Baraka and the architectural gesture

Baraka is a cinematic jewel created by the amazing film director Ron Fricke. With only an hour an thirty-two minutes and no dialogue Fricke created a film that inspired meditation.

In the beginning, the film took place in a faraway land where nature was the main focus, with amazing views of forests and the pleasant sounds of waterfalls. The film is known for the way it transitions from a peaceful way of portraying nature and culture to a caged, industrialized way of living and destruction of the natural habitat.

As an architecture student, this movie was all about admiring. From the beautiful shots of nature to the antique ways of architecture. It also, made me realize things like the evolution of art, how the first canvas was the human body and how dance was our way of expressing spirituality and being united as a community.

Halfway through the movie, we get to experience a very drastic change from the uncivilized to the more industrialized. Where people live caged and out of touch with nature and the multitude overpowers the space.

This movie also reflects a lot of the architectural gesture which later on in class we went in-depth about it. The architectural gesture is based on how we use the sentiment to connect with the audience. And when used correctly in design it can be a true piece of art.

Overall, Baraka is a film that other from offering entertainment it offers relaxation and meditation. It's a film that everyone should watch at some point in their lives.