This video by architecture photographer, Pedro Kok, takes us behind the scenes of the construction of the Cais das Artes (Quay of Arts) building in Brazil. Located in the southeastern coastal city of Vitória, the building was designed by Paulo Mendes da Rocha in collaboration with METRO Arquitetos.
The video was produced for La Triennale di Milano’s exhibition, “Paulo Mendes da Rocha – Technique and Imagination," and captures - through impeccable shots - the work that went into constructing the enormous cultural complex.
The first shots contextualize the work in the urban environment of Vitória. The sea, even if punctuated by boats and cut by the bridge of the nearby highway, offers a natural counterpoint to the city and sets the stage for the cultural complex. The film portrays the horizontal, solid building as simple but with generous dimensions.
The video then takes us inside the building, showing an urban dimension. We see the beautiful frames designed by the architect, and Kok uses the high contrast between the landscape and interior space – dark due to intentional underexposure – to contrast the materiality of the building with the urban and natural environment that surrounds it.
Visit Pedro Kok’s page to learn more about his works.
Cais das Artes de Paulo Mendes da Rocha, Vitória, Brasil, 2014. Pedro Kok (BR). 3'34". Produced for the exhibition “Paulo Mendes da Rocha – Technique and Imagination,” organized by the La Triennale di Milano (Palazzo dell'Arte, May 6 – August 31)