οle scheeren's exhibition transports visitors to his iconic projects through AR

‘ole scheeren : spaces of life’ solo exhibition

ZKM | Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe opens a multimedia exhibition celebrating the large body of work by architect Ole Scheeren. Under the title ole scheeren : spaces of life and curated by Peter Weibel, the show brings models, drawings, photography, graphics, and augmented reality experiences together, marking the practice’s 20-plus years. ZKM’s large atriums become the home of a series of immersive large-scale installations, inviting guests into a spatial experience of Scheeren’s sculptural architecture. (See more about the selected works in our previous article here.)

Known for his innovative high-rise buildings and residential projects, Scheeren sees architecture as an organism intertwined with life. ‘It’s about imagining what could be done in architecture. How can we imagine the possibilities of life, the emotional spectrum, the things that can take place? How can we create spaces that follow our ideas, but that can also be there for the different ideas of those who live there? We don’t create the buildings just to be constructed and photographed, but for people to live in them and for that to function,’ shared the architect in an interview.

‘DUO’ © Buro-OS, photo by Iwan Baan

Experience Scheeren’s architecture

The show offers a perspective into the impacts of the digital on the future of architecture as reflected in Scheeren’s work (see more here). ole scheeren : spaces of life examines how today’s architecture can create prototypes for living tomorrow, focusing on people’s needs. The show brings a series of AR experiences translating the sculptural character of the buildings into a unique spatial adventure. After scanning the corresponding QR code found next to the models, the building is embedded in its real environment and gives a peek into the interior spaces. Around 100 3D-printed architectural models are standing next to each other in a 42-meter-long timeline. According to the press release, the models locate each individual project in time and space. Through Augmented Reality, viewers are transported into the urban spaces and the interiors of the buildings on large-scale models.

The architect’s practice follows the motto ‘form follows fiction’. ‘Space is a functional entity, but also an emotional one, an experience. Architecture has always focused on functionality. There is, after all, the well-known principle of “form follows function.” However, we should also ponder what happens when form follows fiction instead — when we think about how space is alive, works, does things. With this in mind, how can we create spaces that create an inspiring world of experience for us? That is exactly the opposite of form follows function, so I prefer to speak of form follows fiction,’ mentions the architect.

‘Empire City’ © Buro-OS

The Interlace allows visitors to explore one of Ole Scheeren’s most famous buildings from anywhere. All apps are based on Snap AR technologies and require Snapchat and a cell phone. ole scheeren : spaces of life offers its visitors a multi-faceted approach to Ole Scheeren’s projects.

Peter Weibel, artistic and scientific director of the ZKM, says: ‘Ole Scheeren’s projects are the result of an intensive experimental urban field research. They are stunning aesthetic solutions to social and ecological considerations. Architecture becomes a living organism in which all components, from humans to plants, are participants in an active idea of co-habitation.’

Rem Koolhaas and Ole Scheeren ‘CCTV’ © OMA, photo by Iwan Baan

‘The Interlace’ © OMA,Ole Scheeren, photo by Iwan Baan

‘Fifteen Fifteen’ © Buro-OS, Rendering: Binyan Studios

Archipelago Cinema © Ole Scheeren, photo by Piyatat Hemmatat

Ole Scheeren ©ZKM | Zentrum für Kunst und Medien, photo by Felix Grünschloß

image by Julian Faulhaber

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exhibition view ole scheeren : spaces of life at ZKM | Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe, 2022. © Photo: Felix Grünschloß

Ole Scheeren beim Aufbau der Ausstellung ole scheeren : spaces of life im ZKM | Karlsruhe. © ZKM | Zentrum für Kunst und Medien Karlsruhe. Foto: Felix Grünschloß