FILM INSTITUTE | university of virginia As leaves on trees change their color from green to dark orange, a new school year begins on the UVA campus, and students slowly develop a rhythm moving in between their every class. Autumn slowly reveals itself on the campus, and with it comes the annual film festival used to educate people on film, as well as introduce new and old films to the public for their enjoyment. Located between Lambeth field and Culbreth road, the film institute consists of three large theatres capable of seating three hundred visitors, classrooms, offices, and private viewing rooms. After the annual film festival, the film institute is used a classroom space, introducing a School of Film onto the campus.
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This design initially began as a study into the human spine and subway systems, as well as an attempt to connect one side of the preexisting tracks to the other, and to frame views in the Institute. As life underground moves at a fast, chaotic pace, with every passenger running from each stop to the next to get to their destination as quickly as possible, the train tracks remain still and unmoving. The subway moves at a constant, arriving at its next stop on time and at a regular interval. The subway acts as a spine, holding the whole system together as life moves rapidly around it. The design for the Film Institute follows this idea of a rigid, organized space - the classrooms and offices on one side – and a more chaotic, flexible space - the three theatres and lobby spaces- and begins to investigate the space in between. Visitors enter this space from Culbreth road, descending into the outdoor lobby area with the more rigid space to the right and the less organized spaces to the left. These two buildings tower over visitors as they walk through the outdoor space, vertically framing a view of the tracks as they enjoy the outdoor spaces. As visitors turn left, they enter into the indoor lobby located in front of the main theatre. From there, visitors can move into all three of the theatres by turning to the right or left. As visitors enjoy the lobby space and buy theatre tickets or popcorn before the movie, they have the option to move up the stairs located in the main lobby, leading them to a secondary lobby and reception space. This reception space includes a window that horizontally frames the train tracks and the courtyard located across the tracks. A tunnel is located adjacent to this space that takes visitors from the more chaotic side to the rigid side, merging these two different ideas together, and further emphasizing the relationship between these two spaces. After moving through this tunnel, visitors can then move through organized classrooms and offices. As visitors then continuing moving through the exterior space in between these two buildings, they are able to move to the other side of the train through a tunnel located beneath the tracks. This tunnel leads to an outdoor courtyard area, allowing for visitors to see Lambeth Field, and allowing students and visitors to enter into this space from either side of the tracks.
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The Film Institute has been described by five experiences, as seen on the site plan. These experiences are recorded on filmstrips, and represent five different perspectives from five different visitors, emphasizing the character development as these visitors move through the space. These perspectives include experiences from students within a twentyfour hour span [01], visitors within an four-hour span [03], directors within a four-year span [05], train conductors within a five-minute span [02], and pilots within an hour-long span [04]. These filmstrips and perspectives begin to tell a story of how many different people experience and use the space, and how their experience changes based on how they intend to use the space. Students leave their dorms located across the tracks from the Film Institute and enter through the courtyard and tunnel leading underneath the tracks. From there, students progress into the classrooms and offices, and occasionally a theatre or the reception space. Visitors enter the building from the opposite side of the road by driving down Culbreth Road. They move into the outdoor lobby area and talk and relax before the film if the weather is nice. They then continue into the main indoor lobby to buy tickets and popcorn before the film. After the movie, visitors are able to move upstairs to a reception space. Directors begin their journey as a student at the Film School located in the Film Institute, and then move on to become directors who visit every year for the film festival. This journey includes the perspective of a student and of a visitor. Train conductors move quickly past the Film Institute, but as they pass they experience moving past the building on the North East side, having the train frame the building and creating scenes as it moves past. The pilot moves over the Film Institute, continuously having a birds-eye perspective over the building, as well as the whole campus. The building appears smaller from above, and offers a major change in perspective. bibliography “Vanke Sales Office / FCHA” 23 Mar 2015. ArchDaily. Accessed 19 Apr 2015. <http://www.archdaily.com/?p=611310> 1/128”=1’
New addition to the University of Virginia’s School of Architecture, W.G Clark, Charlottesville, VA, 2008
NOMENCLATURE [01]
ENTRANCE AT GROUND LEVEL
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OUTDOOR LOBBY 10’ BELOW GROUND LEVEL
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IINDOOR LOBBY LOCATED IN FRONT OF MAIN THEATRE
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THEATRE 01
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THEATRE 02
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THEATRE 03
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RECEPTION SPACE LOCATED ABOVE THEATRE 03
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TUNNEL LEADING FROM THEATRES TO CLASSROOMS AND OFFICES
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BALCONY CONNECTED TO CLASSROOMS AND OFFICES
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CLASSROOMS AND OFFICES
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COURTYARD LOCATED ACROSS TRACKS
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OFFICES AND FILM ARCHIVE
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TRAIN TRACKS
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HUNTER SMITH BAND BUILDING
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PARKING GARAGE
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PILOTS EXPERIENCE | 1 hour span A pilot flys above the UVA campus, catching glimpses of the dot-sized people moving below. As he flys closer towards the film institute, he begins to clearly see the people move from classes to theatres, as well as people enjoying the sun in the courtyard. Cars and trains pass by below while he watches life move from above.
CONDUCTORS EXPERIENCE |5 minute span As the sun rises above the UVA campus, a train conductor miles away begins his journey for the day. As he reaches the film institute, he can begin to clearly see the courtyard to his right and the building to the left. The window he looks out of begins to frame a view of the building, creating short scenes of the building as he passes.
VISITORS EXPERIENCE |four hour span Visitors enter the film institute from the west, moving into an outdoor lobby space with the theatres and classrooms towering above them, vertically framing a view of the train tracks. Visitors can move into the indoor lobby to buy tickets and popcorn before entering into the theatres.
STUDENTS EXPERIENCE | 24 hour span By day, students move through the classroom space, a building which remains a constant throughout the year. As day turns to night and classes finish for the day, students gather in the theatres and lobby space across from the classroom building to relax and end their day. When the film finishes, students leave the theatres and exit beneath the traintracks to return to their dorms.