AI and architecture - a reality check based on the work of Andrés Reisinger
Andrés Reisinger's ‘Take Over’ series raises the question of whether and to what extent digital designs can be translated into the physical - and how one can become a global star this way.
We are currently experiencing a significant paradigm shift in digital image production. The latest innovations and artificial intelligence are enabling hyper-realistic representations of interiors and buildings, for example. Virtual space offers the opportunity to test visionary and fictional designs outside the boundaries of the real world.
Hyper realsitic: Digital Take Overs
With a background in graphic design and architecture and more than a decade of experience in 3D rendering, Andrés Reisinger creates flawless images of architecture, interiors, furniture and sculptures. His work, which he mainly shares on social networks such as Instagram, is characterised by a dreamlike realism and a unique visual vibrancy. In 2018, Reisinger caused a stir with his 3D rendering of a chair that looks like a large, blooming hydrangea. The image went viral and made him an overnight celebrity.
Together with Dutch design company Moooi and textile designer Júlia Esqué, Reisinger's digital design was realised in 2021 with 20,000 laser-cut polyester petals. In 2023, Reisinger attracted a lot of attention with his "Take Over" series, which also began as a virtual series. "Take Over" is set in major international cities such as Paris, London, Rome, Tokyo and New York City, wrapping the architecture in fluffy, fuzzy, feathery or hairy pink fabrics. Like his previous creations, 'Take Over' seeks to blur the boundaries between the digital and physical worlds and challenge our notions of reality.
His hyper-realistic depictions were followed by a huge demand for the location and duration of the installations - the images seemed so startlingly real. The interest inspired Reisinger to translate his digital designs into physical installations. The first took place in Miami during Miami Art Week in December 2023. An undulating pink installation draped a Fendi window and was virtually indistinguishable from its digital counterpart.
Fendi was followed by textile installations on buildings in cities such as Jeddah, Madrid, Miami and, most recently, New York City. While architectural elements in virtual space do not have to follow conventional logic, in physical space there are challenges such as materiality, statics, logistics, building codes, regulations, financing, sustainability and maintenance - to name but a few. In virtual space, however, architecture becomes a kind of limitless creative experiment. The freedom from physical constraints, the ability to change quickly and the ease of distribution allow for completely new, inspiring ways of designing and experiencing space.
Andrés Reisinger
Designer and Digital Artist
Andrés Reisinger is an Argentinian visual artist and designer based in Madrid and Barcelona, Spain. He is the founder of Reisinger Studio, a multidisciplinary design studio with offices in Madrid and Barcelona. Reisinger became known for installations that do not physically exist and became a social media star with his virtual wrapping of buildings, before his works entered the “real” world. It all started in 2018 when he posted a digital sketch of his fluffy “Hortensia” floral armchair (see at end of article) on Instagram and it went viral. His design career started at the Faculty of Architecture, Design and Urbanism at the University of Buenos Aires, where he studied graphic design.
"Transforming 'Take Over' from a digital to a physical series is an extraordinary challenge, as it represents an evolving dialogue between the tangible and the intangible," says Reisinger. "For me, the most exciting possibilities lie in this tension between the digital and physical worlds. For me, architecture is no longer limited to structures; it is this dialogue between the two worlds that drives innovation".
Andrés Reisinger's work shows how the boundaries between digital and physical space are becoming increasingly blurred, opening up new perspectives for architecture and design. His unique installations invite us to question reality and virtuality and leave us in awe. By combining digital innovation and tangible implementation, Reisinger opens up a visionary dimension that demonstrates both artistic and technical possibilities for the future. His work is not only an expression of the digital revolution, but also an invitation to reflect on the potential of a hybrid reality.