Architecture Portfolio | The Promenade in Architecture

Towards a Clear Continuum

The Promenade in Architecture

This work is intended for design students and scholars alike, who wish to explore the historical implementation of the promenade and the association between architecture and cinema. The intent of this dissertation is to initiate a dialectic between film and architectural theory to provide professionals with a platform for understanding the architectural promenade and thus apply its principles to resonate with the modern age.

Ayaz Khan

Towards a Clear Continuum

The Promenade in Architecture Ayaz Khan

Towards a CLEAR Continuum

The Promenade in Architecture

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Acknowledgements

Abstract

I owe much of this work to those who have allowed me to become a better version of myself over the course of my time at Huddersfield.

Architects use an array of instruments to communicate design, one of which is the promenade. The promenade is an experience that engages the traveller’s senses. Le Corbusier stated that an architectural promenade is a sequence of phenomena which reveal themselves as the individual traverses the architecture.

It has been developed throughout history and has been adapted architecturally as well as cinematically to communicate a sequential progression through a multitude of phenomena. This work will examine the historical interpretations of the promenade from the Acropolis in Athens to more recent implementations in Oriental, Islamic and Cinematic realms. A contemporary analysis will also be undertaken which focuses on two distinct architects: Le Corbusier and Bernard Tschumi, both of whom employ techniques in their promenades which have been influenced by the cinematic industry to form a journey for the traverser. The primary aim of this research is to determine whether there are similarities between the varied promenades designed by the two aforementioned architects. In addition, this research aims to determine how these similarities can be applied as a design tool in the future and to what extent the cinematic industry may influence future architectural promenade design. This work is intended for design students and scholars alike, who wish to explore the historical implementation of the promenade and the association between architecture and cinema. The intent of this dissertation is to initiate a dialectic between film and architectural theory to provide professionals with a platform for understanding the architectural promenade and thus apply its principles to resonate with the modern age.

My sincere thanks go to my personal supervisor Sophia Emmanouil, year tutor Gerard Bareham and SpLD tutor Kendra Morley, who have been three bright guiding stars throughout this process. They have provided me with invaluable support which has helped fuel my aspirations and take my dissertation far and beyond its original capabilities.

Additionally, I would like to thank my family who have tried their utmost to make this turbulent time easier, with their love, encouragement, patience and most of all, good food.

I would also like to thank my friends and generally all of the students of MArch14-16, for encouraging me to critically question myself and being a ray of sunshine when the going got tough.

Finally, I would like to express my gratitude to Flora Samuel, who took time out to answer questions I had which ultimately strengthened the outcome of this research.

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Contents Abstract

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A Concise Summary

Illustrations List

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Five Stages of the Architectural Promenade

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Parc de la Villette, 1998

History of the Promenade: Past and Present

Athenian Acropolis

Cultural Influences

Architecture and Film

Bernard Tschumi-Architect of Movement

Aims, Objectives, Outline of Chapters & Methodology

Promenade of Ages

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Villa Savoye, 1931

Images, Figures & Diagrams

Threshold

Le Corbusier-Architect of a New Age

Five Stages of the Cinematic Promenade

Conclusion

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Similarities, Differences and Findings

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REFERENCES

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Appendix

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Interview with Flora Samuel

Illustrations List 5

Figure 1.1 Singh, S. K. (n.d.). Taj Mahal, India. Retrieved 1 November 2015, from http://static.readwave.com/statics/cover/b53646880a32c87f/ original.jpg?c9cd

Figure 2.1 Jitchotvisut, J. (2015). BLade Runner. Retrieved 4 December 2015, from http://3oneseven.com/wp-content/ Figure 2.2 Thalmoz. (2012). The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand. Retrieved 16 November 2015, from http://theredlist.com/media/

Figure 1.2 Dolmatch, K. (n.d.). The Great Divide, Central Park, New York. Retrieved 2 November 2015, from http://40.media.tumblr.com/ Figure 1.3 (n.d.). Acropolis, Athens, Greece. Retrieved 4 November 2015, from http://www.athens-privatetours.com/imported/tours/137771670258. jpg Figure 1.4 A look up towards the Temple of Athena Nike, image by the author.

Figure 1.5 Image edited by the author, original retrieved from: Traulos, I. N. (1981). Pictorial dictionary of ancient Athens. New York: Hacker Art Books.

Figure 2.3 Romney, J. (2014). Jacques Tati’s playtime: Life-affirming comedy. The Guardian. Retrieved 3 November 2015, from http://www. theguardian.com/film/2014/ Figure 2.4 Department of Architecture at South Dakota State University. (2015). Rem Koolhaas’ Tres Grande Bibliotheque. Retrieved 28 October 2015, from https://doarch152spring2015 Figure 3.1 Freytag’s Pyramid, diagram by the author Figure 3.2 Samuel’s Five Stages, diagram by the author

Figure 1.6 Image edited by the author, original retrieved from: Traulos, I. N. (1981). Pictorial dictionary of ancient Athens. New York: Hacker Art Books.

Figure 1.7 (2014). The Athens Parthenon. Retrieved 5 November 2015, from http://promotline.com/portfolio-view/athens_parthenon/

Figure 3.3 (n.d.). Villa Savoye, France. Retrieved 2 November 2015, from http://www.cgarchitect.com/content/ Figure 3.4 Image edited by author, original retrieved from: Collar, K. (n.d.). Savoye Entrance Path. Retrieved 26 November 2015, from https:// kirstycollar.files.wordpress.com/

Figure 1.8 Image edited by author, original retrieved from: Samuel, F. (2010). Le Corbusier and the Architectural PromenadeBirkhauser.

Figure 3.5 (n.d.). Romeo & Juliet Screencaps. Retrieved 18 November 2015, from http://screenmusings.org/movie/dvd/Romeo-and-Juliet/ Figure 1.9 T. Gunny Harboe. (2012). Retrieved 8 November 2015, from http://www.moma.org/d/assets/ Figure 3.6 Austin E. Knowlton School of Architecture. (n.d.). Entrance to Savoye. Retrieved 2 December 2015, from https://ksamedia.osu.edu/sites/ Figure 1.10 (2006). Tokyo and Japan in real-life pictures:: Japan travel photo guide. Retrieved 20 November 2015, from http://www.photopassjapan. com/images/

Figure 3.7 Image edited by author, original retrieved from: Austin E. Knowlton School of Architecture. (n.d.). Entrance to Savoye. Retrieved 2 December 2015, from https://ksamedia.osu.edu/sites/default/

Figure 1.11 Ingrid. (2015). Taliesin West, Arizona, Frank Lloyd Wright. Retrieved 25 November 2015, from http://aiphotography.com/category/ travel/

Figure 3.8 (n.d.). Romeo & Juliet Screencaps. Retrieved 18 November 2015, from http://screenmusings.org/movie/dvd/Romeo-and-Juliet/

Figure 1.12 Lambe, M. (2015). Japanese Theatre. Retrieved 4 December 2015, from http://www.deepkyoto.com/

Figure 3.9. (n.d.). Savoye Internal Ramp. Retrieved 3 December 2015, from https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/

Figure 1.13 Divecha, D. (2012). Middle East, Arabic Wind Tower. Retrieved 25 November 2015, from http://www.constructionweekonline.com/

Figure 3.10 Image edited by author, original retrieved from: The Modern House Journal. (2011). First Floor Villa Savoye. Retrieved 3 December 2015, from https://themodernhouseblog.files.wordpress.com/

Figure 1.14 (2012). Rome, Trevi Fountain. Retrieved 18 October 2015, from http://www.trevifountain.net/images/trevifountain.jpg/ Figure 3.11 (n.d.). Romeo & Juliet Screencaps. Retrieved 18 November 2015, from http://screenmusings.org/movie/dvd/Romeo-and-Juliet/ Figure 1.15 Kjeilen, T. (n.d.). Streets of the Kasbah, Morocco. Retrieved 20 November 2015, from http://looklex.com/

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Figure 3.12 The Art of Gardens. (2015). Savoye Open Lounge. Retrieved 20 November 2015, from https://mbrenninkmeijer.wordpress.com/ 7

Figure 3.13 Image edited by author, original retrieved from: Baustil.ch. (n.d.). View From the Ramp. Retrieved 3 December 2015, from http://www2. baustil.ch/

Figure 4.8 Image edited by author, original retrieved from: Macfarlane, J. (2011). Villette Plan. Retrieved 5 November 2015, from http://openbuildings. com/buildings/ Figure 4.9 Image edited by author, original retrieved from: (n.d.). Villette Park Reader’s POV. Retrieved 5 December 2015, from http://google.co.uk/ maps/

