Invisible Cities

Online Greenlight Review

Rachael Holyhead

Octavia
For Octavia Id thought of both the physical attributes, and the more emotional states of the residents (and how this was
enforced through the physical designs). The context and background of the city.
I also thought about how to tie in the spider like elements to, again, enforce these ideas.
I contemplated about the way a spider knows whenever anything hits its web because of the vibrations being sent
along towards the center to where it sits. From there I wondered about having this city being filled with bells/or other
ways of warning everything. But of what? Is it a city that is looking out of danger? Or is it a city searching for something
in particular?
If its hunting should it be a nomadic city, or a rooted one? In which case is the fact the inhabitants know the net will last
only so long a fear or a normality?
Is it a city that usually breaks down and is rebuilt elsewhere? Or is it a city thats reaching it eventual end?
The latter point was where Id technically started, and from it Id drawn thumbnails of a city left to decay (as seen in
predominately in number 12).
How does it get its water sources? This Id contemplated initially in thumbnail 23 where I thought about how dew from
cold climates could gather and run along strings to multiple points across the city. The rain, naturally, would also be a
good source of water, had it not been beneath the building. Maybe they could tie buckets onto ropes, and drop them
down a couple hundred feet so they can obtain the water? (This, has many implications of course).
Why is it up there in the first place?
Maybe Isaura is a neighbouring city, and is hogging the only solid water source for miles, in a rocky wasteland?

Isaura
With Isaura, Id liked the idea of one half of the city being up in the air, and the other extending far beneath the ground.
I thought of places that could be airy, or well-lit, and I come up with the idea of churches, and that kind of traditional,
serene feel one can get when entering an empty church. I wasnt sure whether to go with a more massive set-up * or
something like the small church in Trottiscliffe my family sometimes visits when we all meet up for the 5 hour family walk
(granted we dont get lost along the way). Because its so far out, and we visit during the summer break, and this
church and plenty others around in the Kentish rural towns are usually empty. They can be filled with light and a sense
of peace. I liked the idea of a city that had lots of space to retreat into, or be lost in. Theres something I feel about the
safety of these places that juxtaposes nicely with the alien almost daunting feeling you could experience when
contemplating a huge unground cavern of darkness. Harbouring any sort of life thats isolated to the human race
(almost like the Mariana Trench). Or perhaps having nothing at all is in some way scarier I feel. Nothingness isnt the
same as still, undisturbed calm.
When visiting Barcelona I was lucky enough to see Gaudias Sagradas Familia. His stain glass windows were
designed in such a way the light could fall through beautifully. Though it was crowded, the architecture worked well to
emphasis the scale, and sense of space of the building.
Though if I was thinking of places where one could get lost Id rather use Rochesters Baggins second-hand bookshop
as an example. That building retreats further back than one could think possible. Twisting and rising, turning and
lowering down so its not particularly hard to lose everyone and be by yourself.
Additionally though Gaudis use of colour and stain glass windows I would love to use in this design, I actually prefer, as
a whole, the more traditional stain glass windows you get in older churches.
I cant decide whether huge windows, or small ones (as seen in St. Margarets Chapel in Edinburgh) to help emphasis
and work with the idea of internal spaces.

Interior

Notes- Other Invisible Cities