SNØHETTA + COLLECTIVE OSLO: Co-Creation with the Machines
Exploring the Human Relationship with Technology
Since 2021, Collective Oslo and Snøhetta have collaborated on an experimental exploration of creativity, technology, and artificial intelligence. Driven by curiosity and a shared interest in emerging creative tools, the project investigated how generative AI could contribute to the creation of a living visual identity—one that reflects Collective Oslo’s continuous search for the most vibrant frequencies within art and culture.
From Experiment to Identity
What began as an open-ended exploration gradually evolved into the development of Collective Oslo’s visual identity. Through a process of co-creation between humans and machines, generative algorithms became creative collaborators, producing visual outputs shaped by human guidance, selection, and interpretation.
Rather than pursuing perfection, the project embraced unpredictability, experimentation, and imperfection. Human judgment remained central throughout the process, curating outcomes, making decisions, and determining when an image, pattern, or form had reached its most meaningful expression.
Co-Creation as Creative Practice
The collaboration explored how AI-generated outputs can challenge conventional creative processes and open new directions for visual expression. By working alongside algorithms rather than simply using them as tools, the project examined questions of authorship, agency, and the evolving role of technology within contemporary design.
The resulting identity became an adaptive system of machine-generated visual expressions continuously shaped by human intervention and creative intent.
Algorithms and an Evolving Identity
Three open-source technologies formed the foundation of the visual system.
StyleGAN was trained on curated image datasets to generate thousands of unique visual variations. The technology was used to create both Collective Oslo’s evolving logo system and a collection of organic forms inspired by natural landscapes and textures.
To create coherence across these outputs, generated imagery was further processed through Potrace, transforming visual information into a distinctive line-based language that could be applied consistently across formats and platforms.
The project also explored GammaCV, a machine-vision tool that generates live line drawings based on camera input. The resulting work, Mimesis Machine, visualized how machines interpret human faces and environments, offering a reflection on observation, surveillance, and the increasing presence of machine perception in everyday life.
The Search for the Most Vibrant Frequency
The visual identity developed through this collaboration is not intended to be static. Instead, it exists as an evolving system that reflects curiosity, experimentation, and continuous transformation.
By embracing uncertainty and allowing technology to participate in the creative process, the project demonstrates how human intuition and machine intelligence can coexist. The result is a visual language that celebrates exploration, challenges conventions, and reflects Collective Oslo’s commitment to pushing creative boundaries.
Our Approach
Collective Oslo and Snøhetta worked closely throughout the development process, combining expertise in design, technology, branding, and creative experimentation. The project was conceived as both a research initiative and a practical design system, resulting in a visual identity that continues to evolve over time.
CLIENT
Collective Oslo
PARTNER
Snøhetta
CATEGORY
Visual Identity
Creative Technology
AI & Design Research
DELIVERABLES
Visual Identity Development
Creative Technology Research
Generative Design Systems
AI Co-Creation
Brand Strategy
Machine Learning Exploration
Interactive Experiences
THEMES
Artificial Intelligence
Creativity
Human–Machine Collaboration
Generative Design
Visual Systems
Future Technologies
CREDITS
Lead Design & Creative Technology
Kim Andre Fosslien Ottesen
Managing Director, Snøhetta Design
Hedda Lilleng
In collaboration with Collective Oslo
