Paula Strunden: Bridging Architecture and Technology

Paula Strunden is a renowned transdisciplinary artist who studied architecture in Vienna, Paris and London and has worked for Raumlabor Berlin and Herzog & de Meuron Basel. She completed her design-led PhD within the European research network ‘TACK – Communities of Tacit Knowledge’ and received the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna Prize for Best Research Work 2023/24 for her dissertation on multisensory perception through extended reality models (xRM). Her xR installations have been exhibited internationally, including at the Royal Academy of Arts London, Eye Filmmuseum Amsterdam, Nieuwe Instituut Rotterdam and Museum der Moderne Salzburg, and have been nominated twice for the Dutch Film Award ‘Gouden Calf’. As part of her research into female pioneers in the history of virtual technologies, Paula founded the xR Atlas educational platform and has lectured and run xR workshops at the Architectural Association London, Bartlett UCL, Bauhaus University Weimar, Academy van Bouwkunst Amsterdam, Whitechapel Gallery London, UdK Berlin and Kunsthalle Vienna.

Her work combines architecture with immersive technologies such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR) to design spaces that are not only visual but also emotional and interactive. Through this innovative approach, she challenges our understanding of “reality,” arguing that the authenticity of an experience is measured not by its materiality but by its emotional impact.

In this talk, Paula Strunden poses a compelling question: “Why is there so much fuss about virtual worlds not being ‘real’, when we can experience genuine emotions and sensations within them?”. We are invited to rethink the concept of reality, suggesting that true immersion is not defined by appearance, but by how deeply it resonates with us.

Rethinking Space in the Digital Age

Paula’s presentation offers a fresh perspective on the new forms of spatial interaction made possible by immersive technologies, exploring how these can surpass the limitations of physical space. For her, XR presents an opportunity to redefine our relationship with space and create emotional experiences that are as impactful as those in the physical world, whether in artistic or museum contexts.

An Innovative Vision of Virtual Worlds

Paula Strunden’s video talk invites us to imagine a future where virtual environments are as rich and meaningful as the real world. Her interdisciplinary approach opens new avenues for how immersive technologies can reshape the way we experience space and create cultural interactions.