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    VFX Nouveau: New Possibilities of Architectural Expression, Redefining Design in the Information Age

    DMITRY SEREGIN
    Nov 7, '24 9:06 AM EST

    Generative AI and the Evolution of Architectural Expression 

    With the advent of generative AI, new possibilities are emerging, offering unique potential for the fusion of information and styles.  

    This shift can be reviewed and remodeled based on the transition period of early modernism, where conservative forms began to move toward modern paradigms. The correlation between these past shifts and contemporary times reveals similar processes, drawing parallels to the early 20th century. 

    Historically, the blending of art and craft aimed to create a new image for architecture and design, laying the foundation for the modernist shift. The fusion of decoration with art and craft sought to streamline efforts toward a unified outcome, which is reflected in the  architecture of the period—a symbiotic effort that harmonized diverse elements. 

    That symbiotic effort, however, can be interpreted through a modern-day lens, particularly in the commercial sector, where architecture seeks to expose its features, map and mask its information, and create its own distinctive space. By mapping the information it produces onto itself, architecture adopts a self-referential strategy, ultimately aiming to contribute to diversity. 

    A key moment in this evolution is the emergence of external advertising articulations, specifically billboards and media screens, which display graphic elements of information. These screens not only promote and inform but also communicate through visual language and effects (VFX), effectively becoming an integral part of the architectural envelope. 

    Generative AI, on the other hand, introduces a new layer to this by reapplying the nature of events to the conditions that have emerged, offering the potential to embed graphic information into visual branding and identity, thereby adding depth to architectural expression. 

    1. Small-Scale Expressions 

    1.1 Micro Screens 

    Starting with small-scale expressions that create incremental identities, such as vitrine graphics and displays, these elements primarily shape the internal microcosm of a commercial space by enhancing experiential qualities and graphic design. The shimmering effects, light reflections, and interactions with surrounding media introduce a dynamic layer to the environment. Through subtle changes in texture, transparency, and scale, these elements engage with their context, creating identities that seamlessly blend architectural form with visual language and spatial design. Simultaneously, they contribute to the broader surroundings by establishing a distinct sense of place—drawing attention and making the area easily recognizable from the outside 

     1.2 Micro Solids ( Small Scale  & Elements Framework) 

    As the shift toward physicality unfolds, digital screens could re-emerge as tangible objects, with visual gradients expanding to incorporate graphical correlations of ornament and layering. This transformation would emphasize the structural qualities of surfaces, introducing a new depth in solidity and intricacy. Through this expansion, layering and small-scale structures would come to the forefront, revealing a refined complexity in form and materiality 

    2. Large-Scale Applications 

    2.1 Monumental Pannos 

    When scaled up, this approach could enable the creation of megabanners within dense urban environments, transforming massive graphic surfaces into a means of introducing interior-like qualities to exterior spaces. Using advanced printing techniques and high-definition graphics, these installations would achieve monumental effects that echo the historical tradition of large-scale art forms, like frescoes, while reimagining them for a contemporary setting. 


    2.2 Textured Facades  

    As the design strategy evolves, the transition from static graphics to dynamic media screens would dramatically alter the building envelope, transforming facades into interactive, changing surfaces. The use of silk prints and transparent graphics on building exteriors could utilize the monolithic nature of buildings, allowing for the integration of informative ornaments and transparency strategies in public spaces. 

    2.3 ExoArmor 

    ExoArmor represents a key evolution in architectural expression, merging digital effects with physical materials. As graphic elements re-emerge into physical form on a large scale, ExoArmor introduces tectonic, structural elements that integrate seamlessly with the building's exterior. This transformation turns the façade into an armor-like shell, one that adapts dynamically to environmental conditions, while reconfiguring the way architecture expresses itself through both form and function. By rethinking facades as responsive skins that merge graphic information with structural integrity, ExoArmor transforms the building envelope into an interactive, adaptive surface, contributing both aesthetic and functional depth to the design. 

    3. VFX 

    3.1 Media Facades (VFX Screens) 

    The infusion of visual effects (VFX) into architectural design could redefine a building’s massing and volume, allowing facades to become dynamic, ever-changing canvases. This approach blurs the boundary between static and dynamic, introducing "digital ornamentation" on a tectonic scale. The facade itself becomes a shifting, adaptive element, engaging viewers and creating a fluid dialogue between architecture and environment. 

    3.2 VFX Volumes 

    Alternatively, VFX screens could evolve into VFX volumes, redefining the physical massing of the building surfaces themselves. This would result in an architecture that is not just responsive to the environment but actively participates in it, using digital technologies to create new forms of expression. 

    3.3 VFX Frameworks 

    At a broader level, this approach could be understood as a strategic shift, incorporating kinetic and holographic elements into the architecture. These innovations would function as a new design language framework, expanding the potential of architectural surfaces to blend the visual and physical, creating a new way of experiencing and interacting with buildings. 

    4. The Emergence of VFX Nouveau 

    This trajectory represents a shift toward a more adaptable, plastic architectural medium. In VFX Nouveau, the building envelope doesn’t merely hold graphic elements but seamlessly integrates them into its fabric. Through this fusion, architecture becomes an expressive, evolving medium that aligns with the changing needs and desires of contemporary spaces. VFX Nouveau blurs the line between structure and media, transforming architecture into a fluid, interactive experience that adapts to and reflects its environment. 

    Generative AI and diffusion design echo the early modernist drive to streamline and unify creative efforts in pursuit of a new architectural image. However, where early modernism was constrained by the limitations of industrial production and craftsmanship, Generative AI and diffusion design transcend these boundaries by tapping into new generative processes, unlocking the potential for a new emergence in architectural design.












     
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About this Blog

This blog offers a perspective on the emerging questions of design in the new era of AI and computationalism. It aims to showcase a different aspect of abstract agendas, providing POV reflections on related questions through personal explorations & developed topics. These contributions aim to enrich the evolving discourse of architectural inquiry, shaping the boundaries of design exploration.

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