AI FOR ARCHITECTS

Get to know your instructor, the course roadmap, and what’s coming your way. We’ll cover all the questions, so you’re all set to dive in without surprises. This is your warm-up lap.

• Instructor introduction
• General housekeeping
• Course & assignments overview

Get the lay of the land when it comes to AI in architecture — who’s using it, how it’s changing the game, and where the real opportunities and headaches lie. 

• AI in architecture 
• Benefits & limitations of AI in design & construction
• Implications of AI on the industry
• Case study #1: Successful startups in the AEC industry

Understand what AI means for architecture — from key concepts to building tools. Learn how to pick the right tech for the job, see how AI is shaping real-world projects, and walk away with ideas you’ll want to try.

• Key AI concepts & terminology
• Selecting appropriate tools
• Integrating AI with architectural processes to drive value
• Case study #2 + Guest Speaker: Delve (Google Earth) evolution

Assignment #1: AI Tool Matrix
Map out 5–7 AI tools by tech type, design phase, benefits, and required expertise. Pick your favorite and explain why it fits your design interests.

Get your algorithms talking to your architecture. In this session, you’ll blend parametric design with AI tools to explore smarter, faster ways to shape, tweak, and optimize your ideas — with Grasshopper plugins, LLMs, and prompting.

• Parametric/computational design concepts
• AI for parametric design
• Developing & manipulating parametric models & tools
• Integrate parametric design into architectural practice
• Demo #1: Optimizing designs using AI tools to help solve problems

Assignment #2: AI-Enhanced Parametric Model
Tackle either an interior layout or urban massing challenge using Grasshopper + AI tools (LunchboxML or LLMs). Build a solution that optimizes layout or density.

Explore how generative design works and try your hand at using tools like Galapagos to optimize one clear goal, and let the algorithm do the heavy lifting.

• Generative design vs AI vs Generative AI
• Generative design principles
• Demo #2: Intro to generative design with Galapagos

Apply AI-enhanced optimization techniques using industry-leading tools. Tweak, test, and train AI to help solve complex design problems. This class is all about using AI tools for generative design like Wallacei to push architectural thinking beyond “one-size-fits-all.”

• AI tools for generative design
• Demo #3: Generative design + AI with Wallacei
• Workshop #1: Exploring multi-objective design optimization with Wallacei AI 

Assignment #3: AI for Generative Design
Part 1: Use Galapagos to optimize your prior design project. Share 1–3 slides documenting process, results, and future tweaks.
Part 2: Upgrade to Wallacei for multi-objective optimization. Compare outcomes and highlight trade-offs.

Dive into how AI is changing the game for sustainable design: boost your skills in environmental analysis and learn to use smart tools that make green building smarter. Get insider tips from a guest expert who’s turning data into real-world impact.

• Role of AI in sustainable design
• AI for environmental analysis & optimization
• Guest Speaker: Analyzing environmental impacts using AI tools 

Bonus Assignment: AI for Sustainable Design
Use an AI-powered tool to optimize building performance for specific sustainability goals. Compare results to manual methods and show measurable improvements.

Understand how AI and IoT are transforming smart buildings and learn to weave intelligent tech into architectural design. Plus, hear real-world tips from a guest pro on making buildings smarter and more efficient.

• Smart building concepts
• Implementing AI in smart building systems
• AI & IoT-enabled asset management systems 
• Guest Speaker: Optimizing building performance with AI 

Learn how to put AI to work as your design critic — spotting what’s working, what’s not, and how to level up your designs faster with automated feedback. Let it identify improvement opportunities and support iterative design processes.

• Using AI to evaluate designs against performance metrics
• Implementing design review automation
• Creating feedback loops between AI analysis & design iteration
• Demo #5: Design review using LLM (ChatGPT, Claude) based on the input design brief

Assignment #5: AI-Powered Design Review Protocol
Build an AI review protocol using an LLM of your choice. Test it on your own design and reflect on the insights it provides. Include design brief, prompts, and screenshots.

Use AI tools to turn your architectural ideas into striking visuals and stories that wow clients. From text-to-image to 3D modeling, you’ll learn how to boost your presentations and bring designs to life.

• Leveraging text-to-image models for concept development
• Creating presentations with AI-enhanced visualizations
• Using AI to generate design narratives from models
• Demo #6: Implementing multimodal AI in client presentations, renderings, boards

Assignment #6: AI-Driven Visualization or 3D Model
Create a design visualization or 3D model using a text-to-image or text-to-3D tool (e.g., Hypar). Document your prompt strategy and creative process.

Build your own AI sidekick designed just for architects — no heavy coding, just smart tools that handle everything from building codes to design briefs. By the end, you’ll know how to tailor AI to fit real-world workflows and boost your practice’s productivity.

• Basics of creating personalized AI assistants for design workflows
• Adapting existing AI tools to specific practice needs
• Demo #7: Developing a custom AI design assistant prototype

Assignment #7 (Extra Credit): Custom AI Assistant
Build and test a custom Claude-based AI assistant to streamline an architectural workflow. Submit prompts, test results, and interface screenshots.

Get ahead of the AI curve in architecture by spotting trends, building a personal learning plan, and sharpening your resume and portfolio to stand out in the future job market.

• Emerging technologies & their potential impact
• Preparing for the integration of new AI technologies
• Strategies for staying updated with AI advancements
• Career guidance & self-development plan
• Resume & portfolio guidance

Assignment #8: AI Professional Development Plan
Draft a 1-year roadmap to integrate AI into your design career. Include goals, tools, learning steps, and milestone markers.