Designed by PENSON, Google Engineering's new London offices are a giddy exercise in science fiction set decoration, replete with smooth white surfaces and bold solid colors. I'll admit that as I paged through the publicity images, it was a little hard to take them seriously. — fastcodesign.com
5 Comments
keep them at work, keep them fed, keep them producing google... i don't know about science fiction set, but definitely an ad agency set... time to conceive children at work. giggle and google, twins.
I don't know...I like aspects of it, but it feels a little predetermined and stagey. Obviously pictures with people and clutter in it would make it feel more human.
File under Architecture and Film
The Kubrick set design allusion is to his long time collaborator Ken Adams (Dr. Strangelove, etc). Adams was also the production designer of the early James Bond films: Dr No, Goldfinger, You Only Live Twice, Diamonds Are Forever. Adams declined to work on 2001but his influence here is clear. The interior design references watered down NASA enlivened with 60's disco sci-fi camp. This has all the warmth of a sperm-donor clinic.
eric chavkin
I was asked to clarify on if this is. Adams or Kubricks. vision in the films?
In a word , the production designer sets the look. And this is done is pre-production, along with the director, producer and cinematographer.
A little on Kubrick
I know Kubrick's work well. He and I are from the same neighborhood in the Bronx. In fact, I know how he first got into film. He was originally a photo-journalist and friend of documentary filmmaker Morris Engel and his wife, photographer Ruth Orkin . Kubrick asked Morris "how do you make a film." Morris replied just point the camera and shoot. That simple.
Kubrick's sensibility is realism, an almost hyper realism for accuracy, which would seem to contradict Adams obvious stylization. The 2001 connection, or disconnect, is this. Kubrick was already in pre-production with NASA consultants, Adams now involved with the blockbuster Bond films. To get a feeling of the realist-modern aesthic split look at Dr Strangelove. Realism in the cockpitand almost photo-journalism war scenes vrs the modern war room set piece. Now for some coffee.
Thanks Eric!
Block this user
Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?
Archinect
This is your first comment on Archinect. Your comment will be visible once approved.