Why Design Pros Embrace AI For Creative Solutions And First Drafts
Today’s top talents weigh in on the pros and cons of AI for residential architecture.
Dripping Springs House by Matsys.
In an industry that values the trained eye and a studied approach, it’s perhaps no surprise that many architects are wary of artificial intelligence programs that whip up new renderings at the push of a button. “It’s fascinating software, but it is frightening,” says Fort Worth-based architect Jeff Garnett, who does not use AI in his work but has tested the software after hours. “Design is a human creation, and we have to hold onto that as long as we can.”
If you plug the phrase “Georgian Revival estate stucco” into an AI program like Midjourney, you will get multiple versions of a visualization rendering returned in mere seconds—sans blueprints and the actual details needed to build a house, of course. While these images may look authentic, they don’t replace a trained—human— professional. “You’re going to have to be careful with these programs and stay well-informed, not trusting things too much,” architect Tom Kligerman of New York City firm Kligerman Architecture & Design heeds when it comes to taking what’s in front of you for fact or fiction.
Still, AI has its perks—especially as back-of-the-napkin initial sketches can be replaced by a tool that creates a nearly-instant rendering to elucidate an architect’s imaginings. Andrew Kudless, principal of design studio Matsys and a Professor at the University of Houston’s Hines College of Architecture + Design, believes AI can be helpful in several ways. “In the early design phases, it can explore more ideas in less time without modeling and rendering each iteration. Also, as AI models become more sophisticated and attuned to architectural problems they can help automate essential yet labor-intensive tasks, freeing up designers’ time.” In short: there are ways to put the intelligence in artificial intelligence. “There is this perception that AI models are either godlike superbeings or evil robots coming for everyone’s job,” Kudless says.