Refik Anadol's latest work 'Living Architecture' is on Gaudi's Casa Batllo

World-famous Turkish digital media artist Refik Anadol created the audio/visual performance "Living Architecture: Casa Batllo" in Barcelona, Spain, to honour Antoni Gaudi, the extraordinary Catalan architect who died in 1926.

Anadol is known for using artificial intelligence, machine learning, and quantum computing to create immersive artworks.

More than 65,000 people experienced the performance in central Barcelona on May 5, where the Casa Batllo is situated. Last year, a dynamic NFT of Gaudi's iconic Casa Batllo was auctioned off by Christie's in New York for $1.38 million.

Refik Anadol used climate data he collected from the city of Barcelona in real time and did archival research with the team of Casa Batllo.

He collected a dataset of approximately one billion images of Gaudi's sketches, visual archives of the building's history, academic libraries, and publicly available photos of Casa Batllo on various internet and social media platforms.

He redesigned the building and created a dynamic AI data sculpture by using the facade of the building as a canvas.

A mapping version of the piece is projected on Casa Batllo before nearly 70,000 attendees. It was also displayed at Rockefeller Plaza in Manhattan, New York.

The work was sold at Christie's 21st Century Evening Sale on May 10 for over one million dollars, with 10 percent of the proceeds donated to the Aprenem Autism and Adana Foundations, whose work supports individuals with neurodivergence (autism, dyslexia, ADHD, and others). It was Anadol's very first auction at Christie's art house.

A modernist masterpiece

Gaudi's famous Casa Batllo is the first UNESCO World Heritage Site to be represented as a dynamic NFT.

One of Antoni Gaudi's masterpieces, it regained its current appearance in 1904 when it was restored. Every part of the house, from its walls to its facade, from door handles to pieces of furniture, was designed by architect Gaudi.

Though it was made for the Batllo family, Casa Batllo ceased to be under the ownership of them in the 1950s. It changed hands multiple times, but since the 1990s, the Bernat family has been the current owner and has undertaken a complete restoration of the property.

In 1995, the Bernat family opened the doors of Gaudi's masterpiece to the public, making the building available for hosting events. In 2002, coinciding with the International Year of Gaudi, cultural visits to Casa Batllo were introduced.

Casa Batllo is now a must-visit destination in Barcelona. Its impressive reputation ranks among the top cultural and tourist attractions, drawing in approximately one million visitors annually.

You can make an online tour of the building.

"We live in an advanced technology era, but we don't know how to remember our past and our heritage in an accurate way yet. And I think this project is a great example of the use of history and heritage, combined with technology and the future," Refik Anadol said at the auction event.

"One of the reasons this project is so meaningful is because of its respectful use of historical data, but also because of its combination with future technologies like AI Data, the metaverse, NFTs and blockchain. The result is an excited imagination, where the past and the future can truly connect," he added.

Refik Anadol's NFT collection called "Machine Hallucinations" was also auctioned on Sotheby's platform in 2021 and sold for $5.1 million.

Anadol's newly commissioned installation "Infinity Room: Bosphorus", a site-specific installation, is informed by real-time environmental data from the Istanbul Strait and can also be visited at the Istanbul Modern Museum.

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