Maddie Coppola

BEYOND THE LENS Maddie Coppola Interior Design Capstone

01 CONCEPT An introduction to the question: “how does the film format enhance our relationship to the interior?”

02 PRECEDENT Examining the aspects of art, space, and film precedents that make a memorable experience

03 CHARACTERIZATION Identifying character archetypes and exploring their role in the user journey

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SITE 04 Analyzing the challenges and opportunities presented within the post office

MODIFICATION 05 Identifying specific elements of the interior to be addressed and transformed

JOURNEY 06 Taking a final look at the project from a new perspective with challenges addressed

CONCEPT

THE INTERIOR NARRATIVE How does the film format enhance our relationship to the interior? The power of film and narrative storytelling has shaped the modern age of design. We see ourselves on screen and get excited by a dramatized, escapist reality. Films are not only mirrors of our reality but also create their own realities to influence our understanding of the world. The film format has a significant advantage when it comes to visual design communication. Designers rely on plans, sections, and renderings to explain a potential space, whereas film allows the viewer to take a journey: following a narrative, understanding the space three-dimensionally, seeing it live and breathe as its occupants live and breathe, and visualizing how it changes over time. Even the most realistic walkthrough renderings cannot portray the subtle and emotional nuances that help a space feel lived in. By examining the elements that differentiate film from other forms of visual communication, we begin to understand how applying these elements to interiors can enhance our relationship with space. In many films the story is so inherently connected to its spaces their design is impossible to ignore. They surpass the superficial relationship we often have with interiors to create an imaginary story in empty space. This project explores the filmmaking tools that can be applied to a space to enrich our experience within it.

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Concept

TRANSFORMATION

NARRATIVE ORDIN ARY WO RL D

TIME

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IN G

ON RATI PLO EX

NEW MO TIV E

LD WOR ED NG A CH

FUNDAMENTALS OF FILM Narrative.

The film format gives artists creative freedom to tell a

story on their own terms. Depending on the intention of the film, its narrative can shape our perception of reality. They utilize abstract user journeys and strengthen their emotional resonance through storytelling. Characters within these narratives serve as emotional touchpoints to establish trust with the viewer.

Transformation.

Since a film’s narrative doesn’t happen in real

time, the world can be manipulated however the artist needs. Filmmaking techniques such as special effects, camera angles, and tracking shots can be used to establish and enhance the film’s setting. These techniques can be mimicked within the interior through the use of materiality, lighting, circulation, and perspective.

Time.

Through the element of time, one of life’s only constants,

the artist is able to transport us into the film’s reality. Every film follows a plot clock which establishes setting, introduces characters, and drives forward the film’s narrative through a series of events. This tool helps to establish authenticity and enhances our connection to the story as it visibly develops.

Concept

PRECEDENT

THROUGH THE LENS OF ART, SPACE, & FILM

While this project pulls heavily from contemporary film precedents, there is a lot that can be learned from art and physical installations. The presentation of an art installation is vastly different than a video or film projection which in turn alters the artist’s conceptual process and perspective. Understanding a wide variety of design processes and having empathy for unique perspectives is critical to be able to design for the general public. This project seeks to pull from all forms of media, including art, space, and film, to identify the aspects that have the strongest impact in creating a memorable interior experience.

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Precedent

Ever is Over All (1997), Pipilotti Rist

Myein (1999), Ann Hamilton

Rear Window (1954), Alfred Hitchcock

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The Unexpected Narrative Rist’s installation for the 1997 Venice Biennale juxtaposes an act of civil disobedience with over-saturated, idyllic imagery of nature. A dreamy soundtrack plays over the overlapping video projections which depict Rist carrying a flower-shaped weapon while confidently walking down a sidewalk. The projections have been slowed down to further dramatize the scene and, coupled with the soundtrack and feminine imagery, give the viewer a sense of calm. This use of magical realism subverts a traditional feminine narrative and forces the viewer to reevaluate the protagonist.

Transformation Over Time Hamilton’s installation for the 1999 Venice Biennale is a commentary on the dark history of its site, a Jeffersonian colonial building. The exhibition is a lamentation on aspects of American history that are pervasive but not easily seen - most significantly slavery. In the main exhibition room a heavily pigmented fuschia powder continues to fall from the ceiling and gets caught in the Braille texture embedded in the walls. The impact of the “bleeding” walls trickles into other areas of the exhibit and demonstrates the residual effects of our actions.

Spatial Manipulation Hitchcock’s classic bottle movie is a precedent for countless films that came after. Most notable throughout the film is the use of perception and limited sight as the entire story is shown through the window of the bedridden protagonist. The viewer’s understanding of the narrative is manipulated to be the same as what the protagonist believes because Hitchcock shoots from a singular perspective. This direction exemplifies how film can transform our perception of space regardless of what is true in reality.

Precedent

CHARACTERIZATION

IDENTIFYING ARCHETYPES At the heart of any film lies the characters. They are just one tool in a director’s belt to tell a story but their authenticity and emotion can completely change how the audience perceives the film’s narrative. Viewers look for someone they can identify with on screen and spaces can be designed for in this sense. Within interiors, character archetypes take the place of user journeys. Rather than identifying potential users of a space by their age, gender, or economic status, we can look at them through a narrative lens: What is their motivation? How does the filmmaker portray them? How do they interact with space? Understanding the motivations behind the users of a space is key to overcoming the superficial relationship we often have with interiors and allows each person to become the protagonist in their story.

