BREATHING ARCHITECTURE II
Breathing Architecture explores the anatomy of air, modelling its flows within the intricate and beautiful structures of human respiration. The project merges art and science to advance the study of human anatomy, connecting artist Filippo Nassetti with researchers at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center through the S+T+ARTS AIR Residencies program.
Breathing Architecture began with the idea that an artist’s perspective can help solve challenges in simulating complex biological systems. While scientists use equations and mechanical physics, an artist may see the body as a spatial architecture—structures to navigate through high resolution simulations, revealing their beauty and complexity. This fusion of analytical thinking and visual imagination offers a new approach to simulate anatomical systems.
The team used High Performance Computing to explore many ideas. A breakthrough came unexpectedly when a similarity was noticed between the artist’s work and a microscope image of lung tissue. Since these structures can’t be scanned with existing technologies, it was attempted to create a digital model. Ultimately, this led to a new, procedural method to accurately simulate airflow and particle deposition in alveolar tissue. These models of lung microstructures could help simulate how diseases progress, enabling more effective, personalised treatments. The innovation is key to ongoing research on the modelling of tuberculosis and was presented at the 35th Parallel CFD International Conference 2024.
In this work, beauty and aesthetics are not incidental; they serve as measures of order, enhancing perception, recognition, and memory. The project explores the role of artists in scientific inquiry, while treating scientific data as artistic material. Beyond its scientific impact, Breathing Architecture produced video and physical, 3D printed artworks, creating an experience that invite viewers to explore the anatomy of air and marvel at the hidden beauty of human biology.
The artworks documented in this page are 3D printed sculptures. The pieces materializes scientific data on airflow within microscopic lung tissues. Each of the distinctive filament traces the path of a moving air particle.
Breathing Architecture was part of “S+T+ARTS AIR – Artistic Innovation for European Resilience”, funded by the European Union from call CNECT/2022/3482066 – Art and the digital: Unleashing creativity for European industry, regions, and society under grant agreement LC-01984767.
FILIPPO NASSETTI LTD (UK)Artist and Designer: Filippo Nassetti
BARCELONA SUPERCOMPUTING CENTER (ES)
Scientific Mentor: Beatriz Eguzkitza
Scientific Mentor: Silvia Ceccacci
Scientific Mentor: Jeronimo Calderon
Scientific Mentor: Guillermo Marin
IN4ART (NL)
Art-driven Innovation Mentor: Rodolfo Groenewoud van Vliet
Art-driven Innovation Mentor: Lija Groenewoud van Vliet
MEDIA SOLUTION CENTER BADEN-WÜRTTEMBERG / HIGH PERFORMANCE COMPUTING CENTRE STUTTGART (DE)
Scientific Mentor: Uwe Wössner
Scientific Mentor: Leyla Kern
Scientific Mentor: Susanne Malheiros
FUNDACIÓN ÉPICA LA FURA DELS BAUS (ES)
Artistic Mentor: Pep Gatell
Artistic Mentor: Fco. Javier Iglesias Gracia
PINA/HEKA (SI)
Artistic Mentor: Mauricio Valdes San Emeterio
Communication: Taja Kavčič