10 Films you must watch if you like architecture

DATE

23.02.2026

But this relationship goes beyond the visual, as architecture often becomes part of the narrative itself, shaping the behavior of the characters and the development of the story. If you are interested in architecture and cinema, these are some films we believe you must watch:

1. The Fountainhead (1949), by King Vidor

Based on the novel by Ayn Rand, this film tells the story of Howard Roark, an architect who defends a radically personal vision of architecture against social and commercial impositions. Beyond its plot, The Fountainhead is a reflection on creative integrity and the role of the architect in society. Roark embodies the idea of the architect as an author, someone capable of transforming reality through a personal vision, turning architec-ture into an act of conviction.

2. The Brutalist (2024), by Brady Corbet

The film follows the life of László Tóth, a Hungarian architect who emigrates to the United States after the Second World War. Through his jour-ney, the film explores themes such as exile, memory, and the transformative power of architecture. Brutalism, more than a style, appears as an expression of human experience, where material and space become carriers of emotional and cultural meaning.

3. Mon Oncle (1958), by Jacques Tati

Jacques Tati constructs an ironic critique of modern architecture and the obsession with technology through the ultra-modern house of the Arpel family. The house, designed as a perfect machine, proves uncomfortable and inhospitable for everyday life. In contrast, traditional spaces appear as more human and livable environments. The film reveals how architecture directly influences the way we live and relate to one another.

4. Medianeras (Sidewalls) (2011), by Gustavo Taretto

Set in Buenos Aires, Medianeras explores the relationship between architecture, the city, and loneliness. The film shows how buildings and urban density shape the lives of their inhabitants, generating isolation despite physical proximity. Blind façades, exposed party walls, and interior spaces reflect an architecture that responds more to economic logic than to human needs.

5. Rope (1948), by Alfred Hitchcock

Filmed within an almost continuous single space, this film turns the interior of a modern apartment into the complete setting for the action. The carefully designed space acts as a narrative element that generates tension and shapes the viewer’s perception. Architecture is not merely the background, but the support that makes possible the construction of time and the cinematic experience.

6. Inception (2010), by Christopher Nolan

7. Cube (1997), by Vincenzo Natali

Cube presents an abstract space composed of a series of interconnected cubic rooms forming a labyrinth. Architecture ceases to respond to func-tional logic and becomes an autonomous, almost mathematical system. Space itself is the true protagonist, defining the rules and conditioning the behavior of the characters.

8. Gattaca (1997), by Andrew Niccol

The film constructs a future in which architecture reflects an ordered, precise, and controlled world. Many of the settings correspond to real works of modern architecture, where geometric purity and repetition reinforce the idea of a society based on genetic perfection. Architecture acts as a physical extension of the values of this world.

9. Blade Runner 2049 (2017), by Denis Villeneuve

Blade Runner 2049 presents a monumental and silent architecture, where space conveys a sense of scale and permanence. One of the film’s final settings is inspired by the architecture of Barozzi Veiga, creating an abstract space defined by light, material, and geometry. Architecture appears as the vestige of a civilization, charged with memory and meaning.

10. Dogville (2003), by Lars von Trier

In Dogville, architecture is completely absent in its physical form. The houses are not built with walls, but represented only through lines drawn on the floor. This material absence reveals the essence of architecture as the organization of space. The film demonstrates that architecture does not depend solely on physical construction, but on the spatial relationships it defines.

These films are only a small sample of this interdisciplinary relationship, some of those we consider essential to watch at least once in a lifetime.

MARCH VALENCIA | ARQUITECTURA Y DISEÑO

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