The proliferation of data together with the increase of computing power has triggered a new interest in artificial intelligence. Machine learning and Deep Learning techniques are omnipresent in contemporary discourse, generating new enthusiasms and fears in our society. The world of architecture has not remained external to this phenomenon. If on the one hand, these techniques promise great results, on the other we are still in an exploratory phase. It is then necessary, in our opinion, to understand what the roles of this technology could be within the architectural design process, and with which scopes they can facilitate such a complex profession as that of the architect. On this subject we made ten interviews with as many designers and researchers in the AEC industry, In the article we will report a summary of their testimonies, comparing and commenting on the responses of the designers, with the aim of understanding the potentials of using artificial intelligence methods within the design process, report their perceptions on how artificial intelligence techniques can affect the architect's approach to the project, concluding with some reflections on the critical issues identified during the interviews with the designers.

1. The role of artificial intelligence
in architectural design
Conversation with designers
and researchers
Giuseppe Gallo
Giovanni Francesco Tuzzolino
University of Palermo
Fulvio Wirz
University of East London
S.ARCH
April 2020 Tokyo
7th International conference on Architecture and built environment

2. The field of Artificial
Intelligence.
1950 Alan Turing: Can a computer
imitate human intelligence?
1955 Artificial intelligence described
as a research field by John Mc Carthy
From ruled based systems
to machine learning,
natural language processing
neural networks, etc.
2000 Proliferation
of Big Data and GPU
Deep Neural networks
Larger applications of AI
Now

3. What do we mean by
Artificial Intelligence?
Artificial Intelligence Machine Learning

4. A powerful technology.
In March 2016 AlphaGo
beat Lee Sedol.

5. A possible threat?
“The development of full artificial intelligence
could spell the end of the human race”.
Stephen Hawking, 2014.

6. Will Artificial intelligence be
useful in Architecture?
Answers to: Order the following technologies for the
usefulness they will have in Architecture over the next 10 years.
Digital
Manufacturing
7
5
5
6
1
6
6
6
5
4
Machine
Learning
4
3
6
7
2
4
7
7
6
7
VR
1
1
3
3
3
3
4
4
6
2
AR
3
4
4
4
4
3
5
4
5
1
IOT
2
2
2
5
5
5
2
5
4
6
Other Comp.
Methods
6
7
1
2
7
7
3
3
7
4
BIM
5
6
7
1
7
2
1
2
3
3
Arthur Mamou Mani
Al Fisher
Andres Klok Pedersen
Aurélie de Boissieu
Daniel Davies
Edoardo Tibuzzi
Harry Ibbs
Irene Gallou
Pablo Zamorano
Xavier de Kestellier
51533037384737Total (70)

7. A moment of Experimentation.
A totally different approach.
More skills in programming and statistics.
Higher computing power.
Training an AI can take even weeks of CPU time.

8. Power and limits of data.
Data largerly influence outputs.
We need a lot data to obtain coherent results.
Data means responsibility.

9. Data define the capabilities
of an algorithm.
“If you show them modern
architecture, they will only be able
to create modern architecture”.

10. Which data can Architects use?
Offices can use their legacy knowledge.
Architects can acquire new data,
or create them.

11. Simulations as a source of data.
A Deep neural network trained with
billions of Computational fluid
dynamics simulations can instantly
provide a building wind behaviour model.

12. Current contributions and expectations.
Advanced AI showed great capabilites in areas with
a well defined set of rules.
Not to be considered as a magic bullet,
it is a difficult and complex technology.
Best results come from coordinative approachs.

13. Can AI face the multidimensional
complexity of Architecture?
Fields disrupted by AI have linear nature than our field.
Can we describe architecture processes complexity so that
a machine can process it? Surely not now.

14. Present and near future.
A magnificent assistant able to remember all
the experience acquired throught well organized
data and quickly return feedbacks.

15. Conclusions
There is confidence that AI will have a major
role in Architecture over the next ten years.
The relationship between profession and
advanced AI methods is in a pioneering state.
Data must be many and
coherently organized.
A distruptive effect on our profession is
excluded right now.
AI strategies require confidence with
statistics, programming skills and parallel
computing capabilities.
Great results in a limited areas, even proposing
spatial configurations when boundary
conditions are duly defined.
Advanced AI will erode the architect’s practice.
The role of software houses remains
to be investigated.

16. Contacts
Giuseppe Gallo, Ph.D. Candidate,
University of Palermo
Architect e designer, former visiting
academic at the University of East London
and creative director of the interdisciplinary
design agency Mirabilia. The topics on which
he focuses his research are the evolution
of the architectural project, digital design
methods, communication design and
participation.
giuseppe.gallo03@unipa.it
Fulvio Wirz, Senior Lecturer,
University of East London
Architect and senior lecturer at the
University of East London where he is also
Head of dFUEL (digital fabrication UEL).
He holds a PhD in digital design and long
experience in the field as an associate at
Zaha Hadid Architects where he led multiple
international projects.
f.wirz@uel.ac.uk
Giovanni Francesco Tuzzolino, Full
Professor, University of Palermo
Architect, Full Professor of Architecture
and Urban Composition at the University
of Palermo, he taught at several foreign
universities as al-Al Bayth University
Jordan, Drexel University USA, ENSA Paris
France. Author of numerous essays and
books, founder of Tuzzolino-Margagliotta
Associates, architectural which carried out
international projects and won prizes and
awards.
giovannifrancesco.tuzzoIino@unipa.it