ARCHITECTURE AND THE IMAGINATION

A documentary produced and directed by Iain Mitchell about his grandfather, the architect Gavin McConnell and his designs for Balwearie High School in Kirkcaldy.

VIEW THE FUTURE CITY OF LONDON WITH DUNCAN

This short film is part of a multi year project called ‘1000 Londoners’ by the Glasgow and London-based film studio, Chocolate Films. The film series offers an insight into the lives of 1000 people who consider themselves to be Londoners, taking in all ages, religions, race, income, interests and opinions. The aim of the project is to improve understanding and community cohesion by enabling Londoners to learn more about the people who share their city. This particular film is no.216, Duncan from Hackney and he is an architectural model maker.

NEIGHBOURS

Released in 1952, this Oscar-winning short film by Scottish Canadian animator, Norman McLaren is a parable about two people who come to blows over the possession of a flower. The artist animates the actors by employing principles normally used to put drawings or puppets into motion.

ELEVATION

'Elevation' is Dezeen’s latest investigation into what could become a utopian drone-filled future or a dystopian nightmare. One thing is certain - drones’ presence within our cities is already a reality.
With thoughts and predictions from Norman Foster, Paul Priestman, Liam Young and Anab Jain it’s an insightful watch!

BARBICANIA

Ila Bêka and Louise Lemoine, internationally known for their unique take on architecture, settled for a month in the heart of the Barbican. The film, built as a personal diary, recounts the discoveries made during their urban stay from the top floors of the towers to the underground levels of the art centre.

Capturing a month-long immersion in the life of the Barbican Centre and Barbican Estate in London, Barbicania, released in 2014, portrays one of the most representative achievements of brutalist architecture. Shaped as a diary, the documentary questions the durability of this post Second World War utopia while recounting the directors’ discoveries throughout the many floors of the towers: an intimate portrayal of the personalities, lifestyle, and architectural landscapes that make the Barbican residential estate so unique. Through an impressive gallery of portraits, Barbicania draws an intimate human map of the place, breathing life into this harsh district and questioning the durability of this utopia from the 50s.

‘Barbicania’ by Ila Beka and Louise Lemoine