Definition

Rebirth of Ophelia(1994) collaged by Keiichi Ogata

In this way, we hope you to realise the value and possibility to promote the quest of cinematic architecture that started from Professor Pascal Shöning’s studio in AA, even after closing the studio, by knowing diversification of media art, the expansion of the meaning of architecture, ( you may not believe if you were in Japan ) and more and more discussion in conjunction with architecture and cinema in the world.

Taking these facts, for the definition of cinematic architecture, CAT is proposing here the definition once hypothetically. These may be modified with our experiments and verification in the future. This work will be continued until the cinematic architecture is completely defined.

(1) Is anything that user feels as if they are “watching a film" cinématic architecture?
(2) Is anything has a cinématic sequence cinématic architecture?
(3) Is anything using the film language and concept in design cinématic architecture?
(4) Is anything using narrative and story are told like film (in another words the architecture with narratives) cinématic architecture?
(5) Is (including the cinematic apparatus) anything has specific elements in film theatres cinématic architecture?
(6) Incorporating the cinématic natural phenomena cinématic architecture?
(7) Is anything acting on the stream of consciousness or memory cinématic architecture?
(8) Is anything inspired from a certain part of a particular film or a film cinématic architecture?
(9) Alternatively, is a process to produce cinématic architecture above all cinématic architecture?
(10) Possibly how about architectural film?
(11) To begin with, does the distinction cinématic architecture or architectural film need?

Some buildings and objects look cinematic from time to time as that have lighting or moving image on facades or other parts. However, according to the recognition of architecture, CAT considers "cinématic architecture" as only those expressions and designs on architecture that uses the conditions above all and sophisticates, and we take them as the reference to the direction for our purpose and design.

These description above all is taken from CAT Essential Workshops and Seminars, "What is a cinematic architecture?" (2015) and "Watching Films Architecturally" (2015) and expressly edited for the CAT website.