Cutting through the noise of the male-dominated CGI industry is Dada Projects; a women-led inclusive studio and platform rethinking how CGI can embody ideas of humanism through immersive digital environments. Contemplating the relationship between physical and digital, human and machine, new technologies and emotional responses, they tell Jynann Ong how they bake in concept, process and innovation throughout their atmospheric works.
In all the years Christina Worner was freelancing as a 3D motion designer across the creative industry, she kept asking herself: where are all the women in CGI? The gender imbalance was particularly common at director level, and so she became motivated to set up her own studio, one driving change and inclusivity. In 2021, the London-based creator started Dada Projects as a women-led studio building an alternative future for 3D design. With a goal to infuse more texture—both metaphorically and creatively—across the industry, Worner envisioned Dada Projects as an inspirational platform where women are encouraged to pursue 3D in a relaxed, supportive and diverse environment.
“It’s really important that we assess and discuss how much of a creative impact we can have,” says Worner about the studio’s core purpose. “We’re much less interested in faithfully replicating the client brief and more interested in adding our own perspective.” In a recent project with Modem Works and Harvard GSD, the studio reimagined the visual experience inside a future, windowless car, transforming a static space into something immersive and alive with AI-driven visuals. Elsewhere, Dada Projects collaborated with Google DeepMind on their landmark series “Visualising AI;” the studio was tasked with visually interpreting relevant themes within AI to make technical jargon more relatable. Exploring how AI can analyze ecosystems—from the CO2 absorption rates of algae to recording changes in Madagascar’s estuaries—the final visuals take the viewer on an atmospheric tour of multi-textured landscapes and anatomic coral reef close-ups.
As well as their highly technical and refined output, the team at Dada Projects have a philosophical and speculative approach to creativity, which adds another dimension to their work. Both creative and administrative experimentation is key to this evolution. By playing with technical tools and software, the studio “explores the benefits, and limitations, of new technology in order to judge how it can be leveraged best for our needs.” On the other hand, Dada Projects understands creative experimentation as a gateway to processing new technologies. “Given how quickly we’re confronted with innovation, there will always be a need to visualize and communicate those ideas,” says Alice Shaughnessy, head of operations. “It’s important for us to be part of building new languages and forms of expressions.”
One way the designers provoke new expressions is by considering the relationship between the 3D digital space and the physical. For Worner, the relationship is “a dynamic exchange where each influences the other.” While the digital enables us to break free from physical limitations—gravity, scale, material—the physical acts as a reminder for how immaterial space can feel tangible. The physical is bound to movement, texture and interaction with light—all important elements when designing something relatable, even if it’s not entirely realistic.
In this vein, the Korean-German philosopher Byung-Chul Han’s critique of smoothness offers up interesting creative contemplation. In Han’s book “The Transparency Society,” Worner reflects, “he describes smoothness as a prevalent aesthetic in digital culture. Where surfaces are designed to be frictionless and easy to navigate for maximum comfort and efficiency.” It’s a widely established vernacular across the digital, a user experience designed with cleanness and minimalism front of mind. For Dada Projects, however, this experience is disconnected from our imperfect physical world.
As we create 3D environments, it’s crucial to consider how much ’texture’ we should incorporate to keep our work grounded.
“As we create 3D environments, it’s crucial to consider how much ‘texture’, both literal and figurative, we should incorporate to keep our work grounded.” As a result, they purposely include subtle frictions throughout their smooth creations. Whether in the form of imperfections or interactive elements, these disruptions add depth and nuance to the digital worlds, thus making them feel immersive and relatable. “By designing this way, we hope to create more digital elements that feel more than just shiny replicas of the physical world,” says Worner, “ultimately leading to a more engaging experience.”
A myriad of ideas, observations and provocations feed into the studio’s creative process to inspire the visuals. From technology to nature, art, travel and the trivialities of life, they like to let their minds wander into a “no man’s land,” where inspiration comes naturally. “Even the most mundane experiences like peeling an orange can ignite visual narratives that resonate and spark our imagination,” says Worner. Thematically, the studio explores speculative concepts, which are simultaneously baked into the creative process. Themes currently dominating this conversation reflect on how technology shapes our lives. At present, these issues mainly surround AI and the future of human-machine interaction, as well as how the natural world might adapt to climate change. For Dada Projects, artists have a responsibility to address such issues in order to “envision possible futures, driving us to create work that feels connected to both our present and what lies ahead.”
Contrary to what their clients may think, AI has not radically changed their workflow, though they do use it for visualizing their ideas quickly when brainstorming, or for upscaling or enhancing images. But when it comes to the excitement surrounding future tech, Dada Projects is much more interested in pursuing a multimedia approach where diverse combinations of live action and 3D can artistically come together to express a specific idea. “As technology progresses,” Worner adds in reference to the rise of AR and VR specifically, “it’s set to reshape how we experience storytelling, entertainment and education, making these areas more interactive and almost gamified.” For Dada Projects, however, the ultimate goal remains the same: To tell stories, appropriate to any given idea, which spark emotional responses and meaningful conversations.