Friday 1st of April

Dear all,

I will be absent on Friday 1st of April.
I am available for tutorials on Wednesday 30th after studio (from 5pm) and Thursday morning (before 10.30 am).
Please let me know what will work best for you - blog tutorials are also required!
thank you

Analysis of Esherick House

references

As promised to Bo,

_ pdf on mapping (where you will find Mark Lombardi's map) - 1st year lecture01
_ again, Edward Tufte's book on Information Visualisation and Diagrams (you should all have read it by now, but it seems you have not...)
_ pdf on diagram - 1st year lecture02


I never tire of it: POST YOUR WORK!!
And prepare well for the review.

for Friday

To start with, watch the 3 Wong Kar-wai films specified earlier. 
Again and again.


While watching those films, you might play a bit with the way you project them:
- try watching the whole film (or parts) without the sound (you will then be able to really focus on the image, the visual rhythm)
- cover parts of the screen with paper: half, 2/3 (especially appropriate for 2046)... Doing so, and finding the right dimension(s) will make you focus on the framing of the film,
- play the sequence frame by frame (save screen-shots), repeat, play backwards etc.
In a nutshell be experimental even in your watching in order to de-construct the chosen film or sequence.



As Bom found out, those 3 films can be understood as a series. It is however not a necessity and you can completely appreciate one without having seen the others.
But they do share plots, intrigues and technical resolutions (and evolution) that deserve to be explored!


Those films are extremely rich, not only in terms of the very-well constructed plots (actually not complicated despite what some of you may think at first sight - watch them over and over again!), the wonderful mise-en-scene, the cinematography (colours, camera movement, framing etc.) and also the editing.
Time is an important factor to consider. Time and movement.


In this first phase, we are looking for a concept, a vocabulary and a grammar for you to develop the house project from, keeping in mind the specificity of our site, which we will approach during the second phase of the project.
You might identify a film sequence of particular interest to you.
Again you can also find a sequence repeated, re-interpreted throughout the 3 films, or a sequence ending in one and starting in another etc., or again study the overall plot structure, or the way both actors and characters appear and disappear in the 3 films - mapping out their connections).

We are asking for 2-dimensional drawings analysing and expressing the qualities you identified in the film - you can also develop your ideas and analysis in models.

Using, and somehow perverting the nature of, architectural drawings (plan, section, elevation, axonometric or isometric projections) to satisfy this purpose is strongly recommended.

You can also think of it as an hybrid between traditional architectural and filmic drawings.

This phase is quite short - the more and the earlier you will start producing the better. 

Read the brief again and see you all on Friday with your work!

Douglas vs. Bianchi

Project 1.2 Villa Shodan And Project 1.3 Villa Shodan and Eshrick House

Analysis of Villa Shodan By Lecorbusier

comparison between Villa Shodan by Lecorbusier and Eshrick House by Louis I Kahn

1.3 Fisher House & Melnikov House Comparison by Bom&Bo

recommended readings

2 essays by the film-maker Sergei Eisenstein:

Montage and architecture

A Dialectic Approach  to Film Form

CHANGE for WONG KAR-WAI

Dear all,

Considering the complexity of David Lynch's films, and the more familiar cultural context Wong Kar Wai's oeuvre would present for you, I decided to change for his films instead:

Days of Being Wild  (1990)
In the Mood for Love  (2000)
2046  (2004)

Can the first one who sees this post, make sure the rest of the group know about it ASAP.

In any case, having watched one or several of David Lynch's films would certainly not hurt you...

Farnsworth House & Curtain Wall House Comparison by Kong & Arm

These are two of my final panels for comparison phrase of Villa Savoye and Villa Bordeaux. Hope you are all enjoy

Nott

everything on CDs

Dears,
Please bring a CD with all your work from the beginning of the semester - including good photographs of your models.
This is both for your own portfolio, and for INDA's archive, and exhibition.
Besides it gives you the opportunity to revise/complete/correct your panels....
Thank you in advance!

AND POST YOUR WORK ON THE BLOG!!!

i can see no excuse for not doing it now