Fast forward: Designing with data

This article first appeared in Mix Interiors #231

Words: Refik Anadol

As a media artist deeply interested in the exploration of AI’s capabilities to aid human creativity, my vision has always been about more than just the aesthetic or technological spectacles that can be created by using AI. It’s about how these elements — design, architecture and artificial intelligence — intertwine to articulate the invisible: our memories, dreams, and futures. I believe that AI is not just a tool but a medium that expands the canvas of our collective imagination.

My fascination with architecture began in early childhood, with questions about my surroundings. Why were my walls so boring? Why did I have to return to the same space each day? This curiosity about our built environments’ static nature led me to dream of alternatives — spaces that could evolve, reflect and engage with us. This dream was further fuelled by video games, which introduced me to realities beyond the two-dimensional, sparking a long journey to explore what happens when light and data become materials.