How Reality TV Houses Are Built to Break People

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_Special Thanks_
Evan Montgomery — co-production

_Description_
This video explores how the architecture and design of spaces in reality TV shows influence participant behavior and viewer perception. Beginning with the 1973 series "An American Family," it examines how the physical environment—from ordinary homes to specially constructed sets—plays a crucial role in shaping narratives and emotional dynamics. The discussion includes shows like "Big Brother," where the house's layout creates psychological stress through constant surveillance and manipulated living conditions, and "Love is Blind," where isolation pods and communal spaces are engineered to foster intense emotional connections and conflicts.

The analysis extends to "The Circle," highlighting how technology and minimalist apartment designs contribute to social isolation and digital manipulation. By comparing these different settings, the video sheds light on the psychological impact of spatial design in reality television. It underscores how architecture can control information flow, create power imbalances, and affect participants' emotional states, ultimately influencing the dynamics of the shows and offering insights into human behavior within constructed environments.

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_About the Channel_
Architecture with Stewart is a YouTube journey exploring architecture’s deep and enduring stories in all their bewildering glory. Weekly videos and occasional live events breakdown a wide range of topics related to the built environment in order to increase their general understanding and advocate their importance in shaping the world we inhabit.

_About Me_
Stewart Hicks is an architectural design educator that leads studios and lecture courses as an Associate Professor in the School of Architecture at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He also serves as an Associate Dean in the College of Architecture, Design, and the Arts and is the co-founder of the practice Design With Company. His work has earned awards such as the Architecture Record Design Vanguard Award or the Young Architect’s Forum Award and has been featured in exhibitions such as the Chicago Architecture Biennial and Design Miami, as well as at the V&A Museum and Tate Modern in London. His writings can be found in the co-authored book Misguided Tactics for Propriety Calibration, published with the Graham Foundation, as well as essays in MONU magazine, the AIA Journal Manifest, Log, bracket, and the guest-edited issue of MAS Context on the topic of character architecture.

_Contact_
FOLLOW me on instagram: @stewart_hicks & @designwithco
Design With Company: https://designwith.co
University of Illinois at Chicago School of Architecture: https://arch.uic.edu/

_Special Thanks_
Stock video and imagery provided by Getty Images, Storyblocks, and Shutterstock.
Music provided by Epidemic Sound

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