Often not considered by the average person traversing the urban environment, Under Tomorrow’s Sky offers a behind-the-scenes examination of the life, philosophy, and work of renowned architect Winy Maas, a founding member of the architectural firm MVRDV, as they work on large-scale urban projects in the Netherlands, China, Korea, and Taiwan.
Covering the design process of a global architectural firm working on large-scale projects, the film follows the design and building of the Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam, the Netherlands along with the struggles to build the Taipei Twin Towers project.
Of interest beyond the design process is the politics related to these projects including the internal and external politics surrounding the project in Taipei, Taiwan. Originally, the winner of the open design bid for this building project learned that Taiwan's Investment Commission revoked the winning bid status for the project due to concerns about Chinese funding for this project. On the other side, the Depot project in Rotterdam moved forward for the design phase, initial issues with the construction, to the completion of the exterior of the building.
As the camera follows Maas during a two-year period documenting the highs and lows of building projects that are moving forward and others that have stalled, his overall design philosophy becomes clear which is to provide dense, urban housing through a humane approach to living that is environmentally responsible.
Over the course of the film, some interviews are conducted in Dutch and include English subtitles. It is worth noting that at points the English subtitles are washed out by the background; however, this does not distract from the overall content. This is an essential title for any film collection supporting architectural, modern design, or urban planning library programs or university classes, but will have a wider audience from those interested in art and design and the built environment. This educational documentary is recommended for all other collections. Recommended. Aud: H, C, P.