Reversed Design with Generative AI

”Hi Anna, I’m doing a fireside chat with astronaut Marcus Wandt at Open House. Do you think we could make a campfire in the shape of a rocket engine? Like an upside-down motor with fire coming out of it, standing between us while we talk."

This casual question from Tobias Edman, Unit Manager for AI in Space at RISE, and the AI-generated image I created from his prompt, sparked a series of events that led to a unique stage set for the Computer Science Open House 2025 at RISE.

What began as a lighthearted message in a Teams chat soon evolved into a shared vision. With a dash of unexpected inspiration from life with toddlers, the idea transformed from a daydream into an AI-generated sketch and ultimately into a full-scale installation. Papier-mâché flames, crepe paper fire, and a reversed rocket engine came together to create a visual backdrop for a conversation about Space and AI—part experiment, part art project.

How It Was Built

From AI-generated visuals in Midjourney to a physical sculpture, the entire process was an iterative journey using Midjourney and generative tools in Adobe Photoshop. We started with AI, fine-tuned the design in Photoshop, and then brought it into the real world with human hands. The image was printed in one view only, and then my fellow designer, Sofie Aschan, and I interpreted it in 3D. The final design was crafted using lightweight materials, lighting, and, of course, a healthy dose of humor and optimism. With branding embedded in the fins, the installation was designed to be both "Instagrammable" and reflective of the creative, playful spirit central to our discussion.

As we worked on the installation, Sofie and I spent hours discussing how AI is reshaping the landscape for designers like us—those schooled in product and graphic design. The shift is undeniable: we’re not just creators anymore—we’re becoming creative directors for systems. The tools don’t just execute; they now ideate, remix, and iterate with us.

The Concept of Reversed Design

The concept of “reversed design” is akin to reverse engineering—something the Japanese famously mastered in the ‘80s. Whether you love or loathe AI in the creative process, there’s no denying that these tools are here to stay. While tasks that once took days can now be completed in seconds, creativity is far from disappearing.

If anything, the bar is raised. With generative AI, we can prototype ideas in minutes, test different visual directions, and evolve concepts faster than ever before. But this speed also changes how we make decisions—we move quickly from 'what looks good' to 'what’s worth pursuing.'

During our creation process, we often joked about our new AI tools as “interns” that were eager to help but still couldn’t fully interpret our vision—constantly ready for more tweaks, never tiring of our requests. :)

Is it intimidating? Maybe. Are designers becoming obsolete? Not likely. AI can generate beautiful images (even if sometimes those images come with comically long feet), but it’s still us—the humans—who craft the first prompt, imagine, curate, interpret, and get our hands dirty with glue guns, putting in the real creative effort to bring ideas to life.

That said, we also see how fast things move. Each new version of ChatGPT or Midjourney subtly reshapes how we work. Prompting techniques change. Capabilities grow. The boundaries shift.
 As designers, we now adapt not once, but constantly—learning, testing, and iterating alongside each tool’s evolution.

In the end, our most important skill may not be mastering a tool—but staying open to how the tools keep changing. The future of creativity is not fixed; it’s dynamic, responsive, and increasingly co-created.

But how long that will remain true... we'll see!

Don't surrender to AI — Dance with it

At the Center for Applied AI at RISE, the design and communication team doesn’t just talk about AI—we practice what we preach. We actively use generative AI in our work and strive to be transparent about how. From text and image generation to exploring new ways AI can help us tell stronger, more compelling narratives about AI, we’re constantly learning and evolving.

We believe the best designers won’t be the ones who resist AI or surrender to it completely—but the ones who dance with it.

Join the conversation on LinkedIn: AI at RISE