Jurnal RISA
Vol 10 No 1 (2026): Jurnal RISA (Riset Arsitektur)

Architecture Storytelling of the Stanford Torus: A Symbolic-Narrative Analysis in Science Fiction Media

Heryanto, Naldo Yanuar (Unknown)



Article Info

Publish Date
30 Apr 2026

Abstract

This study examines the representation of toroidal architecture, particularly the Stanford Torus, in selected science fiction works such as Elysium (2013), Interstellar (2014), 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), Mass Effect (2007), Mobile Suit Gundam (1979), and Star Wars: The Book of Boba Fett (2021). While previous studies as research gap on science fiction architecture that tends to emphasize technological speculation or visual spectacle, limited attention has been given to architecture as an active narrative and ideological agent across different media. Using a qualitative-descriptive approach that combines Bordwell–Thompson’s narrative theory and Charles Jencks’ architectural symbolism, this research explores how spatial architecture functions as a medium of storytelling and as constructor of social, political, and existential meaning in visions of humanity’s future. The Torus form operates not merely as a futuristic setting but as a symbolic narrative structure that reflects tensions between technological progress, social hierarchy, and spiritual longing in modernity. Across media, toroidal architecture functions as a visual metaphor for a closed civilizational system, simultaneously embodying utopian sustainability and dystopian social exclusivity. This study contributes theoretically by positioning toroidal architecture as a key analytical entry point in architectural narratology and visual culture studies, demonstrating how imagined space articulates contemporary ideological anxieties.

Copyrights © 2026






Journal Info

Abbrev

risa

Publisher

Subject

Civil Engineering, Building, Construction & Architecture

Description

Jurnal RISA aims to contribute to scientific research, practice, and education by publishing national and international studies. The scope of this journal includes the dissemination of research findings, ideas, and reviews in the following subject areas: 1. History, Theory, and Philosophy of ...