If a work can be photographed, drawn, or expressed in words, it can also be the star of a film. This can be seen in Arquitectura en Corto, a Spanish cycle of short films about innovation and trends in contemporary architecture.
"The eruption and widespread availability of social media/mobile videos coupled with the need to illustrate and present innovative projects drives the union between architecture and these mediums," explains Roca Gallery and Technal, the organizers behind Arquitectura en Corto.
Motivated by the next edition set to come out in October, we have chosen 7 short films from the cycle's first two editions that show everything from the transformation of Europe into a tourism hub to a house constructed in 80 days.
Terramotourism | Left Hand Rotation
On November 1, 1755, an earthquake completely destroyed Lisbon. Today, the city trembles again under a surge of tourism that has brought the city to cruising speed. Left Hand Rotation, the film's creator, is an artistic collective that develops projects that bring together intervention, investigation, and video handling.
How to Build a House in 80 Days | Un día en la nieve
The film shows the journey of b home, a house designed by Sergio Baragaño, built in Madrid and transported via highway to its final destination, all in less than 4 months, with no delays or changes in budget.
Landskating | scob
An old skate park, a forgotten garden beneath a bridge, and the reconstruction of a skate park in a working-class neighborhood are the bones that form this documentary, Landskating. The film's narration draws parallels between the construction process for three new public spaces in Barcelona and how outlying areas fit into the overall urban landscape with regards to place, memory, people, and daily hustle.
My house arrives flying | Marcos Canas
New penthouses swing in on heavy duty cranes and find their place atop antique buildings. Even more impressive, the structures are practically ready-built straight from a factory. Joan Artés, founding architect of Casa por el Tejado, revolutionizes the urban landscape of Barcelona with a formula that brings together rooftop residents, their new neighbors, and the city itself.
House 712 | Adrià Goula
House 712 is about a process based on reducing clients' demands to reduce the final price of the house without neglecting the solar and geographic specifications of its users. During the process, the price is reduced to less than half the original cost.
Battersea Power Station: Selling an Icon | Espectacle media
A brief history of London's Battersea Power Station, from its prominence as a site of industrial power to its abandonment years, and later to the ruinous planning for its replacement.
Beti Jai. La capilla Sixtina de la pelota | Objetivo Family
This short film captures the abandonment of one of Madrid's architectural gems: the Beti Jai, the wall of a Basque Pelota court abandoned since 1989.
Original descriptions by Arquitectuira en Corto.
