After completing his studies, Schaerer worked at the
Herzog & de Meuron architecture firm in Basel. During this time, he created
visualizations for many significant projects by Herzog & de Meuron, making a pioneering contribution to the field of digital
architectural visualization beyond national borders.[6][7][8] Starting from 2003, Schaerer worked at Herzog & de Meuron as a
Knowledge Manager.[9] In this role, he was responsible for developing digital strategies and concepts to improve internal workflows and integrate digital information technologies into project development. Concurrently with his position at Herzog & de Meuron, he led the postgraduate program in
Computer-Aided Architectural Design (CAAD) at the Department of Architecture at the
ETH Zurich from 2003 to 2008.
Since 2008, Schaerer has worked as an independent artist.[1] He currently resides and works in Zurich and Steffisburg.
Work
Schaerer's work explores the fragile relationship between objects and their pictorial representation, incorporating information technology as a central element.[10] His engagement with digital processing techniques is a key aspect of his creative process. His works consist of constructed (image) worlds that address the increasingly blurred boundary between digital image worlds and physical objects.[11]
Schaerer gained recognition with his first series, "Bildbauten", which was awarded as the best independent work in the "Swiss Photography" exhibition in 2008[12] and later exhibited internationally. This series marked a departure from the visual aesthetics he had created as an architect in the early 2000s for Herzog & de Meuron's competition entries. The "Bildbauten" series, designed from various surfaces, avoids the seductive power of three-dimensionality, atmospheric lighting, and people. They have their own existence and are not representatives of planned or completed buildings. Yet, one is tempted to believe they could exist in reality. The artist consciously plays with the deception of photorealistic aesthetics or deconstructs them.[13]
Schaerer's works are predominantly created in the digital realm. Using various techniques, he creates virtual artifacts such as objects, buildings, or landscapes. His digitally created realities appear with subtle coherence, combining subject and representation into impressive depictions between reality and fiction.[14] The foundation for many of his works is his digital image archive, which serves as important "raw material" for his image-based works.[8]
Dominik Lengyel, Philipp Schaerer: Architectural fiction: Visualising new realities. In: Urs Hirschberg, Ludger Hovestadt, Oliver Fritz (Eds.): Atlas of Digital Architecture. 1st edition. Birkhäuser Verlag, Basel 2020, pp. 285–322.
Philipp Schaerer: Free your Imagination. In: Andri Gerber, Ulrich Götz (Eds.): Architectonics of game spaces: The spatial logic of the virtual and its meaning for the real. Transcript Verlag, Bielefeld 2019, ISBN 978-3-8376-4802-7, pp. 95–110 (
online).
Stephan Lando, Marina Montresor (Eds.): Defining Criteria. Quart Verlag, Lucerne 2018, ISBN 978-3-03761-172-2 (German edition), ISBN 978-3-03761-173-9 (English edition), pp. 146–172.
Jesús Vassallo (Ed.): Seamless: Digital Collage And Dirty Realism In Architecture. 1st edition. Park Books, Zurich 2016, ISBN 978-3-03860-019-0, pp. 69–112.
Reto Geiser (Ed.): Philipp Schaerer: Bildbauten (expanded English edition). Standpunkte Verlag, Basel 2016, ISBN 978-3-9524577-0-2, 96 pages (with contributions by Nathalie Herschdorfer, Martino Stierli, and Philipp Ursprung).
Philipp Schaerer: Objets Trouvés – The Beauty of Everyday Objects. LAPIS, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne 2015, ISBN 978-3-9524577-0-2 (
online).
Ulrich Müller (Ed.): Transformator – Roger Boltshauser with images by Philipp Schaerer. Ernst Wasmuth Verlag, Tübingen 2012, ISBN 978-3-8030-0761-2.
Reto Geiser (Ed.): Philipp Schaerer: Bildbauten. Standpunkte Verlag, Basel 2010, ISBN 978-3-9523540-4-9, 80 pages (with contributions by Nathalie Herschdorfer, Martino Stierli, and Philip Ursprung).
Articles and Essays
Jesús Vassallo: Of Objects and Images. In: Oris. Nos. 124, 125, 2020, pp. 292–303.
Maximilian Treiber: Types from the Reservoir. Image Pairs and Montage as Design Methodology in Architecture. In: Wolkenkuckucksheim. No. 38, 2019, pp. 100–101 (
online).
Jesús Vassallo: Epics in the everyday: Photography, architecture and the problem of realism. 1st edition. Park Books, Zurich 2019, pp. 303–307.
Philipp Schaerer: Gebaute Bilder. In: Domus. German edition. No. 23, Ahead Media Verlag, Berlin January/February 2017, ISSN 2195-7681, pp. 154–159.
Pedro Gadanho: Tableau Edifiant – Architectural Fiction in Contemporary Photography. In: DAMn°. No. 33, 2012, pp. 62–64.
Philipp Schaerer: Bildkonstrukte: Architektur und Digitale Bildverfahren. In: Trans Magazin (ETH Zurich). No. 19, 2011, pp. 68–75.
Fanny Léglise: Philipp Schaerer. In: A'A – L'Architecture d'Aujourd'hui. No. 383, 2011, pp. 47–50.
Jorge Nunes: Una Arcquitetos. Philipp Schaerer. In: J.A. No. 240, 2010, pp. 74–79.
Jean Tourette: Philipp Schaerer: Photographie et Architecture Fictionelle. In: Kiblind. No. 33, 2010, pp. 12–13.
Caroline Bouige: Quand le bâtiment. In: Étapes. No. 184, 2010, pp. 6–7.
Eva Pelaez: Philipp Schaerer: A question of reality. In: Rooms Magazine. No. 3, 2010, pp. 82–83.
Salomon Frausto: Bildbauten: Constructing Architectural Imagery. Philipp Schaerer. In: Hunch. Nai Publishers, Berlage Institute. No. 14, 2009, pp. 12–27.
Sascha Renner: Glamour war gestern – Die Plat(t)form will Europas talentiertesten Fotonachwuchs finden. In: Monopol. No. 3, 2009, pp. 14–15.
Martin Jäggi: Die Fotografie nimmt Abschied von alten Gewissheiten. In: Tages-Anzeiger. January 27, 2009, p. 41.
Terri Peters: Philipp Schaerer talks about photographs, photorealism and the new "real". In: Mark. No. 15, pp. 144–151.
Walter Keller: Bildbauten, Bilder von Philipp Schaerer. In: Du. No. 787, 2008, pp. 40–47.