hOWLS MOVING CASTLE REIMAGINING
This project reimagines Howl’s Moving Castle through a stylised fantasy steampunk lens, emphasising feminist themes expressed through Sophie’s transformation.
The castle’s chaotic, mismatched design reflects Sophie’s early sense of powerlessness under her curse. Market Chipping symbolises her youth as a place of confinement and exploitation, where she works unpaid in her mother’s hat shop.
Her arrival at Howl’s castle marks a pivotal shift in her development. The contrast between the town and the ever moving castle highlights her evolution from passive to a strong, free willed character.
Unlike the whimsical version in Howl's Moving Castle, this castle moves on clunky, mismatched steampunk style wheels, unstable yet magical, much like Sophie’s internal struggle trudging along in the hat shop. Calcifer is caged at the top, and Turnip Head appears as a gargoyle in a nod to gothic architecture, symbolising themes of power, restraint, and the emotional divide between Sophie’s warmth and Howl’s guarded nature.
Reimagining Market Chipping and Howl’s Castle
Environment Concept
Market Chipping Expansion - Moonmere Market Alchemy Stall
3D Building Concept
The goal of this project was to expand on the themes I explored in my earlier Howl’s Moving Castle piece and translate them into a more junior-friendly project that would help me develop new skills in 3D.
I designed a cosy steampunk-inspired market stall situated at the heart of Market Chipping, surrounded by the area’s friendly, characterful shops. Positioned beside the central marketplace "Moonmere Market", the stall is framed by shopfronts set against the cliffside.
To challenge myself further, I focused on incorporating more complex elements in 3D, particularly foliage and glass. While some of the original concept ideas shifted during the 3D process, this exploration shaped the stall into a space that blends nature with craft.
The final design is a hybrid alchemy shop and bakery, reflecting the whimsical and organic spirit of the world it belongs to.