This documentary series tells the stories of architecturally unique houses located in Pittsburgh. Each short video illustrates notable features of the buildings, and tells stories of its design, construction, and occupancy phases. Interviews, animations, and moving images of the houses will be presented at a lively and entertaining pace. Animations help to simplify architectural concepts, widening the spectrum of audience and appealing to a variety of viewers. More than an explanation of the technical aspects, this film is a story of the building’s existence to date.
The pilot episode of the series is Giovannitti House, about a residence on Woodland Road near the Chatham University campus. This house was designed by the now-‐famous architect Richard Meier in 1979. Its unusual, modernist cubical design created great controversy at the time, but has since been recognized as a landmark of modern residential design.
The aim of the series is to immerse viewers in the living spaces depicted in each episode. For this reason, interviews with the house owners (in this case Frank Giovannitti and his wife Colleen Hess) are conducted in the context of their daily lives. A filmmaker (Will Zavala in this case) is introduced as a guest visiting the Giovannitti family. While they are talking about the house, Frank gives Will a detailed tour around the house.
Learn more about House Stories: Giovannitti House at giovannittihouse.blogspot.com
