AG Architecture is known for providing vision, building consensus, and delivering certainty and predictability to the construction process. Success in these areas requires innovation. These days you can’t talk about innovation without mentioning AI. Numerous industries and teams are exploring innovative problem-solving possibilities with artificial intelligence. The world of architecture, design, and construction is no exception, and that includes the AG Team. How is AG advancing architectural solutions with AI?
Image Creation
A picture is worth a thousand words, right? Imagery plays an integral role in providing vision for clients and helping to build consensus around a concept. AG uses Midjourney through Discord to help generate imagery that conveys ideas, communicates a vision, and evokes emotions. The text-to-image AI tool helped the team generate a portfolio of images to garner support for a visionary senior living concept. When considering what it would take to produce a photograph to achieve the same effect, this tool saves time, resources, and money.
The use of artificial intelligence for image creation advances old-school techniques for curating concept boards. Previously, teams developed montages of relevant images from magazines and books to communicate an architectural style, design direction, or materials palette. This evolved to digital curation, including video. With AI tools, teams can develop more detailed depictions and play with text commands to generate pictures that more precisely illustrate a vision.
“Generating imagery from phrases and words is a powerful tool,” describes Kyra Orvis, a member of the AG Design Team.
“This tool allows us to create inspiring images that evoke emotions to help form connections to concepts. This emotional connection helps garner support and get buy-in early in the design process,” adds AG Chief Design Officer Eric Harrmann.
According to AG Senior Associate Andrew Alden, the development and use of AI technologies in the field of Architecture and Design follow in the lineage of other advances that would ‘change everything.’ The invention of Computer-Aided Drafting (CAD) programs with the ability to print 2D drawings in the 1970s eventually developed into wide acceptance by the industry in the 1990s. The counterpoint to hand drafting, CAD was considered an ‘evil scourge’ by many in the industry. Similarly, the development of Building Information Modeling (BIM) with detailed 3D views has been around for decades but gained widespread popularity and acceptance in the late 2000s. BIM is now considered an industry standard.
“Artificial intelligence is the latest ‘scourge’ to the industry,” continues Alden. “In reality, it is just another tool in the design process and its success or failure depends, as do all the other tools, on human factors.”
Test Fits
Architects are problem-solvers, and site challenges are one of the many problems developers and clients come to architects to solve. AI amps up the exploration of site planning possibilities. The AG Team uses TestFit to support site evaluation.
“The software allows us to generate more designs in less time,” describes Orvis. “This means the team is generating more ideas, discussing more possibilities, and providing more credibility to the presented options. This process should give clients greater confidence in their choices and support informed decision-making.”
According to Orvis, TestFit is the perfect software to examine the feasibility of a building on a site in terms of evaluating how many units can be accommodated, addressing parking stall requirements, and accounting for different setbacks. It also supports real-time brainstorming and problem-solving in project meetings. The team can respond to client questions and immediately illustrate why a suggestion does or doesn’t work.
The use of TestFit elevates the design team’s capabilities and the sense of care and thoughtfulness given to each solution.
ChatGPT
And of course, there is ChatGPT. Many companies continue to explore the benefits of this language tool. While there are concerns about protecting proprietary information and achieving brand voice, team members utilize applications for brainstorming and work efficiency. AG team members find it helpful to get the ball rolling on a piece of content. From there they layer in their expertise. For example, the AG Design Team finds it useful to generate alternative survey questions to support focus group interactions during the master planning process.
A New Era of Collaboration
From image creation and test fits to copywriting, artificial intelligence generates a lot of information. However, that doesn’t mean AI is always right. The technology often generates images of design solutions that are not possible. This allows for human-technology collaboration. The AG Team adjusts text prompts or reworks images to show what is possible. As a result, AI helps push creative boundaries while real-world expertise allows teams to make these visions a reality.
“It is about taking what’s possible from the impossible image and making it into something legitimate,” says Orvis. “It is a tool for humans to take inspiration from rather than accept at face value.”
The AG Team understands the delicate balance of this human-technology collaboration and the importance of curating options for clients to manage expectations. It is not in the best interest of the profession for architects and designers to show clients things that are attractive and evocative but impossible. The intent is to push the boundaries of creativity and present desirable options that are realistic and possible. Using the technology responsibly will establish credibility.
In addition to fueling credibility, Orvis believes AI can help set precedence. “It allows for more out-of-the-box thinking and experimenting with materials and styles of buildings that don’t yet exist.”
As AI in the architecture, design, and construction industry continues to advance, AG is committed to staying in tune with this evolving technology to maximize design potential, explore more options, and improve processes. In the end, it is all about people. How can we leverage technology to benefit clients and enhance lives through the built environment?
Images generated with Midjourney.