Leeds School of Architecture 2021 - 2022
Awards:
Winner of the Frank Sykes Architectural Prize Award
Runner up of the MadeAtUni Creative Sparks Competition
MArch 02
Cinematic Commons
Cinematic Commons, our architectural design studio, is a unique hub that seamlessly blends the realms of cinema and architecture. At Cinematic Commons, we understand that both these disciplines share a common language: the art of storytelling. Our studio aims to portray the perfect harmony between form and function, intertwining the captivating elements of film with the practicality of architectural design. Drawing inspiration from the precedence of cinematic history, we evoke a powerful agenda for our architectural interventions. The initial starting point is to create a film portraying the world whilst studying during a global pandemic.
The Port of Transition:
Bridging a Dissociative Society
This design brief is to investigate the physical and emotional relationships formed within parts of the Hong Kong region. The initial development begins by studying filmic elements of the Hong Kong cinematic New Wave Movement which began in the late 1970s. In this instance the filmic output is that of Wong Kar-Wai’s famous Chungking Express (1994). The outcome of this research will establish trends and emotional relationships which will in turn contribute to the creation of four protagonist characters.
These characters will then form a rationale for the architectural intervention, the space will provide aid to their individual situations which will result in a conclusive filmic output, an animation short demonstrating the characters storyline, agendas and the way in which they interact with the final proposition. By delving into the context of the city and through references of Chungking Express, the project identifies the use of the marketplace and airport as a means of social interactions. A comparative study will recognise the contrasting factors but also the emotional and sensory moments which both environments house.
A Glitch in the System
The cumulation of the overall project, The Port of Transition animation short identifies the four protagonists, the Traveller, the Widow, the Officer and the Market Seller. It follows the characters stories throughout the intervention, envisioning the interior and exterior of the site.