Pottermore racconta i retroscena circa l'ambientazione di Villa Malfoy e conferma l'ispirazione a Hardwick Hall, costruita nel XVI secolo sotto il regno di Elisabetta I. Un enorme edificio, con moltissime finestre e un aspetto intimidatorio. Con le finestre buie da quasi l'impressione della cecità.
Per ambientarlo nel mondo magico hanno aggiunto un tetto con le guglie per richiamare lo stile gotico del castello di Hogwarts e per rendere il maniero sempre più minaccioso.
Segue la descrizione della spaziosa entrata col grande camino e lo scalone che si divede in due rami per giungere alla sala al piano di sopra dotata di molte grandi finestre. L'alto soffitto è ha elaborati stucchi e un grande lampadario. C'è solo la porta d'entrata nel grande salone e nessuna uscita, quindi chi entra si sente intrappolato.For Malfoy Manor, we took our inspiration from Hardwick Hall, a fantastic sixteenth-century mansion built during the reign of the first Queen Elizabeth. A unique building, Hardwick has massive windows – so much so that the ratio of glass to masonry is quite high.
When it’s dark inside, the window panes have a mysterious, slightly threatening, and rather magical quality. We made a concept illustration that depicted a huge house with enormous windows – the eyes of the building, so to speak – that were, in fact, blind. That exterior, seen as Snape approaches the gate on the front drive, creates a very impressive and intimidating initial look at the Malfoy home.
To bring the building into the wizarding world, we added a roof with spires. The silhouette was terrific, and because the manor is a real departure from the architecture in the rest of the film, I think those pitched roofs convey something rather otherworldly – and provide a link back to the Gothic style that Harry Potter audiences are familiar with. And, of course, spikes and points tend to add a somewhat aggressive, menacing feeling.
From the entrance hall, with its huge fireplace and Tudor portraits, you climb a double staircase to an upper floor that is filled with long windows. The vast ceiling on that floor is decorated with elaborate plaster mouldings and a great chandelier, which plays an important part in the events that unfold within the manor.
That no other doors lead out of the room was not a conscious decision – it’s just that none were necessary. However, it is altogether appropriate that you felt, even subconsciously, once you’re up there, you’re trapped!
