French architect and artist Axel de Stampa has reimagined iconic contemporary buildings through his captivating series, “Architecture Animée.” By transforming static architectural photographs into dynamic GIFs, de Stampa breathes life into structures, offering fresh perspectives on their design and form.
Dancing Guggenheim Museum from Architecture Animée series.
In this series, renowned edifices such as Herzog & de Meuron’s VitraHaus, SANAA’s New Art Museum, and Morphosis Architects’ Emerson College Los Angeles are animated to reveal movements and transformations that challenge traditional perceptions of architecture. De Stampa’s work emphasizes the concept of motion in architecture, traditionally associated with the fourth dimension—time. By utilizing the GIF format, he allows buildings to come alive, presenting different perceptions without requiring physical movement from the viewer.
Developed as part of the 1Week1Project (1W1P) think tank, “Architecture Animée” explores new methods of architectural representation, pushing the boundaries of how we experience and interpret built environments. Through these animations, de Stampa invites viewers to engage with architecture in a novel and thought-provoking manner, highlighting the dynamic potential inherent in structural design.
For a visual experience of these animated works, you can explore de Stampa’s GIFs on his GIPHY profile.
Zollverein School by SANAA from Architecture Animée series.
Porta Fira Towers by Toyo Ito AA + Fermin Vazquez (b720 Arquitectos), photo © David Cardelús
Memory Museum by Estudio America, photo © Nicolas Saieh
VitraHaus by Herzog & de Meuron, photo © Iwan Baan
