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Spitalfields International Film School

Part 2 Project 2007
Matthew Hynam
Ameer Kotze
 University of the West of England | UK
Preparatory studies for the Film School provided engagement with the film making process, and the production of a building conceived as film.

‘Imaginary Construction’ explored techniques for capturing the site area on film.

‘Thresholds’ explored the link between thresholds and filmic transitions.

‘Narrative Generation’ used character plots to generate four dimensional spaces from behind the camera.

The wall running through the school reacts to a myriad of notional dividing lines that exist on the Spitalfields site and creates a series of thresholds, allowing users to seamlessly connect with spaces as if being part of a film, effectively setting up a persistence of vision.


The main thematic and conceptual concern of this project is the relationship(s) between film and architecture. Not simply architecture conceived as set-design but a more thoughtful exploration of the possibilities of the filmic imagination for architecture. Through preliminary studies investigating contextual cues within the site area, filmic layering within space and experience of architecture as narrative, the design of the International Film School was developed as a composition of spatial sequences. Within these sequences the experience of moving around the building is constantly measured by entering the central, twin, brick wall spine – an interstitial zone where the functional meets the unexpected.
Tutor(s)
2007
‘Market + Intervention = Labyrinth’ the resulting short film from Imaginary Construction a twelve week study of the site area in Spitalfields involving designing and filming a spatial intervention.
'Ritual Study' A day long study to explore rituals and develop methods for observing and interpreting the way people inhabit space.
'Between Cities' was the resulting short film from a 'threshold study' examining links between thresholds and filmic transitions.
The 'Narrative Generation' study was used to aid the initial development of the film school, unlocking design requirements that when thinking simply in terms of volume and spatial use would not have been apparent.
Site plan, The lines can be seen not only as a spatial boundary, but also as a boundary in time. Crossing the line sees you enter a new frame.
View of school looking down Brushfield Street towards Hawksmoor's church. The wall sets up a visual threshold between past and present Spitalfields.
Ground floor plan, showing exhibition space and small studio.
Public side elevation.
Exhibition space below large theatre on the public side of the school
Exhibtion space
Backs of wardrobes from inside the wall.
Door to AVID suite.
School at night looking up Brushfield Street towards Liverpool Street Station.
Plan showing small studio with glass wall for filming road movies against the busy backdrop of Brushfield Street Spitalfields.
Section showing small studio, makeup / changing facilities and AVID suites.
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