# Koolhaas Houselife

Koolhaas Houselife (2008) is the debut film of the French-Italian artists and filmmakers duo Bêka & Lemoine, which portrays one of the masterpieces of contemporary architecture, the Maison à Bordeaux, designed by Rem Koolhaas / OMA in 1998.
The film disrupted the codes of architectural representation by portraying the celebrated architectural masterpiece through the daily routines and struggles of its housekeeper, Guadalupe Acedo, and the other people who maintain the building. Following and interacting with Guadalupe, the directors bring out an unconventional view of the house’s spaces and structure through a close observation of its post occupancy.

## Impact

The success of Koolhaas Houselife has contributed significantly to Bêka & Lemoine's reputation as "cult figures in the European architecture world". Their work has been featured in major exhibitions and film festivals, including the Venice Architecture Biennale and the MoMA in New York. The film's innovative approach to documenting architecture has influenced both architectural discourse and cinematic portrayals of space and society.

## Reception

The film received widespread acclaim from critics, particularly for its innovative portrayal of architecture through moving images, which brilliantly and humorously breaks cinematic conventions. Criticat (2011) called it “Fresh and iconoclast. Terribly comical”, while The New York Times described it as “Heartfelt, thought-provoking and hilariously funny”. The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, which acquired the film in 2016 along with all the other films produced by the filmmakers up to that point, praised the film for its ability to reveal the human side and endearing flaws of architecture. Additionally, El País called it one of the cult films on architecture, and The Financial Times described it as “One of the most mesmerizing films about contemporary architecture”.

## Screenings and Exhibitions

The film premiered at the 11th Architecture Biennale in Venice in 2008. Since its release, the film has been widely shown internationally and is considered to be the undisputed benchmark for films on architecture.
Numerous screenings of the film have been organized at prestigious museums, including: Bozar – Palais des Beaux Arts, Brussels (2024, 2021 and 2010); Columbia University, New York (2022); Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Copenhagen (2018); MMCA, Seoul (2018); MOMAK, The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto (2018); Nationalmuseet, Oslo (2018) Milano Design Film Festival (2018); Princeton University (2018); MAC/CCB Fundação Centro Cultural de Belém, Lisbon (2017); Mextropoli, Mexico City (2016); CAPC Contemporary Art Museum, Bordeaux (2013); Cité de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine, Paris (2013); MoMA The Museum of Modern Art, New-York (2012); The High Museum of Art, Atlanta (2012); The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, Charlotte (2011); The Hammer Museum, Los Angeles (2010); Kulturhuset, Stockholm (2010); La Cinémathèque Française, Paris (2010); SA M Swiss Architecture Museum, Basel (2010); Centre Pompidou, Paris (2009); Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam (2009); Barbican Art Center, London (2008); Nederlands Architectuurinstituut NAi, Rotterdam (2008); CCA, Montréal (2008); Harvard Film Archive (2008); Storefront for Art and Architecture, New York (2008).
The film has also been featured in various exhibitions, such as Restless architecture at MAXXI, National Museum of 21st Century Arts, Rome (2024), Inservitude at Arc en Rêve, Bordeaux (2019); Without Walls: Disability and Innovation in Building Design at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (2018); OMA/Progress at the Barbican Centre, London (2011); Living. Frontiers of Architecture at Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Humlebaek (2011); Living architectures at Storefront for Art and Architecture, New York (2010).
The film was included in the official selection of many international film festivals, including CHP:DOX, Copenhagen (2009), AFFR - Architecture Film Festival, Rotterdam (2009) and won the Best Prize at the ArchFilm Festival in Lund, Sweden, in 2013.

## Acquisitions

The film has been acquired by prestigious museums for their permanent collections such as The Museum of Modern Art, New York; CNAP (Centre National des Arts Plastiques) for the French National Contemporary Art Collections.

## Published Dvd-Books

* Koolhaas Houselife, 2008, ISBN 978-88-903602-0-6.
* Koolhaas Houselife, 2013, ISBN 979-10-92194-00-5