SITEMAP is an article about famous and notable architectural structures that appeared on film or television.
What I like most about spy and action movies is that it takes you around the world. Usually, we are introduced to every country or city via establishing shots of the cityscape or famous landmarks. And this is where I’m usually interested in. A very good example is the Mission:Impossible film franchise that have been around for almost 20 years. M:I featured quite a number of architectural landmarks and I can’t wait to know where they will take us next in Mission:impossible Rogue Nation.Â
The first film of the franchise was directed by Brian de Palma of Scarface fame. It garnered fairly good reviews and broke several box office records. Most of the film was shot in Prague and London. Mission: Impossible stars Tom Cruise, Jon Voight, Emanuelle Beart, Jean Reno, Henry Czerny, and Vhing Rhames.
NATIONAL MUSEUM
Location: Prague, Czech Republic Â
Designer: Josef Schulz
photo credit: Jorge Lascar/ Wikipedia
In the film: The interior of the National Museum became a stand-in for the American Embassy in Prague where Ethan Hunt (Cruise) and company failed to prevent the theft of an NOC list.
CHARLES BRIDGE
Location: Prague, Czech Republic
Designer: Peter Parler
photo credit: Chosovi/ Wikipedia
In the film: It is where the character of Jon Voight was allegedly shot and fell to his death.
London County Hall
Location: London, England  Â
Designer: Ralph Knott
photo credit: Adrian Pingstone/ Wikipedia
In the film: While the CIA Langley HQ exterior shot were the real deal, the interior was not. The scene where IMF disavowed agents led by Ethan Hunt raided the CIA HQ was shot inside the London County Hall.
TOWER BRIDGE
Location: London, England  Â
Designer: Sir Horace Jones
photo credit: Colin/ Wikipedia
In the film: The IMF Director, Eugene Kittridge(Czerny), arrived in London on a helicopter and landed near Tower Bridge.
The institution is generating a lot of buzz recently after unveiling their latest paleontological find. Not because they have found an entirely new species of dinosaur, but because of its nickname.
Meet Hellboy.
The comic book reference is a suave move. It gets the people talking. But the moment you see those horns poking out above its eyes, you’ll get why they named it after the well-mannered red demon.
According to the museum’s paleonbiologist, Caleb Brown, the fossil earned its name because of the problems they encountered during excavation and the “hellish” condition at the quarry site.
THE MUSEUM
About a month ago I had a chance to visit the Royal Tyrrell Museum. I must admit, I lived in Asia for the past 30 years and this is the closest to Jurassic Park or Jurassic World that I’ll ever get.
The building sits in middle of nowhere in a town called Drumheller in Alberta. It somehow reminds me of an offsite S.H.I.E.L.D or Avengers facility rather than a museum.
“The planning for a new Paleontological interpretive centre began with a search for a site, and development of a master plan and program for a world class facility for not only the display of fossil finds, but for a working environment for Palaeontologists.” writes the Calgary-based architectural firm, BCW Architects, on their website.
“Design for a museum involves consideration of layout for both efficient circulation and for the provision of an entertaining experience. The spaces must flow together logically, and provide for side trips for a fuller experience.” they added.
the black beauty
back to back
the ice age
dinosaurs’ den
The museum is named after geologist, Joseph Tyrrell, who accidentally discovered the first reported dinosaur fossil in the Red Deer River valley in 1884. It was inaugurated on September 25, 1985 and received the “Royal” status in 1990.
Noted for its collection of more than 130,000 fossils, the site does not only serve as a tourist attraction in Canada, but also as a center for paleontological research.
China Firm’s USS Enterprise-Inspired HQ Proves Money Can Buy Almost Everything.
Star Trek is all around the internet lately. Star Trek Beyond is in full gear to start production in 4 weeks with Fast and the Furious franchise director Justin Lin stepping in for JJ Abrams. I know, the lens flares will be surely missed but we’ll get to see it this time in the next installment of Star Wars.
And then we hear about this.
This is the headquarters of game-dev company NetDragon Websoft located in China’s Fujian province. The 6-storey structure began construction in 2010 and was completed in 2014. The building reportedly cost around US$ 97 Million. And on top of that, the company’s founder, Liu Dejian,  paid an undisclosed amount to CBS just for them to give the official thumbs up. Now, that’s what we call f***y** money!
The design of this particular building is loosely based on Enterprise E.  NetDragon’s higher-ups said that doing a Star Trek-themed office structure was never their intention.
According to the company, executives didn’t make a building based on the Enterprise their first choice because much of it would have to be elevated. But one day, inspired by a poster for the franchise, they decided to put the giant ship on several columns, as if it had landed on the field for repairs, TWSJ reports.
Click here to see the full video.
I’m certain this won’t be the last time that we’ll hear about a Star Trek inspired architecture. Where do you think the next one will pop up?
Building Techs For Earthquake Resistant Structures
We are reminded yet again about the perils and destruction that can be brought about by earthquakes in the new movie San Andreas. Or if you’re not into movies, take a look back two months ago and be reminded of what happened in Nepal.
