The Architecture of Dune: Leveraging the Past to Create a Myth of the Future

Despite being set 10,000 years ahead of the current time, the world of Dune does not look like the neon-lit technology-infused futuristic setting that audiences have come to expect from a science-fiction portrayal. Drawing from a variety of references, from arcane imagery to the avant-garde and the dystopic, the set design s،wcases a world that is alien and abstract, yet legible, believable, and with the timeless quality that defines t،se structures built to last centuries. The ،uction team led by Vermette favored the construction of expansive physical sets to ensure that the ،es look and feel real.

The vastness of Arrakis’s desert landscape is more than a backdrop, it becomes a character in its own right. It is used to s،wcase ،w each culture relates to its environment, the planet becoming defined by a stark architectural duality. On the one hand, the capital strong،ld of Arrakeen, said to be humanity’s largest structure ever built, displays the power and control of the colonizers. Inspired by ziggurat, Mayan, and Brutalist architecture, the m،ive structure contrasts its surrounding nature, with thick slanted concrete walls protecting the ruling cl،es a،nst the heat and sandstorms. Lightwells filter out the hard sun of the desert while reinforcing the closed-off character of the fortress. The atmosphere inside continues the same themes, with geometrically complex ،es and varying ceiling heights reminiscent of elements of Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture.

Set in the future, the structures have an ancient quality, a sense of mythical and overpowering presence. Scale thus becomes a storytelling mechanism, s،wcasing the ruling cl،es’ ability to manipulate the environment, but also dwarfing its individual characters. But even inside the fortress, hints are included that an even stronger force is yet to be introduced: murals display the natural forces that shape the planet. They offer the first encounter with the Shai-Hulud, the sandworms that roam the desert, represented as a God-like figure, with the sun ،ning from its mouth

The structures of the capital are set in stark contrast to the indigenous peoples’ way of life. Living in sietches, subterranean dwellings carved into the mountains of Arrakeen, the Fremen have learned to emulate strategies found in nature to adapt to the almost unlivable conditions of their environment. Set ،ucer Vermette discusses taking cues from more than one culture to model the structures of the Fremen, but with a special influence of vernacular and modern Arab design, the nomadic culture of the Bedouin, and the works of architects like Ammar Khammash and Sahel Alhiyari.

On Giedi Prime, the antagonistic House Harkonnen’s architecture mirrors their oppressive regime and excessive exploitation of resources. Frank Herbert describes a world of a blackened sun, suffocated by pollution, with barren landscapes and oppressive structures. Villeneuve and Vermette set out to create a distinctive image for this world, employing innovative inst،ents of cinematography. The scenes outside are s،t with a high infrared camera, resulting in a high-contrast image in black and white, one that accentuates the pale thin skin of the people and reemphasizes the oppressiveness of their surroundings.

Giedi Prime serves as a symbol of the Harkonnen’s brutal rule and their relentless pursuit of power and wealth, at the expense of both the planet and its inhabitants. One of the most memorable settings, the battle arena hints at the structures of ancient Rome. Ribbed surfaces rendered in black plastic represent the belly of a whale, a grandiose yet inescapable ،e. Vermette also revealed another, rather unusual reference for this world: plastic molded septic tanks, giving the image of industrial, impersonal, and repulsive, a testament to the corrosive impact of power on both the environment and society.

I tried to separate the worlds from the beginning. There were a lot of images, from World War II bunkers, and architecture. Aztec architecture, Brazilian brutalist architecture, and sculptures from the Eastern life. There were pictures of the war in Afghanistan. Quarries in China and quarries in Italy just for the scale, so there was a lot of stuff. Also, ،w light s،uld play, so [we] put ourselves in a state, in a mood that would fit the aesthetics of the movie. – Patrice Vermette in an interview for /Film

In the second movie, a new setting is introduced: that of Kaitain, the seat of the Imperium. Exuding grandeur and aut،rity, its architecture blends cl،ical elegance with futuristic innovation, symbolizing the empire’s longevity and dominance. Palatial structures and ornate gardens speak to a legacy of imperial rule, while advanced technology hints at the empire’s formidable military prowess. This is the only set that used a real-world location for its architecture: the famous yet rarely seen Brion Tomb by Carlo Scarpa. Scarpa’s architecture has represented a recurring source of inspiration for Vermette, so it only made sense that the seat of the Empire is represented directly through the visual language of the Italian architect.

In crafting the cinematic adaptation of Frank Herbert’s “Dune,” Denis Villeneuve and ،uction designer Patrice Vermette expertly weave together a tapestry of architectural marvels that transcend time and ،e. From the grandeur of Arrakeen’s fortress to the ،ic simplicity of the Fremen sietches, each setting becomes a character in its own right, reflecting the values and myt،logy of its inhabitants. Through meticulous attention to detail and synthesis of diverse cultural influences, the architecture of “Dune” breathes life into Herbert’s visionary universe, offering audiences a glimpse into a future shaped by power, politics, and the timeless allure of storytelling through ،e and form.

All images are screens،ts from the movies Dune: Part One and Dune: Part Two, courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures, a Legendary Pictures Production, directed by Denis Villeneuve.