sharon johnston and mark lee discuss the ‘slow art’ of architecture in short film

sight specific — johnston marklee

‘culture is the whole reason that we want to be architects’, say sharon johnston and mark lee in this short film directed by tomboy. the 3-minute film is the first in a series titled ‘sight specific’, where artists and architects talk about their creative process and share personal stories.

in this first profile, the founders of LA-based architecture firm johnston marklee discuss the difference between art and architecture, the ‘casual decision’ of opening their office, and how the small buildings they undertake are like rooms in the city. ‘it’s a quiet thing but I think it’s profound’, notes sharon johnston. the film takes viewers through the johnston marklee studio and on site at past works, exploring and experiencing them through a new lens.

main video by tomboy

johnston marklee’s work is visually striking with a carefully considered aesthetic, and their approach is rigorous yet still open and experimental. though the studio is based in los angeles, their work and perspectives are significantly informed by their time spent traveling for projects and to teach, giving them a multidimensional point of view.

project info:

name: sight specific
created & directed by: tomboy
featuring: sharon johnston & mark lee

cinematography by: hayden mason
edited by: ben schwaeber
music by: alessandro marinelli
sound recording by: jose castro
mix & sound design by: ben freer
color by: nick metcalf
titles by: michele brianza
thanks to: nichole valliere, niles roth, michael kuhn, trevor king, tatiana rudzinski, various small fires, UCLA & all of the homeowners

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: lynne myers | designboom