zaha hadid architects casts digital light mapping projection on a baroque castle façade

on the 170-meter-long façade of the karlsruhe’s baroque castle in germany, zaha hadid architects (ZHA) has collaborated with digital artists/computer science researchers andy lomas and mubbasir kapadia, and musician max cooper to create an immersive light mapping projection. ‘behaviour morphe’ highlights the digital spatial simulation tools ZHA applies in the comprehensive analysis and planning of its architecture, and seeks to explore how living spaces can be designed in the future.

the light installation takes shape on the 170-meter-long façade of the karlsruhe’s baroque castle
video courtesy of zaha hadid architects

presented for the 2017 schlosslichtspiele festival, ‘behaviour morphe’ reveals the interior of the castle as a series of digital laboratories. these spaces show the circulation and congregation of digital actors programmed with AI that interact with the architecture of the building, as well as each other. zaha hadid architects worked together with andy lomas, mubbasir kapadia, and max cooper to create dynamic virtual spaces using real-time data that interprets the interactions of virtual characters.

zaha hadid architects worked closely with digital artists, computer science researchers, and musicians

‘ZHA’s ideas and work fit well with my musical approach, being based on human/machine boundaries, and emergence of biological forms from simulated systems of behaviour,’ max cooper says. ‘I drew on a couple of tracks which fit the visual style and the development of the piece, which goes from a playful exploration of human interactions with an architectural space to a barrage of cellular forms and audio-visual intensity.’

‘behaviour morphe’ is presented for the 2017 schlosslichtspiele festival

the interior of the castle is revealed as a series of digital laboratories

spaces show the circulation and congregation of digital actors

dynamic virtual spaces use real-time data to interprets the virtual characters’ interactions

project team:

architectural design, curation, design lead: zaha hadid architects (ZHA)
ZHA principal: patrik schumacher
ZHA project director, ZHVR group: helmut kinzler
ZHA code director: shajay bhooshan
ZHA code team: filippo nassetti, marko margeta, vishu bhooshan, tommaso casucci

morphogenetic creations: andy lomas (digital artist and computer science)
crowd simulation and behavioural agents: mubbasir kapadia (digital artist and computer science) with fernando geraci and samuel s. sohn
compositing and production: DSG (dragos stefan, vlad pascanu and alex stoica)

music soundtrack:
‘voyage through the analogue womb’ written and performed by max cooper | published by manners mcdade music publishing ltd. courtesy of believe digital
‘behaviour morph’ written and performed by max cooper | published by manners mcdade music publishing ltd.