Realtime Environments
Studio A N F creates realtime generative environments that are computed continuously rather than played back as prerecorded content. Each frame is generated live, allowing the visual system to evolve over time without relying on a fixed video timeline.
These environments can inhabit architectural LED surfaces, lobbies, atriums and immersive spaces, transforming screens into continuously running computational systems rather than passive display surfaces.
Studio A N F develops realtime environments using TouchDesigner, Unreal Engine and custom GPU-based software. At 1275K in Washington DC, five generative environments have operated continuously as part of the building's permanent media installation since 2022.
Generative systems running live
- Realtime generation. Visuals are computed frame by frame rather than rendered in advance, allowing the system to generate continuously changing compositions.
- Architectural scale. Systems can be designed for conventional displays, ultra-wide LED surfaces, atriums, lobbies and large immersive environments.
- GPU-based graphics. TouchDesigner, Unreal Engine, GLSL shaders, particle systems, simulation and custom software are combined according to the requirements of each project.
- Autonomous operation. Permanent installations are engineered for unattended operation, automatic startup and recovery on architectural media servers.
- Adaptive input. Time, environmental data, sensors, cameras or external data sources can influence the behaviour of the environment in realtime.
- AI integration. Neural generation and machine-learning pipelines can become additional layers within the realtime system where they provide meaningful new behaviour or visual possibilities.
Beyond playback
A prerecorded animation has a beginning, an end and a fixed sequence of frames. A realtime environment behaves more like a living visual system: rules, simulations and generative processes determine what appears on screen at any given moment.
The system can evolve gradually, introduce variation at multiple timescales and respond to changing inputs while maintaining a consistent visual language. This makes realtime environments particularly suited to permanent architectural installations, where the work may be experienced repeatedly over many years.
Depending on the project, the resulting behaviour can range from subtle ambient evolution to complex simulated worlds containing particles, natural systems, procedural geometry or adaptive machine-generated imagery.
Recent projects
1275K, Washington DC — 2022
Five permanent realtime generative environments developed for a high-resolution architectural LED installation and operating continuously since 2022.
1275K Reflections — 2022
Permanent generative light environment extending realtime computational behaviour from the primary media installation into the surrounding architectural lighting.
Longhua Hui, Shanghai — 2023–2024
Realtime synthetic natural environment developed in Unreal Engine as a continuously evolving architectural landscape.
Hotel JEN Kunming — 2024
Permanent realtime generative environment developed for a large-scale media installation in the hotel lobby.
How Studio A N F works
01 — Environment
Studio A N F analyses the architecture, display geometry, resolution, viewing conditions and media-server infrastructure.
02 — Behaviour
A generative concept defines the rules, simulations and visual processes that determine how the environment evolves over time.
03 — Prototype
The realtime system is developed against the actual pixel geometry and tested for visual quality, performance and long-term stability.
04 — Integration
The finished environment is deployed on the installation hardware and calibrated with the project's LED, media-server and technical teams.
05 — Operation
The system runs autonomously, with optional remote monitoring, maintenance and future extensions after commissioning.
Realtime technology
Studio A N F primarily develops realtime environments with TouchDesigner and Unreal Engine, supplemented by custom GLSL shaders, GPU computation and additional software where required. The technology is selected according to the visual system rather than defining its aesthetic.
AI models, computer vision, sensors and external data can be integrated into the same architecture, allowing a realtime environment to develop from a purely autonomous generative system into a responsive or adaptive one.
Can a realtime environment operate permanently?
Yes. Permanent realtime environments are designed for continuous unattended operation on dedicated media hardware. Systems can include automatic startup, recovery and remote maintenance so that the work functions as part of the building rather than requiring an operator to launch or manage content manually.