Artificial intelligence is increasingly dissolving the boundaries between theoretical architectural visions and the physical constraints of construction. The recent “Transductions: Artificial Intelligence in Architectural Experimentation” exhibition at the Pratt Institute highlighted how architects are embracing AI tools like Midjourney and Stable Diffusion to explore uncharted territories in design.
While traditional design software has long been instrumental in creating blueprints, analyzing energy usage, and promoting sustainable practices, AI introduces a generative capability that unlocks unprecedented opportunities. Architects aren’t simply employing AI to replicate existing styles or automate routine tasks; instead, they are fostering collaborative relationships with these technologies, pushing the envelope of architectural discourse and visual representation.
“Very often the new synthetic image that comes from a tool like Midjourney or Stable Diffusion feels new, infused by each of the multiple tools but rarely completely derived from them,” notes Karl Daubmann from Lawrence Technological University, highlighting the unique and emergent quality of AI-generated imagery.
Exhibition co-curators Jason Vigneri-Beane, Olivia Vien, Stephen Slaughter, and Hart Marlow emphasize that the primary objective is not immediate construction of these AI-generated designs. Rather, the focus lies on capturing this exploratory phase, where AI serves as a catalyst for novel ideas and visual vocabularies.
Architects view AI as a potent instrument, not a replacement for their expertise. Jason Vigneri-Beane points out that “to get something interesting and worth saving in AI, an enormous amount of time is required,” emphasizing the indispensable role of human guidance and refinement.
Olivia Vien concurs, stating, “I think these are extremely powerful tools for an architect and designer. Do I think it’s the entire future of architecture? No, but I think it’s a tool and a medium that can expand the long history of mediums and media that architects can use not just to represent their work but as a generator of ideas.”
The exhibition showcased a diverse array of AI-generated images, including Andrew Kudless’s “Urban Resolution” series, which demonstrates Stable Diffusion’s tendency to duplicate prominent features rather than create seamless scenes. Jason Vigneri-Beane presents “cyborg ecologies,” visualizing infrastructural robots on an architectural scale. Martin Summers embraces the “hallucinations and misinterpretations” of AI, while Jason Lee examines the delicate equilibrium between realism and abstract representation.
Ultimately, architects perceive AI as a collaborator, expanding their creative horizons and challenging the perceived limits of the built environment.
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