Hello there, I am here to talk about a wonderful place! Today we are delving into the post-apocalyptic society brought to life by the show adaptation of the iconic role-playing video game franchise, Fallout. The show transports the public to the aftermath of the Great War of 2077 – an apocalyptical result from a nuclear exchange between the United States of America and China – an alternative reality from Earth where nuclear technologies advanced after WWII emerged in a retrofuturistic reality, defining a society teetering on the edge of survival, many of those took refuge in bunkers, called Vaults, produced by the major company Vault-Tec.
Amidst this devastated world, the company’s main goal was to produce nuclear defence, focusing on revolutionising safety for an uncertain future, for that they designed the Vault systems, described as a wonderful place, not made by God almighty but by the working man. Known for revolutionising nuclear safety, Vault-Tec’s mission was to create sanctuaries for an uncertain future, offering protection within the three-foot-thick lead walls, capable of shielding inhabitants from radiation and external threats.
Set in 2296, more than two centuries after the first bombs fell, the show presents two contrasting environments: the secure, peaceful, and isolated lives of the Vault dwellers and the harsh, survival-driven existence of those in the wasteland; both communities search for specifics ways to survive and organisation, considering the available resources. This review will explore the architectural themes of adaptive reuse, post-apocalyptic urbanism, community spaces, and life within the Vaults.
Ready to be Fallout-ed?
The entire architecture and interior design used inside the show works to create a dramatic look, it uses the Googie style, built on accentuated angles born in Southern California by John Lautner; The architectural critic Douglas Haskell first adopted the term to describe the architectural movement that started with a coffee shop and eventually became the aesthetic of the futuristic design.
The Googie style is very preset inside the vaults, it is possible to say that the style contrasts with the post-apocalyptic environment, transcribing it in the incredibly safe life inside the vault shelters and presented by the lovely main character Lucy MacLean, alongside the long list of abilities she developed during her years inside the shelter she presents the internal dynamic. In general, the environment presents a 1970s style with vibrant colours and patterns, mixed with the retro futuristic gadgets developed by the biggest corporation in the world.
The aesthetic became popular with its viewers, not only for its nostalgic feeling of mid-20th-century futurism but also for how it complements the tension between the perceived utopia within the Vaults and the harsh reality outside. Inside the Vaults, the visual maintains the sense of a preserved world, frozen in time contrasting with the decayed and irradiated landscape above. It serves as a reminder of the fragility of human civilization while pursuing the sense of longing for a past that never truly existed.
Rise from the Ashes: Reimagining Ruins in a Post-Apocalyptic World
The show constantly holds the viewers’ attention to the details in the set design and architecture, creating a complete immersion in this duality. The Vaults with their Googie-inspired interiors, represent a world of comfort, where survival and peace are possible, against the outside world, with its crumbling ruins and scavenged resources is a testament to the inevitable that follows such a catastrophic event. Through this lens, Fallout not only explores the physical spaces and how they influence each character’s lives but delves into the psychological impact that the local environment influences inside of us.
Inside this long journey through this post-apocalyptic landscape, the public will explore these contrasting environments reflecting the broader themes of survival, identity, and the human capacity for hope in the face of overwhelming adversities. Each Vault was designed to be self-sufficient, at the time it was commissioned and constructed around 122 Vaults. The show mostly focuses on Vault 33, where our main character starts her discovery path; this specific shelter maintains a corn plantation, and the entire circadian cycle is controlled by an artificial lighting system. This control over the environment within the Vault is not just a technological and psychological feat, but it also aims to maintain the mental well-being of its inhabitants, protecting them from the chaotic and unpredictable world above.
The Vault 33, where our main character Lucy begins her journey, presents a carefully designed environment, from its agricultural system to its living quarters, reflecting the well-thought-out effort to preserve the longtime no-see normalcy and humanity in a world that has otherwise been lost. However, the presented artificiality of this existence raises questions about what it means to truly thrive and live.
Spoiler Alert!
While confronting the outside reality, the public might start to realise that the Vault System is not only for the protection of humanity, as presented inside the shelters. The missing piece of this perfect world shows that all can be a lie, and designed by the biggest corporations in the world to test and manipulate the internal society.
The show explores its inhabitants and allows viewers to reflect on the balance between safety and freedom, control and chaos, and all the questions that humanity will go to preserve its existence. The first season of Fallout leaves its viewers with a mix of revelations and unanswered questions that set the stage for what comes next. The show presents with mastery its exploration of post-apocalyptic survival with deeper reflections on human nature, power, and the lengths to which societies will go to preserve their way of living.
Okey Dokey! To sum up, through the lens of architecture and design, Fallout invites us to consider how the space we inhabit shapes our identities, our choices, and ultimately, our fate.
The show is available on Amazon Prime Video.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0CN4J59BF/ref=atv_hm_hom_c_lZOsi7_2_4?jic=8%7CEgNhbGw%3D
References:
Armstrong, N. (2024) Fallout review: This adaptation of the post-apocalyptic video game franchise is ‘a vivid, brutal romp’, BBC News. Available at: https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20240410-fallout-review-this-adaptation-of-the-post-apocalyptic-video-game-franchise-is-a-vivid-brutal-romp (Accessed: 28 August 2024).
Collins, C. (2024) In ‘fallout,’ mid century modern aesthetics survive the Nuclear Apocalypse, Architectural Digest. Available at: https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/in-fallout-midcentury-modern-aesthetics-survive-the-nuclear-apocalypse (Accessed: 28 August 2024).
Machkovech, S. (2024) Welcome, vault dwellers: A guide to the fallout universe, The New York Times. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/10/arts/fallout-game-show.html (Accessed: 28 August 2024).
Peppers , P. (no date) Fallout TV Show Season 1 Explained | Breakdown | Recap & Review, YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmv6sFflWWU (Accessed: 27 August 2024).
Webster, A. (2024) Bringing fallout’s gritty retrofuturism into the real world, The Verge. Available at: https://www.theverge.com/24137217/fallout-amazon-prime-video-production-design-interview (Accessed: 27 August 2024).
