To begin, we looked at aesthetics in filmmaking that we liked to watch. Wes Andereson was a unanimous choice because of his skill in visual storytelling. I was inspired by the architecture, lines, and colors he uses in his compositions which is something I focus a lot on in my set design practice. I was also interested in his use of camera angles and shots like down corridors, top view and wide angles. I do not know much about camera angles so I used his films to understand them. 

Down the rabbit hole of Wes Anderson, I came across Jordan Bolton, a graphic designer that makes film posters. One of his techniques is to select symbolic objects & costume pieces from the films to create a flat lay composition of the narrative. The other technique is to make models of the set/production design. So, this was our reference for the concept of our film: scale modelmaking and symbolism in objects.


The decision to use the home as our location came from a conversation about the aesthetics of architecutre in Japan and Syria (our respective nationalities) and realising there were a lot of similarities. 

Another reason this was a significant choice was because Saki and I are both people who grew up outside of our home countries, so I  interpreted this theme as a way for us to be discovering our cultural heritage. Modelmaking was a purposeful choice because it would allow us to navigate new space without geographical limitations. It was a way of connecting to the physicality of our heritage while still being abroad and creating something tactile. 

We began to do visual research on both cultures’ similarites & differences:  In this research I tried to extract the necessary elements to begin designing my own version of this courtyard/house. Which was: a fountain, stairs leading to a terrace, tiles & stone, an outdoor reception area/Liwan. However, most of the architecture is unique, which gave me freedom to design my fantasy version. 

Having found a stylistic inspiration, we began brainstorming themes & concepts: 

We decided to focus on the courtyards since that was the shared element. We did not have time or need to do an entire home. Next, I did some more visual research on Syrian Courtyards since I would be making the 1:25 model of it. 

Since I had never been to one of these traditional homes, I had to piece together my own understanding of one based off photographs and discussions with family members who had visited them. I talked a lot to my great aunt, who is Syrian and an architecture professor, who helped me underestand the topology and functionality of the home layouts. I also talked to my Syrian grandmother about details within traditional culture like furniture, plants, art.