Figure 3.14 (n.d.). Romeo & Juliet Screencaps. Retrieved 18 November 2015, from http://screenmusings.org/movie/dvd/Romeo-and-Juliet/ Figure 3.15 Feuerman, W. (2014). Composition of Villa Savoye’s First Floor. Retrieved 5 December 2015, from http://theconversation.com/

Figure 4.10 Image edited by author, original retrieved from: Macfarlane, J. (2011). Villette Plan. Retrieved 5 November 2015, from http://openbuildings. com/buildings/

Figure 3.16 Image edited by author, original retrieved from: (n.d.). Framed Landscape Savoye Roof. Retrieved 9 November 2015, from https:// c1.staticflickr.com/

Figure 4.11 Image edited by author, original retrieved from: (n.d.). Villette Park Reader’s POV. Retrieved 5 December 2015, from http://google.co.uk/ maps/

Figure 3.17 (n.d.). Romeo & Juliet Screencaps. Retrieved 18 November 2015, from http://screenmusings.org/movie/dvd/Romeo-and-Juliet/

Figure 4.12 Image edited by author, original retrieved from: (n.d.). Villette Park Reader’s POV. Retrieved 5 December 2015, from http://google.co.uk/ maps/

Figure 3.18 (n.d.). Framed Landscape Savoye Roof. Retrieved 9 November 2015, from https://c1.staticflickr.com/ Figure 4.1 Robert, M. (2012). Birds Eye View of Villette. Retrieved 5 December 2015, from http://images.lesechos.sdv.fr/

Figure 4.13 Image edited by author, original retrieved from: Macfarlane, J. (2011). Villette Plan. Retrieved 5 November 2015, from http://openbuildings. com/buildings/

Figure 4.2 Image edited by author, original retrieved from: Richardson, J. (2013). Lines, Points and Surfaces of Villette. Retrieved 5 November 2015, from http://julianrich.blogspot.co.uk/

Figure 4.14 Image edited by author, original retrieved from: (n.d.). Villette Park Reader’s POV. Retrieved 5 December 2015, from http://google.co.uk/ maps/

Figure 4.3 Image edited by author, original retrieved from: Macfarlane, J. (2011). Villette Plan. Retrieved 5 November 2015, from http://openbuildings. com/buildings/

Figure 4.15 Image edited by author, original retrieved from: (n.d.). Villette Park Reader’s POV. Retrieved 5 December 2015, from http://google.co.uk/ maps/

Figure 4.4 Behrbohm, M. H. (2010). Tschumi Villette Collage. Retrieved 5 November 2015, from http://matslovesit.blogspot.co.uk/

Figure 4.16 Image edited by author, original retrieved from: Macfarlane, J. (2011). Villette Plan. Retrieved 5 November 2015, from http://openbuildings. com/buildings/

Figure 4.5 Image edited by author, original retrieved from: Macfarlane, J. (2011). Villette Plan. Retrieved 5 November 2015, from http://openbuildings. com/buildings/ Figure 4.6 mage edited by author, original retrieved from: (n.d.). Villette Park Reader’s POV. Retrieved 5 December 2015, from http://google.co.uk/ maps/ Figure 4.7 mage edited by author, original retrieved from: (n.d.). Villette Park Reader’s POV. Retrieved 5 December 2015, from http://google.co.uk/ maps/

Figure 4.17 Image edited by author, original retrieved from: (n.d.). Villette Park Reader’s POV. Retrieved 5 December 2015, from http://google.co.uk/ maps/

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Threshold “Visual storytelling of one kind or another has been around since cavemen were drawing on the walls” (Kelly, 1999). Architecture is a device which uses an ever-evolving form of visual storytelling, a study in which the wheel must be reinvented every so often to facilitate the development of society. Architecture can be a testimony to a specific period in time, forming connections with the past, present and future. It has the ability to communicate stories through the manipulation of its approach, entry and engagement (Wallace, 2007).

The architectural industry has been implementing techniques to allow the observer to experience a space as they would a story. One such implementation is with the use of an architectural promenade which has been prevalent in design throughout history. An architectural promenade is defined as a predetermined route through built space which uses design methods, such as hierarchy, to accentuate the events the individual discovers as they progress through it (Samuel, 2010).

The promenade is a journey the individual traverses using their senses, much like the narrative of a film, the difference being that of physicality. Film narratives and architectural promenades offer a kinaesthetic experience of space, due to the response of our eyes to movement and touch (Pallasmaa, 1996). Both mediums tell a story which the observer experiences through emotion and motion, or what Giuliana Bruno refers to as (e)motion (Bruno, 2002).

The objectives of this dissertation are to: examine the extent to which the architectural promenade has evolved throughout history. To investigate if there is a connection between the promenades of the past to those of the present. To see if one way of portraying the promenade is better than another and to examine how film has influenced architecture in the case of the promenade. This dissertation will be using the term ‘reader’ as the preferred terminology for an individual moving along the promenade, reading it as they would do a book. The analogical interpretation is that the promenade is the pages of a book and the participants moving along the promenade are characters.

The methodology for this research will involve the analysis and comparison of the works of two renowned architects of the twentieth century, Le Corbusier and Bernard Tschumi whose works implement the promenade as a key component in design. Comparison between Corbusier’s and Tschumi’s promenades will be made through the use of Flora Samuel’s ‘Five Stages of the Narrative Path’ and its association with film. This comparison will be followed by an interview with Samuel in order to obtain a professional academic standpoint on the issues raised in this dissertation.

Although many architects have been influenced by, or have used the promenade in their designs, this dissertation focusses primarily on Corbusier and Tschumi in order to produce a concise, thorough conclusion. Others will be referenced but will not be covered comprehensively. This dissertation will also make reference to other architects, academic writers, philosophers and professionals including Jean Nouvel, Flora Samuel, Steven Holl, Junhani Pallasmaa, Alberto Perez Gomez, Sergei Esenstein and Giuliana Bruno (Lubow, 2008).

This work aims to provide a platform on which to develop certain tools which can be used in the design process. Following this dissertation, these tools will be implemented to create a promenade for the world’s first UNESCO city of film; Bradford. It is hoped that this promenade can be implemented in the heart of the city centre as a means to knit together the disparate elements of Bradford’s filmic architecture.

The first chapter will aim to analyse to what extent history has made an attempt to take the reader on a journey through the use of built form. This chapter will identify how “the Acropolis has become an exemplar of the filmic – architectural connection” (Bruno, 2002) and discuss how Islamic and Japanese architecture has had an influence on the promenades of the modern Western world. After analysing the use of the promenade through history, this chapter will discuss the validity of Nouvel’s statement, “The notion of the journey is a new way of composing architecture” (Penz & Thomas, 1997, p.119) when referring to the promenade in his own architecture. The chapter will be summarised by formulating a conclusion deducing the accuracy of Nouvel’s statement.

1. Stages of the promenade in Corbusier’s works implemented by author and lecturer; Flora Samuel.

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Chapter Two will focus on analysing the connection between film and architecture. Deconstruction and analysis of texts by various academic professionals will be undertaken and compared. This comparison will aid in forming a comprehensive understanding of the use of architectural techniques in film and vice versa.

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In Chapter Three, Le Corbusier’s use of the promenade will be discussed through analysis of the promenade of Villa Savoye. The chapter will elaborate on Corbusier’s use of cinematic methodologies and the relation of his ‘architectural promenade’ to film. Chapter Three will continue by analysing the architectural promenade of Savoye through the use of Samuel’s Five Stages of the Narrative Path. These stages will be compared to Freytag’s Pyramid2 and similarities will be presented between the sequence of events in film and architecture.

A discussion of a more contemporary promenade will be outlined in Chapter Four. The ‘cinematic promenade’ located in Parc de la Villette by the architect Bernard Tschumi. Tschumi uses movement, space and experience as key aspects in his design; “there is no such thing as a neutral space.

Architecture does not exist without something that happens in it. Our perception of architecture depends on the activities that take place inside it. The space is transformed by events” (Tschumi, 2012, p.13).

In this chapter, influences of the filmic narrative and movement on Tschumi’s work will be discussed.

This will be followed by a breakdown of the promenade of Villette into its constituent stages by adapting the five stages of Samuel’s narrative journey. Throughout this chapter, continuous comparisons will be made between the architectural promenade present in Savoye and the cinematic promenade present in Villette. These comparisons will aid in determining whether the promenades possess similarities in the progression of events through their respective sequences.

