In 2020, artist and designer Charlotte Taylor and architect Riccardo Fornoni unveiled Villa Saraceni, a stunning ocean-side home nestled into the cliffs of Scala dei Turchi in southern Sicily. The project gained attention online, with many people expressing interest in renting the villa or visiting it. However, there was one problem – Villa Saraceni doesn’t actually exist in real life. It is a CGI rendering created by Fornoni using digital technology.
The use of rendering software to bring architectural designs to life is not new, but it has recently taken on a new level of creativity. A new generation of creatives are using these tools to explore escapist fantasies and create visually striking images that range from surreal to photorealistic.
Taylor stumbled upon rendering software while working as an illustrator and became fascinated with its ability to make ideas look realistic. She founded the design studio Maison de Sable during the 2020 lockdown and began collaborating with digital artists to bring her hand-drawn ideas to life in virtual spaces.
The results have been impressive, including projects like The Residency in Joshua Tree National Park and Villa Ortizet in Lozère. These virtual creations are meticulously designed so that they could be built if desired.
Other architects and designers are also embracing the virtual realm for various reasons. Some see it as a sustainable alternative for showcasing products without physically producing them or moving them around. Others view it as an opportunity for experimentation and freedom from constraints.
Virtual platforms like DecoHub and Monde Singulier are further pushing the digital-first agenda by showcasing collections exclusively in virtual spaces before commissioning physical pieces if desired.
While some may mistake these digital images for reality, others recognize their potential as AI technology continues to advance. Architects like Carlos Bañón Blazquez use AI as a tool to portray architectural possibilities based on their own visual prompts.
For Taylor, fantasy is becoming reality as her virtual designs evolve into physical furniture pieces and interior projects around the world. And while bringing these visions into actuality remains the ultimate goal for many architects working in this space, there is no denying the allure of escaping into these dreamlike environments.
