Simon Vorhammer turns walls into moving geometry

Walls in motion – Formfeld animates digitally generated surfaces with analogue reflections and light effects

As you walk past, your own reflection flickers for a moment. Points of light glide across a surface. A logo appears, then fades again. Formfeld sets walls in motion – without projections or screens. The surfaces come alive through analogue reflection and light effects that constantly change depending on the viewing angle. Gradually, an image unfolds – and then disappears once more. Formfeld’s wall designs are subtle and unobtrusive, almost coincidental, inviting a closer look. This creates, almost naturally, a dialogue between the viewer and the surface of the wall. “We design structures that integrate the viewer’s position,” explains Simon Vorhammer, founder of Formfeld and specialist in mathematically formed surfaces.

The foundation for each wall design lies in individually calculated algorithms, which allow Formfeld to generate unique surfaces.“With algorithms, we can structure and control complex geometries with precision,” says Simon Vorhammer. This makes it possible to design dynamic light and reflection effects in a highly controlled way – as in the trade fair booth for Blickfeld, a Munich-based company. In 2020, Formfeld developed a back wall made of 220 folded mirrored Alucobond elements, assembled into a large relief.

The angles and positions of the folds were calculated so that visitors walking by could see their reflections fragmented and reassembled across the surface. “Each mirrored facet is oriented towards a specific point along a path of movement,” says Vorhammer. “That path corresponds to the trajectory of a person passing by the stand.” The concept was inspired by Blickfeld’s own field of work: the company develops 3D scanners for the automotive industry, which capture spatial environments. The reflective back wall translates this scanning process into a visual experience within the space.

The dialogue between viewer and surface can also emerge through light, not just reflection. For the Adidas headquarters in Herzogenaurach, Formfeld designed a double-sided room divider made of beech plywood with a CNC-milled relief structure. Integrated into the organic surface are small openings for light sources arranged to form the Adidas logo. Due to the geometry of the relief, these illuminated perforations are invisible from the side. Only when viewers walk past the wall does the logo appear – and then slowly fade again. Here too, the effect is purely analogue, generated not by digital animation but by the movement of the viewer. “This creates an intentional interplay between surface, space, and body,” says Vorhammer.

For the Adidas campus in Herzogenaurach, Formfeld developed a feature wall measuring around 3.5 by 3.5 metres for the Athlete Services (APEX) area inside the LACES building. APEX supports top athletes and is responsible for developing and tailoring customised equipment – continuing the legacy of Adi Dassler, who laid the foundation for bespoke sports gear in 1954 when he crafted studded football boots for the German national team.

The installation forms a continuous, organically shaped wall relief composed of approximately 10,000 parametrically generated facets. Each facet is a tilted elevation with a central, funnel-shaped recess backed in black. Their size corresponds to the grayscale values of an iconic portrait of Adi Dassler: from a distance, the image becomes legible, while up close it dissolves into a delicate topography of light and shadow. The relief height follows a softened interpretation of the grayscale data – brighter areas rise higher, darker ones remain flatter.

The design was translated into geometry using a custom-developed parametric model and produced by means of CNC milling. Each facet is geometrically unique; the precision and complexity reflect the finely tuned processes of measurement and adjustment that define the APEX environment. Depending on the viewing distance, the perception shifts: at close range, the milling traces are visible as tactile artefacts of the manufacturing process; from mid-range, the facets merge into a textile-like pattern; and from afar, the portrait of Adi Dassler emerges in full clarity.

Simon Vorhammer
Simon is a computational architect with a focus on design technology. Drawing on a deep understanding of digital design and fabrication processes, Simon’s work is characterized by an integrative approach that connects design, engineering, material performance, and manufacturing. Together with Prof. Matthias Beckh, he leads beckh & vorhammer, a practice operating at the intersection of structural analysis, computational planning, and architectural design. His interest in digital aesthetics led him to co-found Formfeld, a brand for CNC-carved algorithmic wall panels, and Sian, a label for algorithmically designed, 3D-printed jewellery.

Prior to starting his ventures in 2016, he studied at TU Munich and ETSAM Madrid, and worked with Foster + Partners in London, LAVA, and AR-MA in Sydney. He taught Parametric Design and Digital Fabrication as a visiting professor at Hochschule Biberach until 2024 and previously held positions at the Technical University of Munich, the University of Sydney, and the Munich University of Applied Sciences. He lives and works in Munich.