The conclusion of the dissertation will provide a comprehensive and reflective summary of the chapters and main findings. It will outline the extent of similarities and differences between the promenades of Corbusier and Tschumi. This will help to determine the influence of the cinematic industry on the spatial language of the promenade. The conclusion will also aim to meet and answer my objectives by suggesting how architects can implement the design tools established in this dissertation to form a methodical promenade adaptable to the modern architectural world. The main findings from this research are supported by responses to questions that were sent to Flora Samuel discussing the recurring key themes of this research.

2. A list of stages depicting the progression of a movie plot by German philosopher and playwright; Gustav Freytag.

Figure 1.1 Promenade leading to the Taj Mahal used to celebrate and accentuate the journey to the majestic architecture.

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Promenade of Ages

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Movement and circulation within and around built forms can be classified as its promenade. Throughout time, people of different empires, religions, cultures and societies have had an individual way of interpreting the promenade. Architects have used it as a tool for manoeuvring through space and as a visual instrument used to communicate a story or signify an event.

A promenade is used “to resensitise people to their surroundings, leading ultimately to a realignment with nature.” (Menin & Samuel, 2002, p.9) Many architects use this method of engaging with the surroundings to form a promenade of events. For example, Alvar Aalto “took advantage of the ideal site conditions to incorporate a series of archetypal experiences and rituals: the voyage” (Trencher, 1997, p.152).

The journey along the promenade presents definitive moments where the architect can consciously control the architecture as a device for manipulation of the senses, and use space and surroundings to evoke emotions. To truly understand the extent of this connection between architecture, landscape and promenade, one must look at historical precedents and assess how the promenade was implemented in the past to develop a sense of place and character. As Paul Goldberg states, “Not for nothing did Vitruvius select the word “delight” as the third portion of his tripartite definition of architecture; great architecture must evoke indescribable joy” (Goldberger, 2009).

Goldberger states that ‘delight’ is achieved through ‘great architecture’. ‘Great architecture’ can be classified and defined in various ways; it can apply to architecture of the present that creates a positive impact on society or it can refer to an important historical period of the past which ushered an era of evolution. There are places however, which are undoubtedly great, places such as the Athenian Acropolis, “One of the most carefully and sophisticatedly shaped places on this planet” (Bloomer & Moore, 1978, p.107-108).

Figure 1.2 A bird’s eye view of Downtown Manhattan, it is an example of a large scale promenade, defined by an axis used to divide the natural and the manmade yet connect them through intertwining nodes along its path.

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The Athenian Acropolis

Figure 1.3 Towering amongst the capital of Greece; The Acropolis perched atop the central rock in Athens.

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The Acropolis is a site atop a cliff dedicated to the worship of ancient Greek deities. Built during the fifth century BC, it has been inhabited for three thousand years and has undergone multiple transformations.

It is a monument that is a testament to Greece’s golden period, known for its fine craftsmanship and pure geometric layout. Pericles1 had an ambition to make Athens Greece’s political and cultural capital effectively creating the Athenian Empire (Gill, 2014).

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Although the Athenian Acropolis is not ascribed as the originator of the promenade, it is one of the main inspirations for Le Corbusier when developing his theory on architectural promenade. As well as an influence on architects of the Twentieth Century, it also had an influence on film theorists, specifically Sergei Eisenstein2 who states, “The Greeks have left us the most perfect example of shot design, change of shot, and shot length (that is, the duration of a particular impression)” (Eisenstein, 1989).

The site of the Acropolis is “bounded on two sides by mountains and on the third by sea” (Bloomer & Moore, 1978, p.110). It is a citadel, sitting atop the nearby city, almost transcendent in nature, as seen in Fig 1.3. As with almost all promenades, the Acropolis has a beginning, a threshold; the Propylaea, the place of arrival. This is the start of the journey, with the temple of the greek goddess Nike welcoming the observer, an acknowledgment to the traveller who made it to the summit.

An important part of the architectural promenade which can be seen in the Acropolis is its axis. It is an important design tool, reinforced by Le Corbusier who states, “An axis is perhaps the first human manifestation; it is the means of every human act. The toddling child moves along an axis, the man striving in the Tempest of life traces for himself and axis. The axis is the regulator of architecture” (Corbusier, 1960, p.187)

3. Pericles was an Athenian politician during Greece’s golden period who spearheaded the design process of the Acropolis.

4. A film director and theorist who implemented the use of montage in film.

Figure 1.4 A look up towards the Temple of Athena Nike.

Le Corbusier continues by referring directly to the Acropolis, “The axis of the Acropolis runs from the Piraeus to Pentelicus, from the sea to the mountain” (Corbusier, 1960, p.187).

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Le Corbusier admired the axis of the Acropolis because of the subtle commencement through its promenade, culminating at the centrepiece; the Parthenon, (Samuel, 2010) a building of “pure geometric forms” built as a temple for the Greek goddess Athena. (Bloomer & Moore, 1978, p.119).

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At the pinacle of this promenade, “the temples are turned towards one another, making an enclosure, as it were, which the eye readily embraces” (Corbusier, 1960, p.193). This is evident in Figure 1.6, the structures wrap around the central axis of the pedestrian path.

Figure.1.5 Emphasising the position of the Acropolis between the sea; Piraeus (southwest), and the mountain; Pentelicus (northeast).

Figure.1.6 Diagram of the temples of the Parthenon, Boukoleion and the former Acropolis museum with a converging axis.

Figure 1.7 The Parthenon present at the pinnacle of the Acropolis.

Parthenon Former Acropolis Museum 21

Erechtheion

Sacred Way

House of Arrhephoroi

Chalkotheke

Precinct of Artemis Statue of Athena Promachus

Propylea Temple of Athena Nike

Figure1.8 This image shows the unity of the Acropolis, as it was in the latter part of the First Century BC, the vision of Pericles manifest. The route of the promenade can be seen as ramps which connect one space to another, creating a story through which the reader traverses. The dotted red line depicts the path one takes in order to reach the summit of the Acropolis.

Le Corbusier was not the only one impressed by the composition of the Acropolis. It was also an influence for Eisenstein, to him it resembled the sequence of film; a montage for the reader. He states, “It is hard to imagine a montage sequence for an architectural ensemble more subtly composed, shot by shot, than the one that our legs create by walking among the buildings of the Acropolis” (Eisenstein, 1989, p.2). Eisenstein also referred to the Acropolis as “the perfect example of one of the most ancient films” (Eisenstein, 1989, p.117).

From these statements, it can be determined that the promenade present in architecture can be seen as a parallel to the montage present in film. Both forms of portrayal cater to the phenomenological aspects of the observer, their ultimate aim to evoke a response from the reader of the space. This hybridised composition of space and architecture is what has captured the attention of Corbusier and Eisenstein.

However, it is unknown if the Acropolis was designed as a unity because it was never fully completed during Pericles’ lifetime. Although it can be assumed that this was indeed his intended outcome because, “There has always been an order to it, something that makes it clear that those buildings are in the right places, places that respond to a human sense of order that proceeds from the body and must, therefore, have been there from the beginning” (Bloomer, Moore & Yudell, 1978, p.110) Although the Acropolis is well known for its architecture, the promenade plays a large part in adding to the reader’s sense of transcendence. It allows the reader to acknowledge the hierarchical scale as it is traversed, the built form gaining importance as the journey progresses. The path is set out to almost force the reader to view the temples, statues and monuments, creating a spine which accentuates the continuity and perfect geometry present.

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Cultural Influences of the Promenade

Figure 1.9 Location plan of Taliesin West, Arizona, USA by Frank Lloyd Wright showing the site location in a wide expanse of desert.

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As time passed, the Acropolis became a vestige of the past, new methods of experiencing architecture took form, architects began to adapt their work through inspiration from sources such as culture, religion and film. Countries began to develop an architectural identity, a representation of their character.

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Frank Lloyd Wright, a pioneer of modern architecture of the Twentieth Century was an architect who was heavily influenced by the Japanese tradition and their use of nature, “If not to nature at first hand, then to this marvellous interpreters of nature, the Orientals and the Japanese” (Meech, 2000, p.2).

This influence from the Japanese tradition is manifested in Wright’s projects such as, his home in the desert of Taliesin West, Arizona where he introduced a series of events along a predetermined route, his variation of the architectural promenade.

