Archinect - News

Archiculture, a documentary film following architecture students, to premiere later this month

2013-04-11T19:42:00-04:00

Archiculture takes a thoughtful, yet critical look at the architectural studio. The film offers a unique glimpse into the world of studio-based, design education through the eyes of a group of students finishing their final design projects. Interviews with leading professionals, historians and educators help create crucial dialog around the key issues faced by this unique teaching methodology.

As some of you might recall, we interviewed the filmmakers back in 2008 (5 years ago!) here on Archinect. Well, it seems that the world will finally see what they've been working on, starting with the world premiere at the Newport Beach Film Festival on April 29th.

"Beyond Entropy Angola" Documentary

2013-02-27T18:40:00-05:00

Documentary of the making of the first Angolan National Pavilion at the 2012 Venice Architecture Biennale. Shot over the Summer of 2012, it goes to show how one simple (and brilliant) idea may very well change the future sustainability of developing countries. And maybe the rest of the world as well.

PBS architecture show to explore story behind Gehry-designed Ruvo clinic

2012-12-20T12:56:00-05:00

[...] the Gehry story is about how Ruvo lost his father to Alzheimer's and wanted to bring a world-class architect to Las Vegas … if he could attract Gehry, maybe then he gets the Cleveland Clinic. Let’s go after the best architect and then the best clinic.

Unfinished Spaces premieres tomorrow night on PBS; Archinect talks to the filmmaker

2012-10-11T17:54:00-04:00

Unfinished Spaces, a film that we've previously covered here on Archinect, is a documentary about the ambitious Cuban National Art School project, conceived, and ultimately killed, by the revolutionary communist Cuban regime.

In addition to an exhaustive schedule of screenings, it will be televised, for the first time, tomorrow night on PBS (10pm).

In 1961, three young, visionary architects were commissioned by Fidel Castro and Che Guevara to create Cuba's National Art Schools on the grounds of a former golf course in Havana, Cuba. Construction of their radical designs began immediately and the school's first classes soon followed. Dancers, musicians and artists from all over the country reveled in the beauty of the schools, but as the dream of the Revolution quickly became a reality, construction was abruptly halted and the architects and their designs were deemed irrelevant in the prevailing political climate. Forty years later the schools are in use, but remain unfinished...

Herman's House

2012-10-05T12:59:00-04:00

In 1972, Herman was serving a 25-year sentence for bank robbery when he was accused of murdering an Angola Prison guard and immediately thrown into solitary. Many believed he was wrongfully convicted. Then in 2001 he received a letter from art student Jackie Sumnell, who posed the provocative question: "What kind of house does a man who has lived in a six-foot-by-nine-foot cell for over 30 years dream of?"

AI WEIWEI: NEVER SORRY

2012-07-31T17:26:00-04:00

Alison Klayman gained unprecedented access to the charismatic artist, as well as his family and others close to him, while working as a journalist in Beijing. In the years she filmed, government authorities shut down Ai's blog, beat him up, bulldozed his newly built studio, and held him in secret detention--while Time Magazine named him a runner-up for 2011's Person of the Year... Klayman's compelling documentary portrait is the inside story of a passionate dissident for the digital age...

Wim Wenders responds to rumors about Zumthor feature film

2012-07-11T14:08:00-04:00

Wim Wender's studio has informed us that the information relayed the other day, was not entirely accurate, due to misinformation in Suedostschweiz, the source article as cited in our recent news post.

It is correct that Mr Wenders is currently working on an artistic interview film with Peter Zumthor for the upcoming Biennale. This short film, however, will be a unique contribution to this year's Biennale only and has nothing to do whatsoever with Mr Wenders' intention to do a feature documentary on Mr Zumthor at a later point of time. It is certainly not a trailer for the feature documentary. These are two completely different projects with the Biennale short film being singularly exhibited at the Biennale and with no connection to a possible feature documentary.

Kickstart: 9 Chains (Buckminster Fuller in Philadelphia)

2012-03-21T20:41:00-04:00

Buckminster Fuller was an inventor, architect and "futurist" who made a very large impact on American culture and technology in the 20th century. “9 Chains” explores his presence in the city of Philadelphia between 1973-1980. Moving between documentary style presentation of the facts and pure abstraction, this work focuses on two projects Fuller worked on while in Philadelphia: the lecture series "Everything I Know" and the development of the World Game Institute.

Check out Archinect's latest curatorial pick at Kickstarter. To view all of our selections visit Kickstarter.com/Archinect.

