What if architecture was inspired by the fantastic world of films? Italian architect and illustrator Federico Babina imagined this exact scenario and came up with “Archidirector” – a series of 27 out-of-this-world houses, each inspired by the cinematic universe created by classic film directors, such as Charlie Chaplin, Federico Fellini and Stanley Kubrick, or by contemporaries like Wes Anderson, Michel Gondry or the Coen brothers.
The relation between architecture and films can be emphasized to a great extent. Both fields rely on time and space to unveil their story and both are based on a script, metaphorically. “Directors are like the architects of cinema. They are those that build stories that like buildings envelop the viewer and carry it in a different world. Each with their own style, language and aesthetics, think, plan, design and build places and stories that host us for the duration of the movie”, Babina mentions.
The houses were ‘built’ using similar tools the directors use to create their imaginary worlds. It all came down to “an abstract exercise of translating a language into another“, the artist explains. “In cinema every single detail of a film helps to build a unique and characteristic language of the artistic personality of a director. The same thing happens in architecture where even the smallest detail helps to shape the imprint of an architect. The costumes, light, color, objects, time can be turned into materials, windows, geometric structures and compositions to build a house made of ‘celluloid’.” 
“Archidirectors” is Federico Babina’s last exercise in a series of architecturally-based illustrations. His work is fun and inspiring, shedding a new light on classic works and, perhaps, unveiling new paths for future generations of artists – architects and directors included.
By: Ana Cosma