Wright also took inspiration from the Zen Buddhist Temples, which contained a teahouse surrounded by a garden of paths, lanterns and gravel. Marie Soze, a French architect interested in phenomenology, lived in Japan in the 1960s, she wrote about the Jiko-in Temple in Nara,

Figure 1.10 Traditional Japanese architecture with it’s framed walkway and stairs.

Figure 1.11 Taliesin West containing distinct similarities to Japanese architecture.

“I learned the importance of the access path to the temple. The visual spectacle is literally staged along an itinerary composed in sequences, successive thresholds corresponding to changes in direction at which impediments force one to step down or step up or lower the head.

These paths and environments were intensely experiential, your entire body and mind were engaged in the events of the journey” (UB, 2008) Japanese culture has long since drawn on instruments to communicate a sequence of events. One such instrument is the theatre, which in Japanese tradition is designed so the audience sees three main entities along a predetermined journey; the mirror room, where the preparation of actors takes place, the bridgeway or ‘hashiga kari’, a ramp which leads to the stage where the actor begins to transform from the mundane to the spiritual world, and the stage itself where the play unfolds (Bowers, 1976). The audience is able to follow the journey of the actors through the procession, experiencing a sequence of events (Bowers, 1976, p.207).

Figure 1.12 A Japanese Theatre. Left to right: Mirror Room, Bridgeway and Stage.

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Along with Japanese influences, modern architects such as Le Corbusier took inspiration from the Muslim world, it gave him a notion of ideas, which can be seen dispersed through his works. He states, “Arabic architecture teaches us a valuable lesson. It is best appreciated on foot: it is by walking, by moving that one discerns the underlying architectural arrangement. This principle is exactly the opposite of baroque architecture” (Boesiger, 1995, p.24).

“…the unrealistic path is clearly signalled by the ramp which is the spine of the whole idea. Le Corbusier referred to this particular version of the architectural promenade as an Espace Arabe” (An Arabic Space) (Curtis, 1986, p.12).

Much like the internal ascending and descending passageways of the pyramids and the presumed speculation of ramps used during their construction, Le Corbusier used the ramp as a major influence in his design. This came from his influence through not only the Acropolis, but also the Arab culture.

Beyond the Arab house, the streets are narrow and labyrinthine, with ramps as the primary method of progression, known as the ‘kasbah’ (UB, 2008) as depicted in Figure 1.15.

Although Nouvel stated that, “The notion of the journey is a new way of composing architecture” (Bruno, 2002, p.69), it can be seen from a historical perspective after having studied the implementation of the promenade that the use of a journey has been applied through previous generations. Although the ‘journey’ through built form did gain popularity and became a way of composing architecture in the Twentieth Century for the Western world, it is far from a ‘new’ way of thinking.

Ramps represent a different kinaesthetic experience from that of Western stairs. Stairs provide a regular incessant rhythm, a break between levels, a disruption of the flow of events, whereas the ramp offers more freedom, less certainty, more variability to the moving body “…one climbs imperceptibly via a ramp which is a very different sensation from that produced by a staircase with steps. A staircase separates one floor from another, a ramp connects them” (Baltanás, 2006, p.63).

Figure 1.13 Traditional ‘Arabic Wind Tower’ depicting the simplistic architecture.

Figure 1.14 A complete contrast to the Arabic style, ‘Trevi Fountains’ showing ornamental Baroque style

Figure 1.15 Ramped streets of the Kasbah

This chapter has given an insight on how architecture of previous generations existed. In each of the cases, Athenian, Japanese and Islamic, the progression of the reader along a predetermined route is experienced as a ritual. From this progression, a number of tools can be extracted, tools which may help in formulating a strategy for the design of promenades in the future.

These tools include the spine, present in the Acropolis, a centre of focus which the reader gravitates around as they progress through the promenade. Another tool which is present in all three is the ramp, an initiator to different levels and sections of the promenade, used effectively in the Acropolis as a metaphor for spiritual transcendence and in the Kasbah to connect the interstitial routes between dwellings. Along with the ramp, the axis is also a viable tool as it is a way of considering the surroundings whilst designing, which has been done effectively in Taliesin West to frame the main routes using level changes and framed passages.

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Architecture and Film

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Figure 2.1 Visual representation of architecture in ‘Blade Runner’ directed by Ridley Scott, depicting the futuristic urban landscape.

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The Twentieth Century was an era of evolution for film. It became a multi-disciplinary tool, a method of painting the world as one wished. Architects such as Le Corbusier, Jean Nouvel, Rem Koolhaas and Bernard Tschumi used influences from film to impact their architecture. They identified the need for architecture to learn from film and highlighted parallels between the subjects, one being the parallel between montage and promenade, as mentioned in reference to the Acropolis. This connection between ‘sequence’ of a building and that of film is a critical association between the disciplines. Nouvel states,

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“Architecture exists, like cinema, in a dimension of time and movement. One thinks, conceives and reads a building in terms of sequences. To erect a building is to predict and seek effects of contrast and linkage bound up with the succession of spaces through which one passes” (Rattenbury, 1994, p.35).

Nouvel saw the experience of film as a building block for the future of phenomenology in architecture.

He believed that contemporary architects could use the visual attributes of film and employ them in the modern world. He was not alone in this endeavour. In an interview in 1928 in Moscow, Le Corbusier stated that, “architecture and film are the only two arts of our time” and “in my own work I seem to think as Eisenstein does in his films” (Cohen, 1992, p.49). Bernard Tschumi also associated the two, analogising that, “the effect is not unlike an Eisenstein film script.” As architectural space evolves, much like film, it “does not depend merely on a single frame (such as a facade), but on a succession of frames or spaces” (Bruno, 2002, p.57).

In ‘Eyes of the Skin’, Juhani Pallasmaa suggests that one’s eyes are not the only sensual apparatus one uses to experience architecture. According to Pallasmaa, our eyes are the initiator for the experience of space through other senses. The eyes create the perception of space and judge abundance of it, which triggers our need to move and touch (Pallasmaa, 1996).

Therefore, the cinematic experience can be categorised in a similar way to architecture, through kinaesthetic experience. Much like architecture, it also offers space for digestion through the eyes and gives an impression of movement through space.

Figure 2.2 A filmic adaptation of the novel by Ayn Rand; ‘The Fountainhead’, bringing forth the role of the architect in film.

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Like Pallasmaa, Bruno also makes the connection between movement of the traverser in architecture and movement of the viewer in film. “Architecture is a map of both dwelling and travel, and so is the cinema” (Bruno, 2002, p.71). Both industries revolve around a person’s perception of space and the way in which they navigate through it.

Bruno uses the term ‘Transito’ (literally translated as ‘transit’) to signify that the movement through space in not only that of the physical, architectural realm but also the metaphorical realm of film. This can refer to “passages, traversals, transitions, transitory states, spatial erotics, and (e)motion” (Bruno, 2002, p.71).

By giving this definition to both physical and perceived motion, architecture and film is able to “merge the displacement between what appears to be static and mobile” (Bruno, 2002, p.71). This connection is demonstrated in the movie ‘Playtime’ (Figure 2.3).

Figure 2.3 An interpretation of the reclusive workplaces of the future, built specifically for the film Playtime’ directed by Jacque Tati.

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Much like the film industry is used to influence architecture to generate a method of communicating that is more perspicuous, the film industry also uses architecture as a tool for communication ultimately to define space. Joanna Hogg, a British film director and screenwriter states: “The goal of architectural representation in film is to bring space into the foreground of narration and understand how the spatial understanding of architecture can be translated into spatial representation in film” (Talents & Forchner, 2002). This method of representation is pointing to an architecture that has a sense of purpose, one that has a spatial understanding, one not just that of the built form but also the surroundings and its representations, the ‘goal’ that Hogg refers to can very pragmatically and very likely be achieved through the architectural promenade.

Hogg’s perspective on what film requires of architecture and vice versa is further reinforced by Rem Koolhaas, a former screenwriter and renowned architect of the modern age, who draws on spatial montage to fuel many of his works. Koolhaas sees many resemblances and parallels between film and architecture, suggesting almost that they are an abstracted mimesis of one another. He declares: “I see little difference between one activity and the other” (Bruno, 2002, p. 68).

