there in every scene and provides a great visualisation of it, in that time and from that perspective.
Moreover, multiple scenes present Arturo dancing, alone, with his friends, near the sea. This
slow-moving that gradually becomes faster and then moves, changing spatial dimensions –
probably – unconsciously applies Virgilio Sieni’s technique of perceiving the space through body
movement and dance.
A few years before, another intense documentary was being made by four young American
students at the time: Chris Temple, Zach Ingrasci, Sean Leonard and Sean Kusanagi. The film,
Living on One Dollar, depicts the journey of these four students who decided to spend two months
in rural Guatemala, applying a very specific rule: living on 1 dollar a day (Figure 3). Because of an
unjust economic system, the inhabitants of these areas normally must live on one dollar a day;
as Temple, Ingrasci, Leonard and Kusanagi were willing to better understand the microeconomic
structures of these areas, their decision was unavoidable. As a result, the documentary not only
showed the world power dynamics of rural Guatemala, made a huge impact on the lives of the
American students, but mostly gave voice to the people inhabiting that place. More specifically,
the documentary tells the story of Rosa, a 20-year-old woman and Chino, a 12-year-old boy,
who constantly help and inspire the group by sharing personal knowledge and teaching the
American young men local habits and everyday know-how.
This visual technique allowed the group to focus more on the details they were showing, aware of
the potential risks of exposing the image of these people and letting them be the face and voice,
the leaders in the gestures of everyday life activities and of that environment. This sensibility
enabled an authentic immersive experience within that space and became a great example of
positive communication tools, as these people, spaces, and stories finally became visible.
3.1. Participatory Documentary in Spatial Planning
Participatory video applied to the practice of spatial planning can be extremely effective in
addressing today’s lack of perception of space in spatial design. The question of visualisation
and digital methods of representing the world can be as triggering as challenging, in the sense
that it is always subjective and visual representation can also cause harm even when that is not
the intent. As explained by Sarah Pink, Professor of Design and Media Ethnography “there are
culturally different ways of understanding harm and causing it with images” and further adds “in
order to prevent harm being caused, a researcher needs a good understanding of local notions
of harm and anxiety, how these may be experienced by different people, and how they relate to
images in that specific context” (Sarah Pink, Doing Visual Ethnography, pag.63, 2013).
The potentialities of filmmaking within the practice of architecture and urban planning are very
wide and should always take into consideration the participation of those who live or have lived
in that place, with respect for their persona and acknowledged approval. This approach, together
with open and attentive listening as indicated by Virgilio Sieni, can make a positive impact and
improve the quality of planning and design practices.
4. Conclusion
The presented study intends to be a primary investigation into the integration of Virgilio Sieni’s
philosophy and filmmaking practice within the process of urban planning and architectural design.
The aim is to provide a broader perspective that goes beyond ordinary design practices and
adopts an interdisciplinary approach that combines contemporary dance and body knowledge
with the documentation and storytelling of these emotions, perceptions, and ways of looking.
The current research is clearly intended to be limited to specific case studies, although it intends
to pursue further investigations that include the perceptions of space by all individuals, taking into
high consideration people’s needs and perceptions when different physical or mental abilities are
involved. Within this experience-based framework, the goal is to enhance visual tools in order to
be more comprehensive and complete, elaborating new cognitive maps and visual products that
can allow not only a more qualitative process of planning and design, but also more qualitative
spaces. This new perspective is highly needed in urban planning and architectural design, to
recognise space, broaden personal perception, include citizens within the process, and create
safer, higher-quality, and more humanly sensed spaces.
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