5 Best Architecture Movies Every Architect Should Watch

Koyaanisqatsi: Life Out of Balance (1982)

This film contrasts the splendor of nature with the mess made by man in an unfamiliar way. The film is an impressive experience that makes the audience think and tries to warn us about the environmental hazards caused by human beings.

Among other locations in 1970s America, the film features the demolition of the Pruit-Igoe Housing Project. A thought-provoking movie for architects, covering the importance of Pruit-Igoe in the history of architecture and all other approaches.

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

The Grand Budapest Hotel is a 2014 comedy and drama film set on a 20th-century mountainside. The hotel is in a fictional country called Zubrowka, and the main character is a young man named Gustave, accused of murder. The themes of film art, fascism, friendship, loyalty and nostalgia are all handled within the boundaries of architecture. The hotel building and its craftsmanship have a very inspiring design for architects.

The Architect (2016)

The Architect (2016) is a comedy about the life of architect Miles Moss, who is hired to design a married couple’s dream house. His arrogance, selfishness, and obsession with his work reveal some of the character traits associated with architects. This architect has a big problem: will he build his dream house or his career masterpiece? This movie will be a hilarious choice for us to understand how architecture and architects look in the world.

Midnight in Paris (2011)

Midnight in Paris is a fantasy film set in Paris. The city becomes an inspiration for the main character Gil who is a writer struggling with his novel. The 2011 movie is about the love and relationship of Gil and his fiance Inez who take a vacation in Paris. The writer falls in love with the city while he is walking around the streets. The beautiful atmosphere and the buildings of Paris will inspire architects.

The Infinite Happiness (2015)

The documentary highlights the work of successful Danish architect Bjarke Ingels and his innovative “8” housing development in Copenhagen. Instead of interviewing the architect about their projects and work, the filmmakers prefer to follow the lives of residents who share their stories and experiences in this new venue.

While many in the community share funny and happy stories about their special days and family reunions, one of them talks about his concern for tourists who experience this building as a public space. The Infinite Happiness is an eye-opening film about the ideological barriers social housing must overcome.