Inspired by the works from the likes of Frank Lloyd Wright to Zaha Hadid, explore how movies have defined the iconic villain through modernist architecture
Just like the eyes are the window of the soul, the space you live in can reflect your personality. So why do the bad guys always seem to have the most impressive-looking house on the silver screen?
As the James Bond franchise began to boom and Hollywood started adopting more villains like the iconic Auric Goldfinger, being sleek, suave, and utterly in control of those around you started to become the classic hallmark of the modern villain. To show the kind of power they wielded, many Hollywood movies began introducing futuristic, modernist houses as visual cues to separate these rich and powerful villains from the rest of society.
Read more: Does the Oppenheimer cast look familiar to you? You’ve probably seen them in another film or two
From design sets based on Frank Lloyd Wright’s iconic Prairie-style houses to the Iron Man-inspired Razor House, here are 4 modernist buildings that have featured as infamous villain abodes:
1. The Chemosphere House by John Lautner
Influenced by Wright’s work at the time, John Lautner is one of America’s most influential architects who pioneered the Googie architecture style.
Perched off the edge and surrounded by nature, the Chemosphere’s unique octagonal shape resembles a flying saucer and is considered one of his most iconic works, a masterpiece of modernist architecture and mid-century design. The continuous glass windows provide an unobstructed view from above of the city landscape, separating our villain from the common man as he plans out his next move from above.
Currently owned by Benedikt Taschen and lived in as a family home, the Chemosphere has featured in the thriller Body Double and was recreated by set designers for the classic 2000 film adaptation of Charlie’s Angels starring Cameron Diaz, Lucy Liu, and Drew Barrymore.
