Films

Film is an increasingly important medium for research and the development of projects within the Flores & Prats studio. It is both a tool to capture the time-based qualities of process and the handmade within the studios working methods, and at the same time act as a lens to reflect on the constructed works from varied perspectives. With its experimental capacity, the illusionism of film creates fluidity, and a rapidity of engagement that standard architectural representation resists.

Since 2005 Flores & Prats have used short films to share a physical portrait of the studio and its stories with the digital world, to reach diverse and distant audiences. These stories may be those of individual projects, drawings on the table, or even the objects and books upon the shelves. The films within the ‘STUDIO’ section of the website are explorative and experimental, largely composed of bringing models and drawings to life through animation and stop-motion photography, often merging this with records of the projects pre and post-completion. Most are raw, quick and intuitive experiments, others are built up and amended over months and years.

At the same time, Flores & Prats collaborate with production studios to produce a series of documentaries that capture an intense record of specific projects, often accompanying the design or construction process, or exploration from the perception of collaborators or users (such as ‘Scale 1:5’, 2017, or ‘Meeting at the Building’, 2012).

On an academic level, Flores & Prats use film with students to tackle different research themes, such as the extensive post-occupancy interviewing process of Building 111 (2012) with students of ETSAB Barcelona, and the explorative project films that encourage experimentation with the mixed media of projects at ETH Zürich (2019-21). In 2021, Flores and Prats ran a film focused workshop ‘Through the Drawing’ with students of the Edinburgh School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture.

Regular Flores & Prats collaborations in relation to the development of films have been with Jonny Pugh (studio films), and with Patricia Tamayo, Albert Badia, Carlota Coloma and Adrià Lahuerta of 15-L Films (documentaries).

2021

‘Through the Drawing’, ESALA

Outcomes from a workshop directed by Flores & Prats for students to reflect on the value of the film as an activator of a drawing. Flores & Prats, Geddes Visiting Fellows 2021 to the Edinburgh School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (ESALA).
2020

Paper Theatre

55”
Animated exploration of a folded-out printed peep theatre interpretation of Sala Beckett, created by the artist Soraya Smithson in collaboration with Flores & Prats.
Film by Flores & Prats with Jonny Pugh.
2019

La Capella del Mattino

3’36”
A production film providing a sound and visual walk through Flores & Prats ‘The Morning Chapel’ presented for the Vatican Pavilion during La Biennale di Venezia 2018.
Flores & Prats with 15-L FILMS (Patricia Tamayo and Albert Badia)
Shortlisted for the Transfer Architecture Video Award 2019.
2019

Sala Beckett – Place

6’09’’
Project record using studio material including animated drawings and stop-motion photography superimposed with site footage, historical and construction phase photography.
Flores & Prats with Jonny Pugh.
2019

FoodCultura Satellite Boqueria

4’06”
A look at the stand designed at La Boqueria market by Flores & Prats for the artist Antoni Miralda, starting from the container in the studio that houses all the project documents and models.
Flores & Prats with Jonny Pugh.
2018

Liquid Light, Venice Biennale 2018

10’27”
Production film exploring Flores & Prats installation created for FREESPACE at the Venice Biennale 2018, produced for Eva Prats’ PhD thesis project.
Flores & Prats with 15-L FILMS (Patricia Tamayo & Albert Badia).
2018

Liquid Light – From Barcelona to Venice

1’31’’
The story of how light travels from Flores & Prats’ Sala Beckett theatre in Barcelona to the Corderie at the Arsenale, Venice. Animated drawings and photos from the installation.
Flores & Prats with Jonny Pugh.
2008+2018

Building 111 – construction process

3’40’'
A time-lapse photographic report on the formwork that produces the flat or curved shapes of Flores & Prats' Building 111.
Flores & Prats with photography by Filippo Abrami, edited by Jonny Pugh.
Exhibited at the ‘Building Stories’ exhibition at the CCB, Lisbon, 2018.
2018

Sala Beckett – Performance

2’38’’
Short story exploring the ways a member of the public, actor, and technician intertwine in one evening at the theatre. The film is structured around stop motion photography of a dismantlable 1:50 model combined with time-lapse photography.
Flores & Prats with Jonny Pugh.
Exhibited at the Works + Words Biennale 2019, Copenhagen.
2017

Sala Beckett Pop-up

2’01’’
A register of the magic and ephemeral character of the theatre using recordings of activities that had taken place superimposed over a pop-up that explores the building in section.
Flores & Prats with Jonny Pugh.
Exhibited at the Works + Words Biennale 2019, Copenhagen.
2017

