Territory Studio designs media for James Bond experience in the Austrian mountains
Set upon the summit of Gaislachkogl, an icy, snow-capped mountain in Sölden, Austria, a striking new modernist gallery has been built. It houses a breathtaking new exhibit, 007 Elements, the world’s first cinematic installation dedicated to the world of James Bond. The visitor journeys through a series of high tech, interactive galleries, “each distilling the craft of the signature elements that define a Bond film”. It is an immersive, educational experience “that places the guests inside the world of 007 while also revealing how that world is made”.
Territory Studio, working in close collaboration with James Bond art director Neal Callow, who designed the interior concept, and Optimist Inc., has created the media that brings this gallery to life. Developing the visual language, animated logo treatments, two key media narratives for large-scale cinematic projection, a teaser trailer and a bespoke soundscape for use across the gallery, Territory has stunningly captured the essence of the films.
Territory Studio is a creative specialist with a unique approach to motion design, visual effects and digital experiences, its previous work has been featured in Blade Runner 2049, The Martian, Ex Machina and Prometheus. By “extensively researching EON’s and MGM’s archive of original footage, photography, props, sketches and concept art” Territory explains how it condensed its findings into two narratives for two large-scale media installations. Set in separate gallery halls, the Lobby and the Briefing Room, each film intelligently “blends archive footage, film sequences and narrative with graphic information and 3D models”, in a manner that is minimal, modern and mechanical.
The Lobby video, “sets the stage for visitors by introducing them to the rich history of the Bond film franchise”, the studio explains, whereas, in the Briefing Room, the film “explores the stunning locations and ambitious set design that are central to the franchise”. The visuals, using a combination of film footage, graphic architectural and geographic schematics, reflects the design of the room, using brutalist shades of black and white. The gallery is set out to mimic a space that you’d experience in a Bond film, and the audiovisual media reflects this; it seems as if you have entered a room built and inhabited by Q.
Predominantly enclosed within the mountain, Obermoser Architects created the structure specifically for the project. The “imposing angles of the architecture frame the breathtaking mountain panorama”, with the buildings edges and top encased in rock and ice. Stabilised at 1℃, the buildings dark and foreboding feel is mimicked in the soundscape created by Territory. The music “provides a dramatic continuity that enhances the unique exhibits and stunning vistas throughout the space”, the studio explains.
“Our aim with 007 Elements is to tell the story of the making of the films in an ultra-modern, emotive and engaging way,” Neal Callow explains. “We want to use this incredible location to place our guests into Bond’s environment, and bring the stories to life in a unique and unforgettable way”. Spectre was filmed in Sölden, at the Ice Q restaurant next door. It was Jakob Falkner, managing director of the cable car company Bergbahnen Sölden, who initially conceived the project, “inspired to create a unique visitor experience to showcase the film-making that took place in the Tyrol mountains”.
Combining forward-thinking technology, contemporary architecture, and breathtaking landscape 007 Elements creates an awe-inspiring experience that allows a visitor to actually step inside a Bond film, and is open to the public today (12 July 2018).