Artificial intelligence has been permeating different fields bringing means and strategies to resolve problems in several industries. Just like other industries, the use of Artificial Intelligence in Architecture delivers promising results.
Artificial intelligence in Architecture
- AI is being used by architects for their projects. A good example of employing AI to solve architectural problems is the space syntax software “Depth map X” which would otherwise take days for an architect to resolve. It uses AI for analyzing the spatial network without the need to go on site.
- Using game engines for architectural purposes is trending nowadays. For instance, Unity 3D on which projects can be uploaded and its AI can be used for all the hard work such as figuring out the shortest distance to the fire exit.
- As architects learn to code, they design software that especially caters to their design requirements. Currently, there are many software that provides the best layout of spaces according to an individual’s demands and the data they input which implies that complex buildings can now be easily organized by AI, with architects only needed for adding the finishing touches.
- AI has also made it possible to simulate the environment for architects. With software such as Eco Designer Star, all the building analysis can be done without having to leave your computer.
- This information combined with an AI tool can open possibilities to architects. By knowing everything about people, AI software may figure out population growth, prioritize projects and draft urban plans automatically that suit everyone.
Top 8 applications of AI in Architecture
Here are the major areas where AI is transforming architecture.
1. Make better building calculations
Different software is available that can easily make building calculations as well as environmental analysis. These programs make all the data available at an architect’s fingertips that would otherwise require much time and effort to compile. Smart tech paves a way for architects to build sustainability precisely into their designs. For instance, smart lighting solutions and smart water management systems may be worked into blueprints thereby ensuring sustainability from the get-go. These advancements were not possible a decade ago.
2. Building Information Modeling (BIM)
Taking shortcuts may not be good when planning a building design. However, AI significantly cuts down the time it takes to design or plan a structure via Building Information Modeling (BIM).
Building 3D models of buildings via CAD (Computer-Aided Design) has been of great use but BIM takes it to another level and includes product information, costs, and time, delivering an architect the complete scope of a project. BIM functions with other design software to deliver finished pictures of structures which incorporate detailed design, construction, analysis, maintenance, manufacturing, and operation once the building gets constructed and even its renovation. AI allows data analysis and identification of inefficiencies thus enabling architects to design improved projects.
3. Real-world experience
Augmented reality after taking the video game industry by storm is finding a place in architecture now. Companies now allow clients to have real-world experience with the buildings they proposed without having to break the ground. Everything can be simulated from aesthetics to sounds. Moreover, AI allows the immediate implementation of feedback into the design before a significant amount of money gets spent on construction.
4. Reduce building costs
The construction industry contains approximately seven percent of the labor force in the world. However, it was once among the least technologically advanced industries. After the integration of AI into construction, the building costs have been reduced by up to twenty percent. Besides employing autonomous construction machinery to assist with excavation work, computers can assess job sites and recognize risk factors, minimizing safety hazards and the delays they may create.
5. Improve the security of the buildings
Businesses and firms have been using video security for monitoring who comes and who leaves but the long footage collected rarely detects suspicious activity. However, an AI-enabled smart security system integrated into a building quickly scans and detects suspicious activity automatically and also sends alerts to the owners. AI when employed in smart locking systems restricts access to sensitive areas unless the user has a code.
6. Monitor a building’s malfunctions and optimize its maintenance
AI-based platforms can recognize usage patterns for creating ideal conditions to conserve energy and save money. For instance, the Nest thermostat is becoming increasingly popular with consumers. The thermostat adapts to keep a building at an optimal temperature and alerts users if the temperature fluctuates to a dangerous degree. AI devices also analyze data from sensors to detect leaks and malfunctions.
7. Create smart cities
AI enables access to people’s information including their likes and buying history that is used by companies to better market their products. Taking this to the next level, companies can design buildings that integrate to create smart cities based on how people interact with their surroundings and their experience in public spaces.
8. AI-powered smart homes
AI will transform homes since the architects would not only use AI to design homes perfectly but also think about how AI can enhance the user experience. AI will open the possibility to smart homes just like smart cities. The challenge as an architect would be how to better use AI to fit into the design language of the home and improve the lives of the residents. The way our home looks now can be very different in the years to come. The advent of AI-powered smart homes will enable architects to re-think and re-design their traditional models.
Conclusion:
Architectural innovation by employing technology has done wonders from the Great Wall of China to the Egyptian Pyramids. The future of AI in architecture is very promising and AI is determined to take the architectural achievements to the next level. However, it would be naïve of us to predict what exactly would it be like. AI can be used across several industries in many aspects and the field of architecture is no exception.
