Architecture has always been a blend of art and science that constantly adjusts to societal needs, technological advancements as well as economic and environmental challenges.
As we enter the artificial intelligence (AI) era, it is clear the architecture and property sectors are about to undergo some of their most significant transformations yet, says James Alexander-Hatziplis, Co-founder and CEO of award-winning architects PLACE Studio.
Mr Alexander-Hatziplis said he expected AI would change the architecture and property industry in several ways.
PLACE Studio has just joined forces with Harkin AI of Silicon Valley, US, to use AI to improve several architectural processes and practices.
“First, for some architectural practices and property developers, we see AI allowing them to specialise more deeply in design plus a few other select areas – perhaps using AI to supplement their existing people skills in designing spaces,” says Mr Alexander-Hatziplis.
“Second, then there are those groups that will harness AI to make many of their routine tasks easier, quicker, more efficient. This will enable them to take advantage of process efficiencies and expand what they offer to provide more than just design and construction processes. We believe AI will impact everything from the design process to project management, documentation, and even regulatory compliance in coming years. It will redefine design and associated processes, especially the back-office operations of architectural firms. This will be the case for the majority of practices.”
“Then there will be a third tranche – those leaders that use AI to revolutionise what they do and offer and see them expand and grow into new areas. They will use AI to enable them to tackle greater challenges, such as using AI to deal with the compliance requirements of design and construction to facilitate this iterative process to speed-up processes and tackle societal challenges, such as affordable construction processes,” he says.
AI-powered design
Mr Alexander-Hatziplis adds that AI has the further potential to augment the design processes of architects by providing improved design tools, in particular for compliance reviews and iterative design processes so that architects can focus on the design outcome.
This technology opens new possibilities for buildings that better meet occupants’ needs, reduce energy consumption and integrate more cohesively with their surroundings.”
Greater automation of documentation and project management
One of the least glamorous, yet most important tasks, in architecture and building is documentation, highlights Mr Alexander-Hatziplis. “AI-powered tools are starting to automate document creation and management, making project workflows faster and more efficient – reducing the time spent on administrative tasks.”
“Sourcing pertinent local regulations and conditions can now take seconds, rather than hours; and a fraction of the cost – where those regulations and conditions are available online.”
He notes how PLACE Studio is working on a ‘Adobe’ approach to this, “where we collect appropriate design tools to speedup the process for architects and project teams in construction.
“AI can also automate data collection and analysis, making it easier to gather information on zoning laws, building codes, and environmental regulations. However, human expertise will still be needed to interpret and oversea this data and make strategic decisions”
“When it comes to legal matters, natural language processing (NLP) tools can scan legal documents and contracts to highlight critical information, reducing risks and enhancing project compliance.”
“AI is already improving project management, optimising scheduling, budgeting, and resource allocation to predict potential delays or cost overruns,” says Mr Alexander-Hatziplis
“With AI, the future is bright for architecture and the wider property sector, where technology and creativity work together to solve the challenges of our time.”
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