Essay

Film has always been an urban medium. From the Lumière brothers' arrival of a train to contemporary drone cinematography, moving image has documented and constructed our understanding of city space.

This essay proposes that architectural researchers can adopt cinematic analysis as a legitimate methodological tool—not as illustration, but as primary evidence for understanding how urban interfaces are experienced sequentially.

Key Argument

The cut, the pan, and the tracking shot are not merely directorial choices—they are spatial operations that reveal how we perceive thresholds, transitions, and the between-spaces of urban life.

Essay

The design studio is traditionally understood as a space of making—where students learn to design buildings. But what if we understand it instead as a laboratory—a site where spatial questions are formulated, tested, and documented with the same rigor expected in scientific research?

This essay outlines the principles behind the studio-as-research-lab model developed at CD HUB, drawing on experiences from Studio Between and Escapecore.

Core Principles

1. Every design project begins with a research question
2. Documentation is as important as the design artifact
3. Studio outputs feed a broader research ecosystem
4. Public dissemination is integral to the research process