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Koolhaas has implemented his culmination of both techniques of representation in his project ‘Très Grande Bibliothèque’ (Bruno, 2002, p. 68). He uses the act of progression through space, found both in architecture and film as his main focus. Corbusian-esque and reminiscent of the tools utilised in many of the promenades discussed thus-far in this dissertation, Koolhaas implements a slight angle to the internal floor arrangement throughout his design, forming a ramp, barely noticeable as one navigates through it, relinquishing the need for the division of floors. Through this progression, as one traverses the building, there are areas where the ramp becomes steeper, and areas where it is gentler, done to control the speed of the readers’ movement and thus experience of space. There are also events along the journey, nodes, phenomena, almost making it an extensive film script, a narrativised progression of events, a quite literal architectural promenade.

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As this analysis suggests, architecture and cinema have long since been considered two elements of the same component. The ramp is once again reinforced as an influencing factor for the design of a journey. From the analysis of the filmic genre and its association with built form, elements of influence to architecture can be extracted. These include spatial montage, time, movement, transition, composition and journey. This list of similarities can be translated into strategies for designing an architectural journey reinforced by film. The tools obtained in this research of film can be merged with those developed in the research of historical implementations of the promenade to allow for the formation of a comprehensive design methodology. In the upcoming analyses, more tools will be evaluated which may be used as a possible addition to this methodology to improve the modern day implementations of the promenade.

5. A library designed by Koolhaas for a competition in France.

Figure 2.4 Model of the structure and internal ramp arrangement of Très Grande Bibliothèque by Rem Koolhaas

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Le Corbusier Architect of a New Age

Le Corbusier used the word ‘circulation’ in many of his early designs. This was superseded when he coined the term ‘promenade architecturale’ in 1929-31 regarding his work on Villa Savoyre. It has since been used in architectural rhetoric to signify a development of events within architectural design. It refers to the ‘discovery’ of a building or space through movement. From Le Corbusier’s perspective an architectural promenade is one which uses, not just the act of movement as a tool to engage the space, but rather a collection of senses which allows for an experience of architecture through a sequence of events, much like a film script (Cerver, 1998).

The architectural promenade, although designed to communicate a story, may be perceived in various ways depending on who perceives it. Peter Blundell Jones and Mark Meagher discuss Le Corbusier’s endeavour to design so people can be themselves. In their book ‘Architecture and Movement: the dynamic experience of buildings and landscapes’, they analyse the promenade present in one of Le Corbusier’s most recognisable works, the Villa Savoye. They state that “it is not about the objects being seen - which, in the age of mechanical reproduction, are of course endless - it is about the multiplicity of possible ways to see that object” (Jones & Meagher, p.45). Individuals have a unique way of viewing their surroundings and therefore it can be argued that the architecture must aim to be designed for the collective rather than the individual.

A crucial similarity between architecture and film, which can be seen in Savoye, is the element of spectatorial engagement. Corbusier himself stated that; “Le Corbusier’s audience is ‘the spectator’ and, ultimately, the human eye… [It] can reach a considerable distance and, like a clear lens, sees everything even beyond what was intended or wished” (Corbusier & Etchells, 1960, p.173). Along these same lines, Eisenstein claimed that “an architectural ensemble… Is a montage from the point of view of a moving spectator” and that “the person who wanders through a building or a site also absorbs and connects visual spaces”. (Bruno, 2002, p.56) This was Einsenstein making a link between the cinematic and architectural montages.

Jones and Meagher conclude with regards to Le Corbusier that “the promenades in his buildings are available to all, whether the rich industrialist or the radiant farmer” (Jones & Meagher, p.48). Although he extensively used abstract techniques not recognised by the general public, he recognised the need to design architecture that suits the individual. The promenade is a partial embodiment of Le Corbusier as it symbolises a deep understanding of adapting to suit the user.

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Le Corbusier approached his work with not only boundless seamless creativity but an exceptional thoroughness. The more one observes his works, the more one finds that his work engages the subject (UB, 2008). In the late 1920’s, Le Corbusier developed the notion of the architectural promenade, or as he referred to it in French; ‘promenade architecturale’. As previously discussed, Corbusier obtained inspiration from many sources, not all of which were architectural. These pivotal sources were used to form his conclusive view of the promenade. It is prevalent in many of his works and was first used in Villa Savoye, where he stated: “In this house [the Villa Savoye] we are presented with a real architectural promenade, offering prospects which are constantly changing and unexpected, even astonishing. It is interesting that so much variety has been obtained when from a design point of view a rigorous scheme of pillars and beams has been adopted… It is by moving about… that one can see the orders of architecture developing” (Boesiger, 1995, p.24).

Savoye allows the reader to experience how both architecture and film have come together in the built form. The perceived progression through space is done through framing elements in the building and its surroundings, much like how film techniques allow people to visualise space through a framed lens. The physical progression, reinforced by the architectural language, is observed as one uses their senses to traverse the space, a sequence of events are presented and offered up for consumption. Movement through Savoye is a ritual for both the body and mind. The reader engages with the space and is driven through it as if they are observing the unravelling of a filmic narrative.

Gustav Freytag was a novelist and playwright. In his book ‘Technique of Drama’, he introduced a concept known as ‘Freytag’s five-part dramatic arc of Freytag’s triangle’ (Branigan, 1992). This concept was made to be implemented in multiple industries to structure narrative, and is an elaboration on the writings by Greek philosopher Aristotle. The five stages are: Climax

Rising Action

Falling Action

Exposition

Denouement

Figure 3.1 Freytag’s Pyramid

Flora Samuel, writer of ‘Le Corbusier and the Architectural Promenade’ adapted the five stages and created her own version, influenced by Freytag. She adjusted the terminology to suit Le Corbusier’s design strategies and reflect his chosen method of building layout. Her variation of Freytag’s five stages are as follows: Questioning

Disorientation

Introduction

Reorientation

Culmination

Figure 3.2 Samuel’s Five Stages of the Narrative Path (Samuel, 2010, p.66)

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Five Stages of the Architectural Promenade 41

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Samuel refers to her interpretation of the five stages as “Le Corbusier’s narrative path”. This interpretation is used “to lend itself to the structure of Le Corbusier’s Rhetoric” (Samuel, 2010, p.66) “as a means to break down the promenade into its constituent elements, meaning that patterns can be seen, patterns that can be creatively developed or usurped in other architectures” (Samuel, 2010, p.207). The filmic terms were replaced with ones that were more architecturally relevant. Samuel attempted to give Corbusier’s work a structural identity.

The stages discussed in this section have been implemented by Samuel as a means to dissect Villa Savoye’s promenade into its constituent sections. These sections will be compared to the story of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare which has been commonly used in English literature to enforce Freytag’s pyramid. The 1996 filmic adaptation will be used as a reference to each stage of the narrative path of Savoye to help present a visual comparison between Samuel and Freytag’s five stages, and subsequently; lead to a clear understanding of the comparison between Architecture and Film.

Her aim was to prove that there was a meaningful sense to his architectural choreography, looking beyond his five points of architecture (a number of principles Le Corbisuer developed for the ‘perfect’ house’. These included: pilotis, open plan, free façade, horizontal windows and roof gardens), to prove that he considered movement in his designs. Her aim was to uncover a potential formula for his promenade architecturale that he used in many of his works. Samuel identified these stages as the main components of Le Corbusier’s architectural promenade. She acknowledges that although the stages do not follow the same pattern in all his works, they are present (Samuel, 2010, p.100).

6. A number of principles Le Corbisuer developed for the ‘perfect’ house’. These included: pilotis, open plan, free façade, horizontal windows and roof gardens.

Figure 3.3 Villa Savoye located in Poissy, France

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Samuel describes this as “The threshold into the domain of Le Corbusier” (Samuel, 2010, p.85). This is the path which leads to the house, building up to the critical threshold; the doorway. It gives the reader an element of focus after the “mental silence of the street” (Bill, 1994) experienced through the vehicular journey. Figure 2.8 identifies the path to Savoye, the journey to the threshold. As the car approaches the building, it curves around the rear, giving glimpses of the interior to the reader climaxing at a centralised door as seen in Figure 2.9.

In the film industry, this stage of the journey is the ‘Exposition’ (Wheeler, 2015) where the setting, characters and background information is revealed. This is similar to how Savoye reveals itself to the reader, opening itself to the surroundings and allowing the reader to view it as if it were the start of a journey, as you would view the first few glimpses of a film. This is reinforced in Figure 2.9.

Figure 3.4 Path leading to Savoye

Figure 3.5

Above, the ‘Exposition’ to Romeo and Juliet (1996). The characters are introduced to the audience and a scene is set, depicting the feud between the Montague’s and Capulet’s.

