Architect Ole Scheeren challenges the traditional architectural principle that "form ever follows function," arguing that this approach limits buildings to utilitarian problem-solving and offers no more than is required. Scheeren believes architecture should transcend mere plans and diagrams, viewing buildings as living organisms that develop their own narratives. His design philosophy integrates form with fiction, considering the stories of inhabitants and users, and moves away from the notion that a building's exterior must strictly reflect its interior activities.
Scheeren's influential work includes the CCTV headquarters in Beijing, known for its distinctive looped design, and the Mahanakhon tower in Bangkok, which features a pixelated facade with carved terraces to connect with city life. He has also designed Tencent's vortex-shaped headquarters in Shenzhen, symbolizing growth, and integrated nature into ZTE's offices to reflect a broader concept of work. Scheeren draws parallels between the journey experienced in films and the potential of architecture to offer similar immersive experiences.
While embracing artificial intelligence in his design process for generating and refining ideas, Scheeren also cautions against over-reliance on AI. He worries that an overabundance of AI-generated possibilities could lead to a surrender of human judgment and decision-making. Scheeren emphasizes that certain tasks must remain manual and analog, as the physicality of buildings in the real world means they cannot be entirely offloaded to AI, and genuine meaningfulness in design will not be easily replicated by machines.