Why AI?

Artificial Intelligence is currently being used across a wide range of industries to address complex problems with new and effective solutions. From driverless cars that autonomously understand road signs to news articles written by computers using complex algorithms, the opportunities for AI are endless.

Modelled after the human brain, in some ways, the cognitive abilities of AI have now far exceeded our own, revealing a new frontier of knowledge and understanding that will profoundly change our world. Within the architecture field however, the integration of AI has only recently begun. 

Currently, the architectural design process is largely manual and completed by a single or group of architects over an extended period of time. Typically, designs may take months or even years to complete and properly prepare for construction. Though software does exist to reduce the most tedious tasks, the majority of the process remains intensively hands-on and time consuming. As a result, there is a huge potential to harness AI’s ability to automate traditionally manual tasks to help reduce production time, increase efficiency, optimize designs, and open doors to new types of architectural creativity. 

The adoption of AI within the architecture field is simply just the latest step within a continuing evolution of increasingly sophisticated techniques, tools and approaches being applied to the field. As the latest step within a 4-part evolution (modular design - 1930’s onward, computer aided design - 1960’s onward, and parametric design - 2000’s onward) [1], AI based tools and systems provide the next frontier of architectural exploration, understanding, and creativity. 

Learning To Code

1. Coursera: a world-wide online learning platform founded in 2012 by Stanford computer science professors Andrew Ng and Daphne Koller that offers massive open online courses (MOOC), specializations, and degrees.

   1. Python For Everybody

   2. Python Basics

   3. Applied Data Science with Python

2. Galvenize: a technology ecosystem transforming individuals and teams through effective education and community programs.

   1. Data Science Prep Course (free & highly recommended!)

3. Springer: an American publishing company of academic journals and books.

   1. A Beginner’s Guide to Python 3 Programming (free download)

   2. Additional Python Guides (free download)

Coding Bootcamps

1. General Assembly: an education foundation to teach entrepreneurs and business professionals practical technology skills.

   1. Data Science Immersive: a 10 week, 40 hour a week online immersive course teaching the foundation of data science, machine learning and artificial intelligence.

2. Galvenize: a technology ecosystem transforming individuals and teams through effective education and community programs.

   1. Data Science Immersive: a 13-week Python-based data science courses focusing on statistics, machine learning and data visualization. You’ll learn to leverage real-world data sets and master the tools and techniques needed to solve actual business problems.

3. Flatiron School: an educational organization that teaches software engineering, computer programming, data science, UX/UI design, and cybersecurity analytics.

   1. Data Science Immersive: From Python to Machine Learning, our 15-week data science training program gives you the breadth and depth needed to become a well-rounded data scientist. You’ll  also leave with an understanding of how to discover new techniques as your career progresses.

Machine Learning

1. R2D3: An experiment in expressing statistical thinking with interactive design

   1. A Visual Introduction to Machine Learning

2. Coursera: a world-wide online learning platform founded in 2012 by Stanford computer science professors Andrew Ng and Daphne Koller that offers massive open online courses (MOOC), specializations, and degrees.

   1. Machine Learning with Andrew Ng: You will learn about the most effective machine learning techniques, and gain practice implementing them and getting them to work for yourself. More importantly, you'll learn about not only the theoretical underpinnings of learning, but also gain the practical know-how needed to quickly and powerfully apply these techniques to new problems. Finally, you'll learn about some of Silicon Valley's best practices in innovation as it pertains to machine learning and AI.

Coding Resources

1. Towards Data Science: One of the best online resources for AI, ML, and other data science related articles.

2. 3blue1brown: An incredible youtube channel that describes various complex AI based concepts with simple animations and clear visualizations.

3. Code Wars: A platform to practice and develop your coding skills by completing challenges that increase in complexity and cover a wide range of computer science topics.

AI in Architecture Today

People

1. Stanislau Chillou: A Harvard Graduate who developed a method to leverage AI to autonomously generate floor plans in various styles.

2. Refik Anadol: A media artist who explores the space among digital and physical entities by creating a hybrid relationship between architecture and media arts with machine intelligence.

Companies

1. Certain Measures: A company that brings novel projects and strategies to life with a hypothesis-driven approach, custom-built software and hardware, and deep training in architecture, mathematics, computer science, and history.

2. AutoDesk: A software company that develops products for the architecture, engineering, construction, manufacturing, media, education, and entertainment industries. Currently the leader in AI/ ML based generative design tools for the AEC industry.

3. Digital Blue Foam: a Singapore-based company that has created an eponymous software that hunts, gathers and computes contextual data such as climate, program and urban networks to determine the right building configuration using advances in artificial intelligence, generative design, and web-based 3D visualization.