The Second Annual Architecture Center Houston Film festival investigates the effect of architecture and urban planning on culture and cinema's perception of urban life. The films will look at truths and myths about 20th century American public housing, the growth of urban living centers, the interaction of parkour and free running in urban settings and life in the suburbs. Each evening the featured film will be preceded by a juried collection of short films by students and amateur filmmakers.
Tickets can be purchased here.
Thursday, 7 p.m.
The Pruitt-Igoe, 2011
The film explores the social, economic and legislative issues that led to the decline of conventional public housing in America, and the city centers in which they resided while tracing the personal and poignant narratives of several of the residents of the notorious Pruitt-Igoe public housing complex in St. Louis. A panel discussion will follow the feature film courtesy of HoustonMOD.
Friday Double Feature, 7 p.m.
My Playground, 2010
The film explores the way parkour and freerunning are changing the perception of urban space and how the space is changing the traceurs and freerunners. Award winning architect and founder of BIG Architects, Bjarke Ingels, is fascinated by the way Team JiYo convey architecture and takes the team to his buildings, to explore and unfold their skills, traveling from Denmark to Japan, United States, United Kingdom, and China.
Radiant City, 2006
While experts in the field lay out problems and solutions to urban sprawl, family members, through humor and self-revelation, reflect on their decisions to join the exodus and describe how they are coping where, some would argue, no one should be forced to live.
Saturday, 7 p.m.
Urbanized, 2011
Over half the world's population now lives in urban areas and 75 percent will call a city home by 2050. While some cities are experiencing explosive growth, others are shrinking. The challenges of balancing housing, mobility, public space, civic engagement, economic development and environmental policy are fast becoming universal concerns, yet much of the dialogue on these issues is disconnected from the public domain.