This augmented reality installation translates the tree studies of the Italian architect Cesare Leonardi (1935–2021) into the modern world of 3D scanning technology. A real tree from Karlsruhe is transformed into an impressive point cloud through digital scans. In doing so, the project explores how such digital representations might change our perception of nature within urban environments.
Leonardi’s renowned work The Architecture of Trees depicted tree forms through highly precise hand drawings. Treespotting AR continues this approach using modern scanning techniques. These scans capture millions of data points to digitally reconstruct the tree’s appearance—its form, surface, and play of light. The result is a “digital twin” of the tree that feels like a combination of realistic depiction and artistic interpretation. This raises important questions: How authentic is a digital representation? How does it affect our relationship with nature?
As cities increasingly use digital twins for urban planning, the installation goes a step further: Could such scans one day replace botanical drawings? Could they inspire more sustainable design? And might they change how we imagine the cities of the future?
At the intersection of art, technology, and environmental concerns, Treespotting AR carries on Leonardi’s legacy—not only in observing trees but also in rethinking how we live alongside them. It invites visitors to experience a familiar tree through a new lens—and perhaps to appreciate it anew.
Shown at Media art is here (2025).
Time: 14.08.2025 – 14.09.2025
Location: Festplatz