Quayola’s video mapping will transform Casa Batlló

Casa Batlló, an emblem of Antoni Gaudí's organic architecture, once again becomes a living canvas, ready to embrace an artistic avant-garde that intertwines nature, technology, and design. This February, the facade of the iconic Barcelona building comes to life through the The Heritage of Tomorrow program, hosting a new edition of digital mapping in collaboration with Integrated Systems Europe (ISE), the world's largest audiovisual systems exhibition. The result is a meeting between past and future—a visual symphony that amplifies the dialogue between traditional art and contemporary technological languages. After the visionary contributions of Refik Anadol in 2023 and Sofia Crespo in 2024, the torch was passed to Quayola (Rome, 1982), nn internationally renowned artist known for his innovative approach that involves the use of algorithms and advanced software to explore the relationship between the natural world and digital creation. Illuminating the facade of the historic building on February 1st and 2nd, his project, titled Arborescent, will explore the organic growth as a metaphor for Gaudí's architectural influences. “The term arborescent describes a structure or growth type similar to that of plants”, the artist explains to Domus. “This is for me a metaphor that perfectly encapsulates Antoni Gaudi’s architectural inspirations”.

Gaudí, a master at blending natural elements with architectural structures, finds a fitting contemporary interpreter in Quayola’s algorithmic vision. The building’s facade transforms into a digital ecosystem where virtual trees bloom and grow, echoing the rhythm and characteristics of its undulating surfaces. The digital botanical forms – capturing the essence of Casa Batlló’s fluid and biomorphic shapes – intertwine with the building’s history, merging the language of nature with that of technology. 

The flowing lines and decorative elements of the facade serve as “visual anchors” for the simulated growth of biomorphic patterns, creating a harmonious dialogue between physical and digital spaces. As the artist observes, the facade of Casa Batlló “becomes the physical/digital space upon which simulations take root, as architectural elements become anchors for generating botanical geometries, lines, and points that determine the plants’ growth structure”.

“In Arborescent, I aimed to identify, catalog, and digitally reconstruct a variety of tree species. I am interested in studying their growth systems and understanding how they respond to artificial stimuli”, the artist explains. The experience is further enhanced by an original soundtrack composed by Quayola himself. Sound and image intertwine, guiding the viewer on a multisensory journey that celebrates the renewal of life and the enduring vitality of Gaudí’s visions.

Through its synthesis of natural aesthetics, algorithms, and historic design, Quayola demonstrates how innovation can not only celebrate but also reinterpret artistic heritage. In conclusion, this event is not merely a temporary illumination of a facade but an exploration of one of the oldest interactions in the world: that between humanity, nature, and technology.