Figure 3.6 Entrace of Savoye

DISORIENTATION and RISING ACTIOn 45

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This part of the building “sets the scene for what is to come, it forces the reader to engage, to focus and to participate” (Samuel, 2010, p.90). It is the interstitial space between the immediate threshold and the heart of the building. Figure 2.11 and 2.22 show examples of the element of ‘Disorientation’ present in Savoye. The reader is introduced to the interior of the building, allowing them to take in the surroundings and forcing a first impression to be made of the space.

Figure 3.7 View of the ground floor

Figure 3.8

Figure 3.9 Along the path of Disorientation

Similarly in film, this part of the dramatic structure refers to the ‘Rising Action’ (Wheeler, 2015), a progression of the story and a development of events, which usually play an important role in developing the narrative, as seen in regards to Romeo and Juliet in Figure 2.13. The images depict the ‘Rising Action’ of Freytag’s pyramid when Romeo and Juliet fall in love. The entirety of the film is dependent on these set of actions as they are a prelude for what is to come. It can be seen that Savoye possesses a similar representation, on entrance, a multitude of spatial phenomena are offered up for consumption for the reader, much like how the gradual progression of a film script offers an evolution in plot for the cinematic audience to absorb.

Questioning and Climax 47

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“This is the point at which various options are examined and questions are asked… Sometimes playful, it offers “up the anticipation or surprise of doors which reveal unexpected space” (Chase, Gans & Corbusier, 1999, p.46). Once the reader has acknowledged the space, they begin to question it, to wander along it, to discover it. As seen in the image Figure 2.14, this is the part of the architectural promenade which guides the reader, intrigues them to venture into the space and find what is hidden and uncover the remaining mystery of a view half complete.

Figure 3.11

In filmic terms, Freytag referred to this part of the plot as its ‘climax’ (Wheeler, 2015).

Where the plot presents the most tension or contains a dramatic change in circumstance (Figure 2.15, where Romeo kills Tybalt). It is the intermediary between the rise and fall of the plot, where the story is the most thrilling.

This can be relatable to the ‘questioning’ of a promenade as it refers to the main body of architecture witnessed by the reader. It is where the remainder of the promenade can reveal a number of possibilities.

Figure 3.10 View as the first floor is reached

Figure 3.12 View from Savoye’s first floor

ReORIENTATION and Falling ACTIOn 49

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Samuel states that this stage “nearly always takes the form of the stair or ramp, often highly contained, combined with the distant prospect of light so beautifully portrayed” (Samuel, 2010, p.92). With regards to Savoye, the reader can interpret this as the ramp which leads from the first floor outdoor garden to the roof. As one progresses up the ramp, a perfectly framed view of the landscape is presented; a beautiful portrayal of the distant horizon.

Figure 3.14

Freytag referred to this state of a plot as its ‘return’ or ‘fall’ (Wheeler, 2015). It is the section of the plot which serves the viewer a resolution of events. A continuation of the climax is played out and a hint to an end of the story is implied (Figure 2.18, when Juliet ingests the fake poison to fake her death). Savoye depicts this possibility of an end through the distant framed area of landscape and the large wall which envelopes the roof garden signifies that the journey is about to conclude.

Figure 3.13 Walking up the ramp to the roof

Figure 3.15 View of the ramp leading up to the roof

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“The promenade culminates on the roof, the completion of spiritual axis through the building where, under ideal weather conditions, the reader is greeted with an ecstatic view of the sun or moon as the case may be. The simple attainment of rooftop space is not enough, here further choreography, particularly framing, comes into play to maximise the intensity of the experience” (Samuel, 2010, p.100).

Savoye not only frames the landscape in the wall of the roof garden, but also frames the garden itself.

The contrast between green and white is a strong reinforcement of Le Corbusier’s final point in his theory of the five architectural points.

Figure 3.17 Figure 2.21 depicts when Romeo takes actual poison thinking Juliet died, Juliet wakes up to find Romeo having killed himself and in turn takes her own life. Following this occurence, the Montague and Capulet houses settle their differences.

In terms of film, this fifth and final stage is known as ‘denouement’ (Wheeler, 2015) or catastrophe.

This is when the remainder of the plot gets revealed and where the mysteries are explained by either the characters or the author. It represents the final few scenes and sometimes hints at the future of the characters (Wheeler, 2015). Le Corbusier concludes the promenade of Savoye at the roof, where the reader can view the surroundings, responding to Le Corbusier’s emphasis of an individuals need “to go and find the sun” (Boesiger & Corbusier, 1995, p.187).

From the vantage point of the roof, the reader can view the space below, the journey that was undertaken in order to reach the final space of culmination, the end of the story.

Figure 3.16 The framed landscape at the culmination.

Figure 3.18 Open roof garden as present in many of Corbusier’s works.

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Romeo and Juliet has been used to compare the five stages of Freytag against those of Samuel’s because it has a strong plot and narrative progression that has been implemented in a multitude of media including books, movies, plays and musicals. From this comparison, it can be clearly seen that the architectural promenade of Savoye has many relations to the narrative of film. It can be said that the house was designed as a frame for human life, one that could not exist without the individual.

Savoye embodies an air of wanderlust, the reader becomes a voyager, who roams and discovers new elements and forms a visual catalogue of occurrences which develop into a compact journey, a vibrant phenomenological book that can only be appreciated through the reader.

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Bernard Tschumi Architect of Movement

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Tschumi played on, and manipulated, humanities desire to move (Hessian, 2013).

During a talk in 1999, at the AA school of architecture he stated, “Movement is crucial in many of the things I have been interested in” (AA School of Architecture, 2015). In order to portray movement, Tschumi implemented the use of film and techniques of cinema as a tool for many of his projects including ‘The Manhattan Transcripts’ and ‘Parc de la Villette’. He believed that “the cinema is about movements of bodies in space” (AA School of Architecture, 2015) and that “architecture… Is only an organism passively engaged in constant intercourse with users, whose bodies rush against the carefully established rules of architectural thought” (Tschumi, 1995, p.10) Villette is Tschumi’s first major project. It is the largest discontinuous building structure in the world, with over twenty-five built forms on its 125 acre site. The design challenged previous notions of an urban park. Tschumi thought the nineteenth Century model of the Parisian park was irrelevant to city life in France and instead of focusing on nature, Villette focuses on the expression of culture through activities (Jenna, 2008). The park includes elements, such as walkways, bridges, gardens and promenades, all intertwined to fulfil its primary objective; movement through the park (Parc de la Villette, 2015). The placement of the built forms in Villette and their surroundings, represent the progression of Tschumi’s ‘cinematic promenade’, an analogy for the progression of a filmic narrative (Jadoon, 2015).

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An aim of Tschumi’s, is to develop a new ways of practicing and experiencing space (Hays, 1968).

Villette does this through the fragmentation present amongst its structures. These represent a ‘bodily experience’ (Cloffi, p.2), almost as if they are a dismembered body which becomes connected through the event which takes place therein.

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Tschumi wanted the individual experiencing Villette to engage in activities and create events in space which would define the architecture and give it meaning. He stated, “There is no such thing as a neutral space. Architecture does not exist without something that happens in it. Our perception of architecture depends on the activities that take place inside it. The space is transformed by events” (Tschumi, 2012).

This can be related to the experiential qualities of film, although the space being travelled is imaginary and the viewer cannot control the outcome, movement is a key factor in the progression of the story or event. It is this movement which transforms the space and sets the scene. This is reinforced by Jean Nouvel who declares, “Architecture exists, like cinema, in the dimension of time and movement.

One conceives and reads a building in terms of sequences. To erect a building is to predict and seek effects of contrast and linkage through which one passes… the architect works with cuts and edits, framings and openings.” (Rattenbury, 1994, p.35)

Figure 4.1 Parc de la Villette birds eye view

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Tschumi completely subordinated the landscape elements of the park to the architectural ones. He does this by using points, lines and surfaces, a juxtaposition inspired partially by Eisenstein’s use of montage (Figure 4.2). Points are the most crucial element in the system of the park.

