Cinema is a discipline that has the opportunity to present all the predictions imagined to human life. It includes immense variety with its conceptual objects in several fields. It often deals with the multidimensional depiction of the body moving in space. Herewith, it designs the architectural space in several forms and presents the audience with different architectural spaces. It also provides people with an opportunity to experience various architectural spaces about human and human life. Research has found that these architectural spaces, which contain unlimited imagination and visuals, acquire many people, especially architects, different perspectives on the present and future. Considering the relationship of science fiction with the future, the potential of science fiction films to affect architecture and the human mind is inevitable. At this point, it is also significant to ask whether science fiction films are a qualified prediction for the future or not. Let us now analyze which used notions for describing the future spaces in science fiction movies.
1. The Neglect of Human Scale
The neglecting of human scale are in the foreground in science fiction movies. Moviemakers define these spaces by using the shooting from the ceiling and using narrow spaces. These spaces that are gigantic buildings rising in the city also are devoid of daylight. Metropolis is a remarkable example of these spaces. The Metropolis that is representative of modern architecture draws the image of an enormous city vertically. Because of this, the overwhelming dominance of architectural space’s heights over people read in every space of Metropolis. Overwhelming spaces have reached a more emphatic expression with the colors used in the interiors in Metropolis. From this point of view, when we look at the present day, the overwhelming presence of skyscrapers reveals spaces that isolate themselves from people.
2. Use of New Materials and Techniques
In science fiction films, the materials and technology used are as remarkable as the architectural space dimensions. It is possible to come across places equipped with modern technologies in these movies. However, the technologies used in these movies are almost the same as today. The long-span structures, gigantic architectural spaces, reveal that there have been developments in construction technology. At the same time, thanks to the developing technology, it is possible to see vertically rising digital screens in architectural spaces. These screens, which are unmistakable large in size, make it difficult to read the architectural space. According to some researchers, these screens highlight mobility by participating in the facade of buildings.
3. Nostalgic Traces in Architecture Spaces
Many science fiction films read to the past through buildings and architectural spaces. When you watch these movies, you come across details linking to the past. Places that seek traces of the past with a deep sense of nostalgia are in the foreground. The city consists of abandoned and demolished buildings. Thus someone looking at the city read the old-new coexistence in architectural spaces. For instance, the impressive restaurant in the movie Brazil appears with its complex image based on the old-new combination. People describe its plumbing duct that comes out like tree roots as a place that tries to keep up with its period. Its eclectic structure enables people, especially architects with the creation of space scenarios for the future.
4. Hierarchy in Architecture Spaces
The increasing population and the changing in power in the city in science fiction movies are handled. In this situation, sovereign powers think of architecture as a tool. They usually provide this with vertically developing structures. Architectural spaces offered by vertical structures are rather cramped and crowded. Therefore, the majority of people concern about future architecture. Because the lack of an equal distribution causes these spaces to be disconnected from society and without identity.
It is clear that science fiction movies play a key role in shaping the future of architecture. First of all, these movies help people determine the effects of the architectural spaces that movie makers put forward in the imagination of the future. Thus people, especially architects, define the criteria of the architectural spaces shaping the future. Secondly, it consists of comparing reflected architectural spaces in movies and today’s architectural space. This situation offers extensive architectural content. Thirdly, it presents different future scenarios. Thus it provides an experimental environment that facilitates the production of architectural spaces in the human mind. In brief, the science fiction genre predicts the future architectural space consciously or unconsciously. These films, which have the approach to produce fascinating spaces, offer an architectural discussion environment that does not limit the imagination. This situation creates new spaces which contribute to the development of architecture continuously. Today, we see that the above features criticized in science fiction movies are becoming more and more common in many architectural spaces. The majority of people are inclined to disagree that these movies improve the future of architecture because these approaches seem far from scientific. Yet, I wholeheartedly endorse the opinion that these approaches are a source of inspiration for generating ideas for the future.
Reference List
- Articles
Abouhela, I.M., Al-Gohary, A. and Dewedar, K. (n.d.). Significance of Future Architecture in Science Fiction Films. [online] Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/306000011_Significance_of_Future_Architecture_in_Science_Fiction_Films.
- Online sources
Haridy, R. (2018). Science Fiction Cities: How our future visions influence the cities we build. [online] New Atlas. Available at: https://newatlas.com/science-fiction-cities-future-urban-visions-architecture/55569/ [Accessed Jul. 28AD].
- Images
Archives du 7e Art/UFA (n.d.). Gigantic Buildings Rising in the City in Metropolis. Available at: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0017136/mediaviewer/rm62934784/ [Accessed Jul. 28AD].
David Beckett (n.d.). The Interior View in Metropolis. Available at: https://www.myreviewer.com/DVD/137081/Metropolis-Special-Edition-Reconstructed-and-Restored-The-Masters-of-Cinema-Series/137138/Review-by-Jitendar-Canth [Accessed Jul. 28AD].
Bros, W. (n.d.). The digital screen example in Science Fiction Movies. Available at: https://variety.com/2017/film/columns/how-blade-runner-became-a-geek-metaphor-for-art-1202583468/ [Accessed Jul. 28AD].
Walber, D. (n.d.). Old-New Coexistence in Brazil. Available at: http://thefilmexperience.net/blog/2017/9/4/the-furniture-brazils-pungent-pot-of-duct-soup.html [Accessed Jul. 28AD].
