Architecture in Cinema Series (Door)

“All Doors are closed for you”

-which contextually translates as there are no more chances. Doors are considered as Opportunities in various cases. Likewise, it is an opportunity to pass through a plane in architecture.

The door is essentially a puncture on the plane surface allowing the passage through it. It serves as both Entry and Exit. Doors are always security concerned one. Mani door location and entry plays a pivotal role in Determining the Vastu for the House/Building.

There are so many types of doors: Pushing, Pulling, Rotated, Sliding, automated, etc. It is not that easy as the doors are sometimes poorly designed which confuses its users. These doors are called Norman doors by Don Norman in his book ‘The Design of Everyday Things’.

Here, Norman says that the designer should concentrate on the user behavioural sciences and basic logic before aesthetics. To indicate these door functions another level of indication/information is used. It is called as ‘Signifiers’ by Don Norman.

Collage from Ricky Gui Documents Over 600 Hidden Doors Around Singapore. copyright Ricky Gui

Door with different handles to intense different purposes.

For example, there are two doors (ie) one is meant to be pulled and another one is meant to be pushed. In the first picture, the door handle indicates that it should be pulled. In the second picture, the door handle is replaced by a small plate which indicates that it should be pushed.
The door can be interpreted as the symbol with the frame, type, and material used in it. These doors are already interpreted by K.Balachander in his movie ‘Varumaiyin Niram Sivappu’. Doors and its frames are portrayed based on every character and their economic status etc.
This was explained by the Vinoth Varadarajan in his youtube video. He explains the doors assigned to each character and their emotions in a logical way.
These pictures are from Varumayin Niram Sivappu — The Significance Of Doors by Vinoth Varadharajan.
The door materials also play a great role in designing. Types of wood, plywood, laminates, steel doors, Glass doors, etc. The sizes of the doors vary to a great extent in designs. Starting from the compound wall gate to the toilet doors, different doors are used in construction.
Door handles also play an important role as they decide the usage of the doors. In our tradition and architecture, doors are mostly customized as per the need and wishes of the users. From Temple’s doors which has a larger entry for elephants and another small entry for humans.
Temple door at Varadarajaswamy temple at Kancheepuram. copyright to © https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/countries/india-photos/?source=link_fb20101104indiagallery
Collage house bu S+PS associates have designed the facade by reclaiming and reusing the old doors and windows. Copyright to © S+PS ARCHITECTS
More than an element of security and privacy, the door is an aesthetical element. Architect Pinkish shah has utilized this and created a brilliant facade with recycled doors collage and has given a hint about this building.

The various influences in the architecture of the subcontinent can be seen in the doors. British, french, dutch, temples, Islam, etc influenced the doors all over the country which aligns with the user’s option and choice.

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