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Characterization

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004), dir. Michel Gondry

The Last Black Man in San Francisco (2019), dir. Joe Talbot

A Ghost Story (2017), dir. David Lowery

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THE DREAMER These characters are emotionally driven and focused on their own realities. Their sentimental nature is portrayed through a lens of intimacy with the use of dim lighting, warm colors, and intense shadows or reflections. They are often shown in close proximity to a surface, either leaning or sitting. The camera tends to linger on them to show their relationship with themselves and space.

Characterization

The Truman Show (1998), dir. Peter Weir

Amelie (2001), dir. Jean-Pierre Jeunet

Welcome Home (2018), dir. Spike Jonze for Apple

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THE EXPLORER These characters are intuitively driven and focused on dissecting their realities. Their adventurous nature is portrayed through a lens of excitement with the use of contrasting bright and dark lighting and highly saturated color. They are often shown manipulating a space through opening, peeling, pushing, or pulling. The camera tends to linger on them in proximity to the wall to show their role in changing the space.

Characterization

Rear Window (1954), dir. Alfred Hitchcock

Lost in Translation (2003), dir. Sofia Coppola

Her (2013), dir. Spike Jonze

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THE VOYEUR These characters are visually driven and focused on other people’s realities. Their observant nature is portrayed through a lens of curiosity with the use of daylighting, selective color saturation, and reflective surfaces. They are often shown watching or in conversation with others. The camera tends to linger on them in proximity to the window to show their perception of others.

Characterization

SITE

THE POST OFFICE

The site for this project is a post office located in Phoenix, Arizona. There are two major reasons for this selection: familiarity and monotony. Everyone knows the post office - it’s a beloved government agency that people avoid going to at all costs because the user experience is always frustrating, regardless of the location. “The lines are too long.” “The design is outdated.” “There’s nowhere to sit.” “There’s nothing to look at.” All of these complaints make it the perfect blank canvas site. There’s nothing special about the post office because it’s a government-run agency and doesn’t need to be designed well; however, because it’s such an essential business there’s ample opportunity for good design to change how people feel about the post office, turning an unpleasant user experience into a pleasant one.

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Site

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Lobby Multiple layers of glass enclose the room from the rest of the space. Many customers make a beeline for the mail drop and never go past the lobby. How can we enhance the lobby experience while encouraging users to explore the other areas?

Mailboxes The mailbox room is spacious but its users only visit for a minute or two. Meanwhile other areas become crowded with customers due to a lack of space. How can we address the unbalanced areas while making the mailboxes appealing to non-users?

Employee Windows There’s pressure to proceed quickly at the window because customers can feel the gaze of others behind them. How can we reduce the frustration of the waiting experience while providing a more personal employee encounter?

Site

MODIFICATION

A SPATIAL TRANSFORMATION The modifications to the current post office interior takes into account the lessons learned from the three archetypes and the mediation of the body, space, and container. Each of the three zones in the site presents a challenge that can be addressed through the modification of a specific interior feature: Lobby : Threshold Mailbox : Poche Employee Window : Surface The new design explores the ideas of visibility vs invisibility in the lobby, interaction in the mailbox room, and improved communication at the employee windows. Each modification builds on the foundation of the existing site while heightening the experience in each zone. The film archetypes begin to blend into the post office user journeys and create a new environment that allows for each user to choose their path.

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Modification

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Body vs Container The Dreamer archetype gives us characters focused on their own realities, similar to post office users who make a beeline for the mail drop and never leave the lobby. The modified design utilizes a semi-transparent mirrored glass which directs users straight to the mail drop while allowing users to see the shadows of those passing by. When they go to leave they suddenly have full visibility into the two other areas, encouraging them to stay longer and explore.

Body vs Space The Explorer archetype shows characters focused on dissecting their realities, similar to young kids or adults who are interested in lingering at the post office but previously never had a reason to. The modified design turns a bay of mailboxes into an interactive work or play area; several mailboxes have been converted into sliding work surfaces, glowing light cubes, or pull-out ottomans, giving users flexibility to choose how they want to interact with the space.

Body vs Body The Voyeur archetype establishes characters focused on other people’s realities, similar to post office users waiting in line to speak to an employee. The modified design implements two main features to improve communication. The first is a take-a-number system which allows customers to freely explore other areas at their own pace. The second is a series of layered glass, including tinted privacy cubes at each window to limit distractions for employees and customers.

Modification

JOURNEY

A NEW POSTAL EXPERIENCE Narratively, the organization of this project follows a similar structure to a film: characterization as the inciting event, site analysis as the low point, and modification as the turning point. The final section serves as the climax, examining the overall experience of each of the three user journeys and what specific elements are derived from film. A simple answer to the initially proposed question would be narrative storytelling. Film and precedent analysis have led to the conclusion that a thoughtful narrative is the most crucial aspect of a film and character exploration can help to create a more rich interior experience. Understanding the motivations behind users is critical to successful design and framing users through a cinematic lens can help in this process. Beyond the lens, we can apply this cinematic framework to an interior to meld a film’s reality with our reality and empathize with others from a new perspective.

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Journey

THE DREAMER

Inciting Event

Low Point

Turning Point

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THE EXPLORER

Inciting Event

Low Point

Turning Point

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Journey

THE VOYEUR

Inciting Event

Low Point

Turning Point

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Journey

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Journey

Thank you!

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