Designer Kalina Ivanov shares insights on crafting the aggressive, high-status appearance for villain The Penguin in HBO series 'Gotham' spin-off.

In the gritty, crime-ridden world of HBO's The Penguin, production designer Kalina Ivanov has crafted a cityscape that echoes the dark, gritty reality of New York City in the late 1970s and 1980s.

Ivanov, who grew up in Bulgaria, first encountered New York City in 1979, a "shining city" that represented hope after her escape from her homeland. However, she quickly realised that the city was not just a beacon of hope, but also a place "full of garbage" and "pretty awful." This duality shaped her vision of Gotham as a fictionalised version of New York City’s darker side.

The production designer intentionally incorporated the aftermath of the 2012 Hurricane Sandy into the look of Gotham, mirroring how the city was physically and socially impacted by such disasters, which aligns with the show's storyline where Gotham is flooded after the Joker event.

Ivanov was also inspired by the criminal underworld aesthetic of the 1971 neo-noir film The French Connection, which director Matt Reeves cited as key inspiration for his version of Gotham City. Ivanov aimed to create a "new version of The French Connection," infusing the city with a grimy, realistic crime vibe characteristic of that era.

Beyond the cityscape, Ivanov developed detailed interiors reflecting the backstories of the characters. For instance, Carmine Falcone’s mansion is a Gatsby-era inspired Italian villa with classic Renaissance art, emphasising a layered sense of history and culture within the criminal elite’s world.

Meanwhile, Oz's loft apartment, played by Colin Farrell, is a silver penthouse, serving as a visual foil to Carmine's gold-gilded villa. Farrell was integral to building Oz's aesthetic, including his objectively ugly purple art. Ivanov used more gold than ever before in the design of The Penguin, a conscious decision to portray the character as the "King Gangster."

Ivanov's design choices were influenced by the dark and somber colour palette of Reeves' The Batman. The series, which picks up in the aftermath of the 2022 film, is a fictional take on New York City, with The Penguin centring on the titular villain's rise to the top of the mob.

The Harpies in The Penguin are not scripted but were intentionally included by Ivanov to reflect the poor treatment of women in the series. Ivanov's design approach was aimed at portraying the character as the "King Gangster," and her political agenda is reflected in the use of the Harpies.

Ivanov assembled a team she could rely on, such as set decorators Rich Divine and Rich Murray, for The Penguin. She calls herself a method designer, immersing herself in the world she is creating to ensure its authenticity.

The Lower East Side and Staten Island were left without power long after wealthier areas were restored in New York City, similar to the impact of the flood in The Penguin. Oz's mother's house in the series features a design that is familiar to anyone who had an Italian-American grandmother on the East Coast in the 2000s.

Ivanov drew inspiration from Scarface for the design of one scene in The Penguin, incorporating red and the Hounds of Zeus (Harpies) into the set. The marble in one scene of The Penguin was originally red but appeared as a brown due to colour treatment. Ivanov looked to 1970s and 1980s New York aesthetics to build her Gotham.

In summary, Ivanov’s Gotham is a dark, lived-in city shaped by the decay and grit of 1970–80s New York, storm aftermaths like Hurricane Sandy, and cinematic influences from classic crime thrillers, all combining to evoke the "dark heart" of New York City for The Penguin's design.

References:

The Making of The Penguin's Gotham City
The Penguin's Gotham City: A Dark, Lived-In City
The Penguin's Interiors: A Closer Look
The French Connection: Inspiration for The Penguin's Gotham City

Designer Kalina Ivanov shares insights on crafting the aggressive, high-status appearance for villain The Penguin in HBO series 'Gotham' spin-off.