There are thirty five red ‘folies’ at each point at 120 metre intervals, constructed mainly as decoration and serve as viewing platforms and kiosks (Jenna, 2008). Folies in French is translated as ‘madness’ in English. This name was given to support Tschumi’s idea of “madness and play over careful management” (Tschumi, 1989). The park is both architecture and landscape design, it is a collection of gardens and a cultural centre (Jenna, 2008)

Throughout this research, case studies have been analysed to reinforce the statement by Giuliana Bruno that, “The figure of the promenade is the main link between architectural ensemble and film” (Bruno, 2002, p.56). This has been achieved by the analysis of the Athenian Acropolis, Villa Savoye and Parc de la Villette. Samuel’s ‘five stages of the narrative path’ were themselves originally taken from Freytag’s Pyramid, and were used as a tool for analysis in cinematography and writing to discover common patterns found in plots of novels, movies and other means of storytelling.

Lines

This research now analyses the cinematic promenade of Villette by using Samuel’s five stages. Attempts are made to pinpoint an implementation of each of the five stages in the cinematic promenade. Although there is a great difference between the promenades of Savoye and Villette, as one is a house and the other a park, one is an ‘architectural’ promenade and the other a ‘cinematic’ promenade, similarities between these two extremes will be measured and analysed. If similarities exist between these polar opposite promenades, and they share stages of the formula adapted by Samuel for Savoye, this research will provide evidence that the promenade ultimately has a universal technique of taking the reader along a journey. If no similarity is found, it will be stated that the architectural promenade is a fluctuating archetype, and although it has a shared meaning, the implementation differs from architect to architect.

Points

Surfaces

Figure 4.2 Points, Lines and Surfaces that make up the layers of Villette.

Figure 4.3 Cinematic Promenade of Villette shown in the dotted red line amongst the masterplan.

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Five Stages of the Cinematic Promenade

Figure 4.4 An abstracted superimposition of the architectural and structural elements present in Villette drawn by Tschumi in 1986.

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Introduction 63

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In most of Le Corbusier’s buildings, the threshold is defined by a door, a “gateway of reverie” (Corbusier, 2007). Samuel states, “The door marks the point of transition between two realities” (Samuel, 2010, p.85). Villa Savoye uses the entryway and door as a start to its architectural promenade. Parc de la Villette however does not possess an indicator, such as the driveway in Savoye and also does not include an initiator such as a door.

This is because Villette is not a generic Corbusean house. On the contrary, it is a large scale park with a complex layering of lines points and surfaces which bears little visual or architectural resemblance to Savoye.

As mentioned, the initiator of the promenade for Savoye is the road which leads up to the house. Although Villette does not strictly have a direct initiator, it does in fact possess something similar, a wavy corrugated metal canopy which represents the start of the promenade’s journey. This analogy is more relatable to Freytag’s stage of ‘exposition’ rather than Samuel’s ‘introduction’, it is where the characters aka. ‘folies’ are introduced (Wheeler, 2015). Although there is no door to initiate the journey, there is a bright red folie visible from a distance as seen in Figure 4.5, this folie is a signifier for the start of the park, and can be classed as the initiator to the promenade. The folie is in turn followed by the canopy which leads the reader along its spine and helps begin the discovery of the cinematic promenade.

Figure 4.6 Folie at the entrance to Villette, an information booth.

Figure 4.5 The start of the Cinematic Promenade.

Figure 4.7 Vew towards the corrugated canopy covered pathway.

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This stage of sensitising is present in Villette in the form of the wavy canopy. It is a guide along the spine which extends through the park. The cinematic promenade starts and also ends along this axis, indicated by the canopy. Figure 4.8 shows the journey created by the canopy, almost framing the path for pedestrians, in between the interactive social space to the left and architectural setting to the right. The reader follows this narrativised journey and is given a mise en scene of what to expect along the way (for example folies at regular intervals).

Samuel states that this stage usually takes the form of a “lobby, vestibule or hall” (Samuel, 2010, p.90). Villette does not use any of the physical characteristics defined by Samuel but instead employs something which can be more relatable to Freytag’s five-part dramatic arc. The interplay amongst the different settings of the park shown in Figure 4.8 gives a prelude for what is to come, much like in film when the plot starts to unfurl (Wheeler, 2015). At this stage, characters begin to develop a sense of familiarity with the audience, as they are broken apart and presented to the audience. In the same way, Villette exudes a sense of palatable familiarity, which the reader absorbs as they undergo the narrativised progression, and in turn begin to become ‘sensitised’.

Figure 4.9 Walkway along the spine of Villette, the primary axis.

Figure 4.8 Along the main axis.

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Possibly the most relatable stage between Savoye and Villette is the stage of questioning. According to Samuel this stage depicts “a highly free-form space” (Samuel, 2010, p.92) which offers choices to the reader, where they can either continue with their journey or meander along another route. This stage is present multiple times throughout the layout of Villette. Figure 4.10 and figure 4.11 demonstrates two locations where it is present. Both these images show the promenade as it crosses primary axes of the plan. Figure 4.10 identifies a repetitive pattern of trees which the reader can choose to follow to continue their journey, whereas Figure 4.11 frames the pathway amongst the trees for the reader to follow, and offers diversions from the original course of the promenade.

Samuel states that this stage “is very much about engagement with the body” (Samuel, 2010, p.92). As the reader progresses, they are given access to a variety of space, and in that space are nodes which the reader can engage with. These nodes are the folies, which can be seen as elements which break the continuity of the park and reveal an alternative space which can be accessed by the reader. These spaces are where an event occurs. Tschumi states, “Can one attempt to make a contribution to architectural discourse by relentlessly stating that there is no space without [an] event, no architecture without [a] program?”

(Tschumi, 1994, p.139).

Figure 4.11 Area of Questioning along two intersecting axes.

Figure 4.10 At an apparent intersection.

Figure 4.12 Folies along the routes of Villette with which the reader can interact.

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Le Corbusier referred to humans being “attracted towards the centre of gravity” (Corbusier, 1960, p.177). For this reason, a critical element of this stage is its vertical arrangement, accentuated by the stairs and ramps employed by Corbusier in his works (Samuel, 2010, p.92). However, Villette does not use the stair or ramp as a method to emphasise its progression due to its horizontal planar nature. Tschumi plays on the movement of individuals along the park and uses the layered axes to reinforce a progression of events instead of the stair or ramp.

This stage can also be related to Freytag’s stage of ‘return’ ‘fall’, where the reader is introduced to a series of elements which prelude to the end of the promenade’s journey, or the climax of the film (Wheeler, 2015).

Villette implements this stage by presenting the reader with folies along the cinematic promenade, some hidden, some visible.

These folies soon become a repetitive feature of the park. It can be said that the reader begins to anticipate these. However, as Freytag discussed, this stage possesses an element which hints at the conclusion of events. The true prelude to this culmination is exhibited through the emergence of ‘La Géode’ amongst the surfaces of the park (Convention & Bureau, 2015). La Géode is a hemispherical cinema almost perceived as an independent folie, completely secular to the bright red folies, but equally grand and noticeable. Although this was a later addition to Villette, it serves as a strong contender for the stage of reorientation, however it can be argued that ‘Bassin de la Villette’ (a body of water which passes through the site that has to be crossed by bridge as seen in Figure 4.13) (De Paris, 2015) was Tschumi’s original factor of reorientation.

Figure 4.14 A bridge crossing over ‘Bassin de la Villette’ connecting the two sides of Villette.

Figure 4.13 View towards La Géode.

Figure 4.15 La Géode holding the Omnimax theatre.

A backdrop to the pedestrian interaction.

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After the implementation of these stages to Villette and its comparison to Savoye, this research reaches a similar assumption as Samuel who states, “These are the typical constituent elements of each stage in the architectural promenade, but they are not used in the same way in every building” (Samuel, 2010, p.100). In Villette, it can be deduced that these stages implemented by Samuel are not conclusively suited to its layout. Villette is more relevant when compared to the original stages implemented through Freytag’s pyramid. Because Freytag’s stages were originally created for devices of storytelling, the representation of its stages can be abstracted in Villette, which introduces a more malleable set of assumptions formed in regards to its cinematic promenade.

The stage of culmination in Corbusier’s work is the roof, a “completion of the spiritual axis through the building” (Samuel, 2010, p.100). In Savoye, the climax is “very clearly, the empty frame” (Samuel, 2010, p.122) which portrays the surroundings, along with the whitewashed walls, which act as the end page of the architectural promenade. In contrast to this, because of the lack of a vertical, transcendent axis in Villette, one can assume that the cinematic promenade ends in a rather dissimilar way.

Instead of culminating at a perspicuous point and allowing the reader to engage with the outdoors (for example, the roof), the cinematic promenade is largely an external experience in the form of a park therefore there is little quality of culmination.