Scale 1:5

41’53’’
A 5 part documentary series about creative processes through Flores & Prats and Sala Beckett with special guests like Curro Claret, Antoni Miralda, Soraya Smithson, Sergi Belbel and Toni Casares.
Flores & Prats with 15-L FILMS (Patricia Tamayo and Albert Badia).
Exhibited at the Venice Biennale 2018.
2016

Taking Care of Ghosts

3’00’’
Production video made from conversations, walls, materials, faces activities… materials and people that are part of the remodelled Sala Beckett.
Flores & Prats with 15-L FILMS (Albert Badia).
Winning video at the 2016 Architecture Simon Awards.
2016

44 Doors and 35 Windows for the new Sala Beckett

3’05’’
The existing doors and windows of the former Cooperative Pau i Justícia become characters in a story that shows their promenade from original to new locations in the Sala Beckett project. Stop motion photography with 1:50 plans and cut out elements.
Flores & Prats with Agustina Bersier, Mariela Allievi, Judith Casas and 15-L FILMS.
Exhibited at the Works + Words Biennale 2019, Copenhagen.
2013

Portable Memories: luggage for a young architect

13’29’’
Exhibition at Sala Vinçon, Barcelona showing ESARC-UIC student thesis work within portable containers. Photographic record of the working material being opened and presented by its authors.
Film by Adrià Goula photo for Flores & Prats.
2013

Meeting at the Building + Ingredients & Cakes

8’42”
Video exploring the complete story of a double exhibition in Copenhagen held at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts and the Leith & Gori Storefront. Models and drawings alongside fragments from the exhibited films.
Flores & Prats with Mariola Borrell.
2013

Meeting at the Building – Exhibition of Works by Flores & Prats

2’46’’
Record of the opening of an exhibition at the Royal Danish Academy of Copenhagen, displaying extensive material which document the design and post occupancy of the Flores & Prats project Building 111.
Flores & Prats, edited by Ole Jacob Raste.
2013

Meeting at the Printing

2’47’’
Production of the print catalogue of the double exhibition 'Meeting at the building + Ingredients & Cakes' in Copenhagen, at The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, School of Architecture Exhibition Hall and at the Leth & Gori Storefront, 2013.
Flores & Prats with Filippo Abrami and Tomás Kenny.
2007+2013

Building 111

6’59’’
Project record using mixed studio documents including stop-motion photography of models at various scales and site footage. First produced in 2007 during construction and updated in 2013.
Flores & Prats with Jonny Pugh.
2012

Meeting at the Building

15’51’’
Documentary film depicting the interactions of the neighbours of Building 111 on a summer’s morning.
Flores & Prats with 15-L FILMS (Carlota Coloma and Adrià Lahuerta).
Winning Documentary Film at the Architecture Film Festival Santiago (2013).
Selected at festivals including the Istanbul Tasarım Bienali (2016), 5th Budapest Architecture Film Days (2013), Loop / Screen Festival (2013), FICARQ, Film and Architecture Festival of Aviles (2013), 11th International Film Festival of Ponferrada (2013), Arquitecturas Film Festival Lisbon (2013), and the Istanbul VII Architecture and Urban Films Festival (2013).
2012-2013

Building 111 post occupancy investigations

Two series of interviews of residents of the Flores & Prats social housing project Building 111 carried out firstly by students of the Master Program ‘Housing Laboratory for the XXIst Century’ at UPC Barcelona, led by Ricardo Flores & Eva Prats, and in a second exercise carried out by 2 residents of the building, Sonia Gil and Victor Gros.
2006-2010
F&P studio films produced for ‘EXPLORE THE STUDIO’
Short films that use animated drawings, models and site footage, to tell the story and bring to life the archived studio material for each project. Including:
Microsoft Milan 5’57’’ / Casa en una Maleta 2’27’’ / Plaza Nicaragua 4’19’’ / Nørrebropark 2’36’’ / Expo en el COAC 1’49’’ / Nave Yutes 2’58’’ / Conservatorio en Ibiza 2’40’’ / Guissona 3’03’’ / Casa Providencia 4’25’’ / Mueble Joyero 2’03’’ / Jardines de Fabra & Coats 3’34’’ / Mercado del Besòs 1’41’’ / Palau Balaguer 2’38’’ / Vajilla Imaginaria 1’43’’ / Plaza Pius XII 3’39’’ / Hotel Nuevo Triunfo 3’59’’ / Museo de los Molinos 5’20’’ / Bornholms Museum 3’27’’ / Flipbook Lectura 2’23’’…