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Arts & Communication Integrating films in city planning and urban design

to the story and character development. The insights gained of a dystopian future serves as a powerful reminder of the
from these films help students create storyboards like those importance of considering urban development’s social and
used in filmmaking to visualize their urban design and city environmental impacts.
planning concepts. These storyboards clarify their design Blade Runner is an iconic depiction of a dystopian post-
intentions and present their projects engagingly and urbanism future city, significantly influencing subsequent
understandably to a broader audience.
science fiction. Its portrayal of Los Angeles in 2019 with
Understanding the relationship between human activity dark, chaotic, and industrial imagery has set a standard
and urbanism is essential for city planners and designers, for visual representations of nightmare cities. Despite its
and it varies significantly across cultures and locales. Using anachronistic vision, the film remains central to discussions
film in the classroom is part of KTH’s effort to deepen of urban futures. The film’s dense, grimy urban environment
students’ appreciation of the complexity and richness contrasts sharply with modern urban planning, which aims
of the interaction between urban life and urban form for vibrancy and livability. This outdated representation
through a global cinematic survey. While international draws more from historical fears of density than
exposure to urbanism presents a classroom challenge, contemporary issues of suburban sprawl. The noir esthetics
the film offers an effective solution. Films allow students and postmodern traits blend underscores its impact on
to virtually explore cities like Stockholm, Kyiv, Beijing, the urban imaginary. The film intersects with theories of
Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Mexico City, and Paris from one the post-metropolis, particularly reflecting and shaping
location, experiencing these places’ physical and cultural perceptions of urban dystopia. Its use of composite cityscapes
dimensions. The unique ability of films to instantly connect and the interplay between real and imagined urban forms
characters with urban spaces sets them apart from other highlights its speculative nature and cultural impact. The
media. This paper highlighted some of the films featured narrative ambiguity challenges binary oppositions, such as
in the courses within these graduate programs. The first human versus replicant and emotion versus lack of affect,
strand is cinematic urbanism, an interdisciplinary field embodying the complexities of postmodern urbanism.
that provides a theoretical framework for understanding Blade Runner’s movie cinematic urbanism is crucial for
the complexities of urban and social environments. The understanding the intersections of urban planning, cultural
second strand involves the practical application of these theory, and the evolving narrative of city life, emphasizing
theories in urban cinematic pedagogy, which focuses the importance of historical and speculative elements in its
on decoding cities, places, and spaces, along with their lasting influence on urban discourse.
complex social constructs and narratives, through film.
3.2. Case study 2: Peter Weir’s The Truman Show
3.1. Case study 1: Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner (1982) (1998) – Urbanism and the illusion of reality
– A dystopian vision of post-urbanism
The Truman Show (1998) presents a markedly different
Blade Runner (1982) offers a dystopian vision of approach to urbanism and cinema in the city. Set in the
future urbanism, characterized by overpopulation, idyllic and meticulously constructed Seahaven Island, a
industrialization, and environmental degradation. The suburban coastal town, the film reveals that the town is
film’s portrayal of a dark, oppressive cityscape serves as a entirely an artificial set (the exterior scenes of Seahaven
cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked technological Island were filmed in the real-life town of Seaside, Florida,
progress and the erosion of humanity. It underscores which is known for its picturesque, planned community
the need for sustainable urban planning that prioritizes new urbanism esthetics that contributed to the film’s idyllic
human well-being and environmental stewardship. but controlled atmosphere). The main character, Truman, is
4,30
Set in a futuristic, dystopian Los Angeles in 2019, Blade unknowingly the star of a 24/7 reality television show, living
Runner presents a sprawling, neon-lit cityscape dominated his entire life under constant surveillance. Seahaven Island
by towering skyscrapers, flying cars, and constant acid- represents a seemingly perfect suburban environment, with
precipitation rain. The city is depicted as a dark, gritty, and neatly manicured lawns, pristine homes, and a harmonious
densely populated metropolis where technology has shaped community. However, this facade conceals Truman’s
and eroded the urban environment. Urbanism in Blade
Runner is shown as a stark contrast between the grandeur of underlying artificiality and lack of authenticity. The town’s
the city’s architecture and the grim realities of urban decay, controlled and curated nature underscores the absence of
social stratification, and environmental degradation. The genuine human experiences and spontaneity, making it a
perfect but ultimately hollow setting.
film explores themes of urbanization, corporate control,
and the ethical implications of advanced technology in The Truman Show immerses itself in themes of media
shaping the urban landscape (Kellner, 1994). This vision manipulation, privacy, and the artificiality of suburban

Volume 3 Issue 1 (2025) 7 doi: 10.36922/ac.4130