The conclusion of Villette is presented in not such a conclusive manner. Instead of a final destination, the cinematic promenade is reintroduced to the wavy corrugated canopy which initiated the journey. At this stage, the viewer is presented with a whole picture, rather than a conclusive end. Savoye has a definitive end whereas Villette does not. The reader is able to view parts of the excursion that has taken place to get to the final chapter.

It can be theorised that as much as Savoye is depicted as a metaphor for the end of a film through its roofscape, Villette’s culmination can be analogised as a concise dialogue of events by the author, used to evoke a final reaction. By comparing these two very different endings, it can be seen that the roof of Savoye is a place of transient reflection, whereas the finality of Villette is a temporary reminder.

Figure 4.16 Along the same axis which started the journey.

Figure 4.17 The act of ‘Culmination’ present in Villette.

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Conclusion Analyses of the origins and applications of the promenade have been undertaken throughout this research. The Acropolis became the initial catalyst for further discussions to take place. This is because it is one of the first well-known historical landmarks to adopt the use of a methodical journey through its amalgamation of circulation and architecture. The Acropolis has been followed by an examination of Islamic, Japanese and Cinematic influences to modern methods of architectural composition. Analysis of these historical interpretations have been undertaken in order to determine the potential future of the promenade. When asked about where this future might lie, Samuel replied, “…people will choose houses out of kits on the web programmed by architects. Hopefully they might also consider creating promenades in their homes. So in short the promenade is a way into describing an aspect of architecture which could then be programmed.”

Much like the kit of parts described by Samuel to ‘program’ the promenade, this research has also presented a number of tools present in each chapter which can be extracted and implemented in designs of promenades. The first chapter has analysed the Acropolis, where the ‘spine’, ‘ramp’ and ‘axis’ have been implemented. The spine refers directly to the primary alignment of the promenade, it is the main element which signals the beginning and / or the end of the journey (for example, the spine of Villette is its entrance and exit, the path which has the corrugated metal canopy amongst it).

In addition to the spine, Chapter One also outlines the implementation of the ramp through its use in the Acropolis, Japanese architecture and Islamic architecture. The ramp is a recurring theme throughout this research and is mentioned in later chapters. Samuel makes reference to it when referring to work

by Corbusier, and Koolhaas also applied it in ‘Très Grande Bibliothèque’. A final tool in the first chapter is the axis. Although the axis and spine could refer to the same element, this research has proven otherwise. The spine represents the core of the promenade’s journey, whereas the axis refers to the multiple projections of the journey and the entire orientation of the systemised progression. This use of axis can be seen in the Acropolis, which draws on the axis of Piraeus (the sea) and Pentelicus (the mountain). In contrast, the spine is demonstrated in Savoye and Villette. Savoye depicts it as the vertical projection of the architectural promenade, whereas Villette uses a horizontal approach reinforced by the corrugated canopy. For metaphorical purposes, if the human body was a built form, the spine can be analogous with the human vertebrae, and the axis can be the direction the individual is facing or the direction the limbs of the individual are projecting.

Film has also presented a set of tools which can be followed and implemented in the promenade. These tools are not necessarily physical so can be referred to as strategies. These are: ‘time’, ‘movement’, ‘transition’, ‘spatial montage’, ‘composition’ and ‘journey’. Eisenstein applied many of these strategies in his rhetoric when referring to the similarities between film and architecture. The use of time is manipulated through many elements in the promenade, including the use of ramps or stairs. These parts of a building can be strategically positioned to control the speed of the reader’s progression. From this perspective, it can be established that time is the primary mediator that the other five strategies build upon. If time is considered from the perspective of the reader, movement and composition can be manipulated to form a journey through the use of a spatial montage, and a transition of events can in turn reinforce the stages of the promenade, adding to that journey.

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A large part of this research built upon Samuel’s use of Freytag’s pyramid. When asked if the five stages she extracted to suit Corbusier’s designs can be a starting point for architects to design the promenade Samuel replied, “I always wanted it to be a starting point for more systematic discussion of the narrative that others might build on. It is not an instruction manual, more a research method for unpacking the promenade which others can then improve”.

Thus, Samuel is aware that her work is far from complete; she has allowed others to pursue the promenade further by implementing her idioms of the five stages. This advancement of her research has been a key theme in the final chapters of this investigation but it is also where one crucial limitation lies; the word count. Only a certain amount of research was possible due to this constraint and if this research were to continue, it would encompass a greater variety of promenades for comparison.

It can be summarised that the promenade has had a variety of influences. Furthermore, it has many interpretations. Corbusier and Tschumi are a testament to this diversification. When asked about Tschumi’s use of the cinematic promenade, Samuel replied, “He might be trying to celebrate random and chance events” (Samuel, personal communication, November 22nd, 2015). Although Samuel is not familiar with Villette, she makes the assumption of its use of “random and chance events” because she implemented her five stages of the narrative path exclusively for Corbusier’s designs. Therefore, because Villette is not a design by Corbusier, it is very unlikely that it has been set out in the same Corbusean-esque manner as Savoye. Samuel’s assumptions are true to an extent. Even though Villette does not possess the same developmental stages as the ones assigned by Samuel, it does possess stages that relate to the origins of her five stages, Freytag’s pyramid.

From the comparison of Savoye and Villette, it is clear that Freytag’s pyramid is more malleable than Samuel’s five stages for the composition of a story. Therefore, it can be abstracted and used as a tool which is implemented throughout the promenade from start to end. By overlapping Freytag’s pyramid atop the other tools and strategies extracted from this research, it will ultimately strengthen the narrativised progression of the promenade.

Cinema has been a large influence in architecture as reinforced throughout this research. It is a discipline that is changing and evolving constantly. By implementing the strategies found in film and tools mentioned in this research, it is hoped that the promenade will develop into a fluid motif, a theme which can be used to knit together the history and spirit of cities through strokes of architecture. These findings will initially be implemented to Bradford: the first UNESCO city of film. Bradford contains a large traffic system in its centre which blurs the connections between its built forms and introduces a disparity amongst foot and vehicular traffic. The proposed architecture will aid in fixing these inconsistencies by considering every aspect of the journey so that Bradford city centre is enveloped by a design that evokes the spirit of the place and forms a story which one can traverse, learn and appreciate.

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APPENDIX An Interview with Flora Samuel 1. You talk about the Architectural Promenade quite extensively in your book ‘Le Corbusier and the Architectural Promenade’, and use Freytag’s pyramid as the inspiration to develop your own version (Five Stages of the Narrative Path). Do you believe this version implemented by you can span and encompass styles of other architects (not exclusively Le Corbusier) who use the promenade in their works?

In short yes. Have you seen what we tried to do in the book Sacred Concrete?

2. Are you aware of Bernard Tschumi’s implementation of the ‘cinematic promenade’ in Parc de la Villette?

No – sounds interesting. Possibly - I don’t know enough about Tschumi. He might be trying to celebrate random and chance events.

If yes, do you think some elements of your five stages can relate to his work, even though there is a tremendous difference between the ‘promenadial’ design of his and Corbusier’s?

No answer given.

3. Do you believe your five stages of the narrative path can be altered to offer a platform on which all promenades and narrativised journeys can be analysed? An instruction manual of sorts? In turn, do you believe it possible to adapt this ‘manual’ so it can be used by architects of the future to produce successful promenades?

I always wanted it to be a starting point for more systematic discussion of the narrative that others might build on. It is not an instruction manual, more a research method for unpacking the promenade which others can then improve.

4. What do you believe to be the future of the promenade in architecture?

Good question. Well the analogue version will remain in certain cultures but I always wanted people to make more intelligent use of digital fly throughs and link up to gaming. You might equally be asking what is the future of architects – ultimately I think it is the role of architects to help non-professionals make great architecture. One day, I think, people will choose houses out of kits on the web programmed by architects. Hopefully they might also consider creating promenades in their homes. So in short the promenade is a way into describing an aspect of architecture which could then be programmed.

Chengzhi Peng did some work in this area.

5. Academics including Sergei Eisensten, Corbusier and Tschumi have made connections between film and architecture by means of the montage and the promenade. You yourself have implemented Freytag’s pyramid to analyse works by Corbusier. How do you believe today’s architect’s can learn from the ever-evolving film industry to improve the experience of architecture?

LC would hate to be called an academic! Film theory has so much to offer architecture that it is hard to know where to begin on this.

6. In your own professional experience, do architects implement the promenade as a tool for designing in the UK? Why/why not?

Yes – it is certainly often referred to in the language of crits and is a central part of architecture culture.

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