Architecture in Cinema Series (Wall)
Wall is a surface which is predominantly considered as a support and barrier. Also, they engage in both functions effectively, there is a lot more to the wall in construction as well as in movies.

There are movies where a predominant architecture element or architecture itself creates a strong impact. For example the wall, a predominant architecture element creates an impact in various movies. The fence in ‘The Boy in the striped pyjamas’ creates an impact on the viewers as an important element that travels throughout the movie. The side to the jews after the fence is shown as dry land and the side to the Nazis is shown as a lush green covered area.

Pounding away at the Berlin Wall in November 1989.copyright © Reuters

Poster from the movie copyright to © https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/boy-striped-pyjamas-review/

If architecture is a language then the wall is its verb. Similarly, the wall acts as a verb for the movie Madras. Another movie is ‘Madras’ which has the same architectural element as a base to emote the people in the movie. A wall that has been used for a political campaign for years and fights for the rights of the wall for political advertising is the main plot of the movie. This movie takes place in the housing board of Chennai. It deals with rights, inequality, politics, ownership of the wall to the people in the Housing board.

The prominent wall which is used for the political campaign in the movie ‘Madras’.copyright to © https://venkatarangan.com/blog/2015/09/madras-2014/

A wall is the major visual area for any constructed building. It acts more than a support for the building.

Street art by Kashmira Sarode in Kannagi Nagar. Photo by Pranav Gohil.

Wall is very powerful.It controls the environment around it. For example, In Kannagi Nagar housing boards the walls are painted to create an artistic feel. It has been converted to an art district of chennai.

A building defaced by graffiti tags. Image by Casey Kelbaugh for the New York Times.

Wall art a few times is done as an act of vandalism. Graffiti in various places with sensitive words and sentences are considered as vandalism. These are most commonly found in old buildings, Monuments and in subways etc.

Wall determines the shape and size of the room. Wall can be utilized and can be made more functional as well as aesthetic by adding more value to it. From creating wall intended storage to featured walls, it can be utilized in every way.

Neuendorf House, Mallorca is a primary example where the wall is used in the utmost way. Walls in the house are made with earth pigment and cement. This provides a cool and aesthetic appealing structure. The form of the house is Orthogonal. Apart from the curved wall screening off the bathroom upstairs, everything else is solid perfect sharp edges.
At first, the house is started with a long, large wall which is accompanied by the large rectangular steps to reach the house. While nearing the house wall started to be less dominating and reduced in its height. Then it is provided with a breakup of a tennis court in its right. It is accessed through a series of steps that transcend down. It is bounded with large walls.
The House itself is surrounded by the same height walls on all sides. The only entrance to the house is provided with a narrow split on the wall. It proceeds into an open courtyard. The wall on the left is provided with a slab extension for seating purposes. Then the wall in the center transcends into the interiors of the house. It is thicker than other walls to make it look more substantial.
On the right side of the courtyard, a large opening on the wall is provided and it is covered. It is used as a dining area. This is provided with another similar large opening. This provides a breathtaking view of the swimming pool and down the hill. The house is provided with small openings on different levels for welcoming the sunlight into it. This as well as created a light and shadow effect on the walls next to it. In the whole house, only one curved wall is provided to screen the toilet.
In the Neuendorf House, John Pawson and Claudio Silvestrin are manipulative gods. Like puppeteers, they dangle people by strings, playing with their emotions, leading them along pathways and across thresholds, testing, and astonishing them.

Like composers and film directors, they build suspense, provoke uncertainty, and provide resolution. Architecture is the means by which they do this. And in this house, their chief instrument of manipulation is the wall.

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