Film School from James Wong on Vimeo.
In the attempt to explain the full story of my design, the ideas and themes emerged through film and cinematic analogies it has for architecture; I satisfy a holistic approach in meeting the 'conditions'.
I have decided to run with a digitally based school (capable of work like 'Gollum') looking thoroughly into its functional requirements. These include the housing of render farms, the need for green screens or green backdrops, technician/ repair areas, ground floor storage for dolly's and vehicle access (for ease of transportation of equipment to outdoor shots), and lecture style computer labs. I have carefully planned quality day-lit working spaces by introducing a light shaft along the centreline of the building making sure a consistent relationship is maintained with the other 'conditions'. I have observed little need for using up treasured space for providing an outdoor space for these digital students, when a big part of my design is to encourage filming outdoors.
My building seeks to celebrate the 'event' of transition. Be it the transition of entry, vertical access, or passage; they all tell a story with a cinematic analogy. Entry into the building and passage into rooms can be made in many ways, even through an unseen slit in the wall (easy to miss when travelling along Marion street). By making people crouch, climb, and squeeze through walls in my building I am able to encourage a greater interaction and relationship with the architecture. There is no one way of enjoying these events. Everyone has different preferences, and this difference is also transferable to difference in style and creativity. Students will develop a unique way of interacting and experiencing the building; further encouraging creativity. The transition of darkness-to-light and light-to-darkness encourages the appreciation of light and ones adaptation to it; an analogy that teaches much about the essence of film. As one walks up the spiral staircase, the angle of view, and the leading of the handrail facilitates the capture of a spectacular part of the architecture; the play and sacredness of light washed over the east 'disc' interior wall. The transition of walking into a dark room, letting the eye adapt to the surroundings which facilitates an experience of realising the unknown, is an event to be celebrated.
The condition of having an strong street facade and exploring it further architecturally has been met by illustrating the fact that 'film is an illusion of movement'. Just as film is a combination of static images made to appear moving, my facade and the 1st floor corridor speaks of that illusion of movement too. The analogy that I wanted to bring from my first project (Set Design) is the idea that the architecture should facilitate the assumptions of the user. This is clear, simple and purposefully illustrated by the east Marion street facade, alluding to a film reel. Just as a book symbolises teaching and knowledge even though we may not always read books to attain it; straight away as one looks upon the building, one assumes 'film'.
