About
Why
tsa
Armin Grässl founded “Transforming Spaces” based on profound personal experiences and convictions. As someone who spent much of his childhood and youth in children’s hospitals, he was often confronted with sterile and oppressive environments. This deepened his longing to escape into nature, where he could find strength, harmony and healing. The overwhelming visual stimuli and “visual pollution” prevalent in many public spaces, especially hospitals, inspired him to bring the calming and healing power of nature into these environments through his art.
Through photography, he learned to observe life and, from an early age, deeply felt the healing effects of the natural world. This ability to perceive and share the beauty and harmony of nature lies at the heart of his work. His panoramic photographs aim to convey this experience. They create spaces that promote tranquility, organize thoughts, and radiate positive energy. Grässl sees his work as a contribution to transforming urban and functional spaces, such as hospitals, banks, or offices, into peaceful environments that offer people a moment of respite from their hectic daily lives. His art is not provocative but soothing and human-centered, a reflection of his own life journey and his search for normality, harmony and truth.
Purpose of the
tsa
The purpose of the Transforming Spaces Association is to enhance well-being and support mental health by integrating large-scale nature photography into public and private spaces. These installations aim to create calming and restorative environments in locations such as hospitals, wellness centres, workplaces and educational institutions. By donating these works, the association seeks to transform everyday spaces into serene and healing environments, fostering a sense of peace and connection to nature.
Beyond its focus on creating tranquil spaces, the association actively promotes the conservation and preservation of natural landscapes, recognising their essential value to human health and the planet’s ecological balance. Through its initiatives, the Transforming Spaces Association aspires to bridge the gap between art, nature, and human well-being, encouraging a deeper appreciation for the natural world while positively influencing spaces of care, learning and productivity.
Armin
Grässl
He is a creative visionary, philanthropist and proud father of four. With a lifelong passion for capturing the beauty of the world through photography, Armin’s work blends artistry, emotion and innovation.
Born in Innsbruck, Austria, his journey began at the School of Photography in Vevey, Switzerland, and led him to iconic fashion shoots in New York, Paris and Vienna, where his work graced the pages of Vogue and other leading magazines. A frequent guest at Andy Warhol’s Factory, Armin immersed himself in the vibrant art scene of the 1980s.
His career has taken him across the globe, from documenting Peru’s cultural richness in the film The Other Side of the Sun, to 35 years in Gstaad, where he captured high society's lifestyle, mountains, fields and flowers, resulting in his acclaimed book Gstaad. Renowned personalities including Roger Moore, Henri Cartier Bresson, Gunther Sachs, Julie Andrews and Roman Polanski have praised Armin's book, recognizing his artistic ability in capturing Gstaad's true beauty.
Later, living 7 years on a boat on Lake Lucerne, he created the book Der See, a visual homage to the lake and its history.
Today, as the creative force behind the Transforming Spaces Association , Armin blends his artistic vision with innovative design, crafting immersive installations that bring the serenity of nature into modern environments. Inspired by the Japanese practice of Shinrin Yoku (forest bathing), his large-scale photographic works inspire, soothe and connect people with the natural world. Alongside his professional achievements, Armin is dedicated to giving back through philanthropy and cherishes his role as a father.
