SA lab has designed the architectural experience for «My Mother Was a Computer,» an exhibition exploring artificial intelligence where the design methodology itself becomes a manifesto.
In a groundbreaking approach, the exhibition design emerged through human-AI collaboration—from initial concept to 3D modelling and visitor flow. The exhibition was curated by Olga Vad, Head of ITMO University’s Art & Science Master’s program.
The exhibition’s spatial narrative functions as a metaphor for encountering the unfamiliar. Visitors progress through seven distinct environments, each calibrated to evoke a specific emotional response: from initial apprehension through curiosity and ultimately to collaborative engagement. The evocative entrance immediately contextualizes the experience, while movement between exhibition «islands» creates a dialogue with the gallery’s New Holland Island setting, materializing as architectural elements, textured surfaces, and a defining entrance portal. SA lab strategically connects the gallery to its urban context, creating a reflective pause-space for contemplation. A conceptual well offers another moment for reflection, illuminating ethical dimensions of AI development.
Transcending mere digital aesthetics, the project establishes a forum for examining human-machine boundaries, inviting visitors to develop their own relationship with technology.
Photograph: Anna Skudar