While there is no such a thing as earthquake proof buildings, engineers and architects from around the globe are hard at work to create technologies that minimize the destruction caused by earthquakes. As Paul Giamatti puts it, “…it’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when.”
Click the link below to learn more.
10 Technologies That Help Buildings Resist Earthquakes
Top 10 Interesting Facts about the Ed Sullivan Theater
It’s been more than a week since the departure of David Letterman from the Late Show. Letterman’s late night television hosting gig lasted for 33 years. But it was not until he moved from NBC to CBS in 1993 where he made the Ed Sullivan Theater his home up until his retirement.
In homage to the Late Show’s Top 10 List, here are our Top 10 interesting facts about the Ed Sullivan Theater:
photo attributed to calicoskiesgirl
# 10 It’s Also A Home To Other Shows
Before Letterman moved to his new studio in 1993, other shows have already broadcasted from the Ed Sullivan Theater. The theater hosted The Jackie Gleason Show during the CBS-TV Studio 50 days. It was later followed by The Ed Sullivan Show, The Merv Griffin Show, What’s My Line?, To Tell The Truth, The $10,000 Pyramid, Musical Chairs, Shoot For The Stars, and Pass The Buck back in the 60′s and the 70′s. In 1996, The Rosie O’Donell Show taped for four days in the building due to electrical fire on its main studio. Some of CBS’ Survivor finale reunion shows were also broadcasted live in the theater. The Late Show with Stephen Colbert will continue to be broadcasted in the Ed Sullivan Theater which is expected to air in September 8, 2015.
# 09 Customized Doors Were Installed To Fit Elephants
The Ed Sullivan show occasionally showcased trained elephants but the theater was originally built for broadway . So huge doors were installed to  squeeze in large animals inside the theatre.
# 08 The Marquee Was Also Used As A Stage
Musical performances are not only limited to inside the studio. In 2009, Paul McCartney made a surprise performance at the building’s marquee where thousands of people gathered. Prior to the former Beatle, the rock band Phish also played on top of the marquee in 2004. Eminem and Jay-Z was also set to appear on the same stage, but due to logistical issues, they ended up performing at the roof deck.
# 07 It Has A Ghostly Reputation
In an excerpt from the book Haunted New York City: Ghosts and Strange Phenomena of the Big Apple, the author wrote;
“The Ed Sullivan Theater has long been rumoured to be haunted. Today, The Late Show with David Letterman is filmed live from the theatre-studio, and a team of paranormal investigators based in New York City actually participated in a skit on the show that aired on October 10, 2005, and investigated the studio after the taping. NYC Paranormal Investigations found video footage showing a dark shadow passing before the camera and an orb moving erratically, and they detected several unexplained sudden temperature drops and unusual electromagnetic field (EMF) readings.
# 06 The Studio Is Kept At A Very Low Temperature
During taping, the studio temperature is placed at around 60°F to overcompensate the heat of the studio lights. According to the Building Engineer, the cool air also makes the sound crisper and keeps the audience more alert.
There are two 120-ton Mutistack Modular Chillers that are intalled in the theatre.
# 05 It  Is Where The Beatles Made Their First American Debut
On February 9, 1964, the Fab Four performed for over 70 million television viewers and 400 studio audience on the Ed Sullivan Show. It marked the beginning of the British Invasion in the United States.
# 04 The Theater’s Designer Was Also An Inventor
The multi-storey building was designed by theatre architect Herbert J. Krapp. His other notable works include the historic  Hotel Edison, and the Lincoln Hotel (Row NYC Hotel) which was the largest hotel in New York City when it first opened in 1928.
The 1929 stock market crash ended the theatre construction boom. Several years later, Krapp found a new career as an inventor of commercial and industrial coupling devices. One of his which was patented and used by the U.S. Air Force for inflight fueling of their bombers.
# 03 CBS Bought The Property For $4 Million
In a 1993 New York Times article, former CBS President Howard Stringer was quoted as saying, “This is all about symbolism. We see it as a restoration of a theater, and renewal and revitalization for a network and even for the city.”
Reconfiguring the theater into a television and radio studio was also a multi-million dollar investment for CBS. The renovation work, which was done by New York-based architectural firm, Polshek Partnership (currently known as Ennead Architects), reportedly reached $8 Million.
# 02 It Was Originally Called The Hammerstein’s Theatre
It was named after Oscar Hammerstein I, a businessman, theatre producer, and composer in New York City. His son, Arthur Hammerstein led the construction of the theatre from 1925 to 1927. It later went by the names, Manhattan Theatre, Billy Rose’s Music Hall, Radio Theater #3, CBS Radio Playhouse, and CBS-TV Studio 50. On December 10, 1967, it was officially renamed to the Ed Sullivan Theatre after its namesake, The Ed Sullivan Show.
# 01 It’s A Historic Landmark
The theater is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and its Neo-Gothic interior has been designated a landmark by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. As per arrangement with the commission, CBS agreed to remove and store the theatre’s original stained glass windows during its 1993 renovation.
Are there interesting things about the Ed Sullivan Theater that was not included on the list above? Share them on the comments section below.
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