Design in cinema: the architecture of the series “The Squid Game» in reality

“The Squid Game” has become the most watched series in the history of Netflix and the most talked about series in the world. A month after the release, it seems that everyone is already aware of the plot, hidden meanings and similarity of the corridors of the “Game …” with Ricardo Bofill’s “Red Wall”. We share seven more locations that would pass for scenery for a South Korean TV series. 

Дизайн в кино: архитектура сериала “Игра в кальмара” в реальности

Photo: © Palladium Photodesign. Oliver Schuh + Barbara Burg

The director and screenwriter of the “Squid Game” Hwang Dong—hyuk himself admitted that he was inspired by the “Relativity” of Mauritz Escher — a lithograph with a paradoxical intersection of worlds, where stairs become a connecting element, to create the scenery for a huge building that could accommodate 456 players and hundreds of personnel of the “Game …”. But the audience, impressed by the interiors of the game complex, began to find similar spaces in reality. The most popular is La Muralla Roja (“The Red Wall”) by Ricardo Bofilla in Spanish Calpe: the same interconnected courtyards and even the same naive children’s colors — pink and sky blue. It is noteworthy that here the architect reworks the ideas of Arab Mediterranean architecture and creates an allusion to the North African Kasbah (translated from Arabic — “fortress»).

Дизайн в кино: архитектура сериала “Игра в кальмара” в реальности

Дизайн в кино: архитектура сериала “Игра в кальмара” в реальности

RBTA

There is also a staircase motif and a space that can be conditionally called a “waiting room». A completely white room deliberately creates a depressing atmosphere and an atmosphere of complete misunderstanding of what awaits the heroes in the future. 

Дизайн в кино: архитектура сериала “Игра в кальмара” в реальности

A frame from the series. 

However, Santiago Calatrava or Zaha Hadid probably would not agree with such an interpretation of space. Rhythmic elements and total white color in their architecture, for example, in the Calatrava Pavilion at Expo 2020 in Dubai or in the Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, are more associated with futurism and technology. 

Дизайн в кино: архитектура сериала “Игра в кальмара” в реальности

Pavilion designed by Santiago Calatrava at Expo 2020 in Dubai. 

Photo: © Palladium Photodesign. Oliver Schuh + Barbara Burg

Дизайн в кино: архитектура сериала “Игра в кальмара” в реальности

Pavilion designed by Santiago Calatrava at Expo 2020 in Dubai. 

Photo: © Palladium Photodesign. Oliver Schuh + Barbara Burg

Дизайн в кино: архитектура сериала “Игра в кальмара” в реальности

The Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku is designed by Zaha Hadid Architects. 

AFP

And you could have heard about the glass bridge, which suddenly began to crack under the feet of pedestrians, a few years ago. In 2017, videos of tourists walking along a cliff on a glass bridge in the Chinese province of Hebei appeared on the Internet. Suddenly, at an altitude of about 1800 m, the plates began to crack (and emit a characteristic sound at the same time), which led people to genuine horror. In fact, the glass was equipped with multimedia panels. 

Дизайн в кино: архитектура сериала “Игра в кальмара” в реальности

A frame from the series. 

After seeing the footage from the second game of the series, we involuntarily remembered the interactive installation by Yuri Suzuki, which took place in central London in August-September. However, Yuri Suzuki, creating such a “playground”, pursued, of course, the opposite goal: not to separate people, not to focus on their small size and weight in society, but, on the contrary, to unite, go outside and remember the connection between man and society.

Дизайн в кино: архитектура сериала “Игра в кальмара” в реальности

Дизайн в кино: архитектура сериала “Игра в кальмара” в реальности

If the similarity of these “sites” does not seem so obvious to you, then look at another location: the Itaewon metro station in Seoul. At the end of September, the same doll was installed there, the playground was recreated and they did not forget about the big “piggy bank” with the prize pool of players.

Дизайн в кино: архитектура сериала “Игра в кальмара” в реальности

The doll, by the way, was borrowed from the South Korean Macha Land Museum in Jincheon County, about three hours north of Seoul. At the end of filming, the doll was returned, but she also became a victim of games: now she lacks one brush, which makes the already disturbing atmosphere around the doll even more frightening.

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The film also shows an example of modern architecture in Seoul — the headquarters of the Hanwha Group conglomerate. The building against the background of the heroes is present in the frame for eight seconds, and this time is enough to show the gap between the giant company and small people. By the way, the company itself was founded back in 1952, and the facade of the building was modernized by the UNStudio bureau at the beginning of 2021: instead of demolishing the tower, it was reconstructed and equipped with solar panels according to modern sustainability requirements.

Дизайн в кино: архитектура сериала “Игра в кальмара” в реальности

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