Life Architecturally documentary with Rob McBride and Debbie Ryan

2012-02-27T23:12:00-05:00

Life Architecturally follows internationally acclaimed husband and wife team, architect Robert McBride and interior designer Debbie Ryan... This intimate documentary observes the pressures of building a multi-story, twin-tower development; revolutionary new schools, one in the shape of an infinity symbol, and the ongoing construction and design of their own family home – which is on the backburner once again due to how busy they are.

Ordos 100, directed by Ai Weiwei

2012-02-22T17:16:00-05:00

Directed by Ai Weiwei (China, 2012). Official Selection International Film Festival Rotterdam 2012. Ordos 100 is a construction project curated by Herzog & de Meuron and Ai Weiwei. One hundred architects from 27 countries were chosen to participate and each design a 1000-square-meter villa to be built in a new community in Inner Mongolia. The 100 villas would be designed to fit a master plan designed by Ai Weiwei.

Imploding the Pruitt-Igoe Myth

2012-01-20T21:22:00-05:00

Nearly 40 years after its destruction, the people interviewed for the film continue to wrestle with Pruitt-Igoe's legacy and its place in their lives. They love it and hate it, but don't resent it. Despite the piles of trash, mountains of drugs, and preponderance of crime, this was their home. For some, it was their first proper dwelling.

‘Eames - The Architect and the Painter’ - Review

2011-11-18T00:29:17-05:00

...the most gratifying thing about “Eames” is that it shows, in marvelous detail, how their work was an extension of themselves and how their distinct personalities melded into a unique and protean force. The film is also appropriately busy and abundant: full of objects, information, stories and people, organized with hectic elegance.

Tell Me a Story, 'Urbanized'

2011-11-07T18:59:37-05:00

As he has moved through the design professions, Hustwit has scaled up from a single typeface (Helvetica) through industrial design (Objectified) and now to cities. Each one has followed essentially the same structure, talking heads interspersed with images, one person and one idea leading to the next. No voiceover. No narrative. No critique. And not a lot of style. As Hustwit told Adam Harrison Levy, that’s the way he wants it.

John Portman, Symphonic Architect

2011-10-20T01:41:57-04:00

Now 86 and still running his Atlanta-based firm, John Portman & Associates, the architect is the focus of a new documentary, “John Portman: A Life of Building,” which premieres tomorrow at the Architecture & Design Film Festival in Manhattan. Mr. Portman recently spoke with a reporter about his career.

And for more information about the film go to www.johnportmanfilm.com

Genre de Vie - a documentary about the social effect of the bicycle revival

2011-07-25T20:33:07-04:00

In short we will research the relationship between man and their living environment, the city, with the bicycle as the discovering function. This will partially be done by interviews with architects, city planners and people in control at the local government while on the other hand the people who create the urban bike culture; the cyclist in these cities.

Unfinished Spaces: Film Review

2011-06-22T00:53:50-04:00

An excellent documentary about a spectacular but unfinished architectural project that strongly reflects the arc of the Cuban experience of the past 60 years.

The Hollywood Reporter reviews Unfinished Spaces, as mentioned here last week.

"Unfinished Spaces" to premiere this weekend in Los Angeles

2011-06-16T18:23:00-04:00

In 1961, three young, visionary architects were commissioned by Fidel Castro and Che Guevara to create the world's most beautiful art school on the grounds of a former golf course in Havana, Cuba. Construction of their radical designs began immediately and the school's first classes soon followed. But as the dream of the Revolution quickly became a reality, construction was abruptly halted and the architects and their designs were deemed irrelevant in the prevailing political climate.

A friend in the independent film industry has mentioned that this film is getting rave reviews. It will be premiering this weekend at the Los Angeles Film Festival. View the trailer here.

UNFINISHED SPACES
Following their emotional exile from Cuba in 1965, three architects return forty years later to finish what was considered the world's most spectacular and futuristic art school, but was left to ruin by the country's Revolution.

In 1961, three young, visionary architects were commissioned by Fidel Castro and Che Guevara to create Cuba's National Art Schools on the grounds of a former golf course in Havana, Cuba. Construction of their radical designs began immediately and the school's first classes soon followed. Dancers, musicians and artists from all over the country reveled in the beauty of the schools, but as the dream of the Revolution quickly became a reality, construction was abruptly halted and the architects and their designs were deemed irrelevant in the prevaili...