Tech Connect 2024: Matthew Goldsberry, AIA

Tech Connect 2024 was a 1-day event prior to the GENERATE 2024 Practice + Design Conference, held in Keystone, CO, focused specifically on the changing landscapes in artificial intelligence and its rapid impact on our profession.

The three presentations were:

• “How AI changes architecture: the productive, ethical and innovative intersection of technology, computation, robotics and the built environment”
  • Randy Deutsch, FAIA
• “Building an image generator: principles and practices in AI”
  • Matthew Goldsberry, Assoc. AIA
• “Transforming workplace design with AI: insights and innovations”
  • Arjun Kaicker, AIA

Summary thoughts by Julianne Scherer, AIA, Managing Principal, HDR

Drawing from HDR’s investigation in creating a custom AI image generator designed specifically for architectural design, Matthew Goldsberry offers the following recommendations for firms interested in a similar exploration:

1. Begin building an organized digital library of your firm’s architectural photos, renderings, and drawings. Even if you’re not ready for AI implementation, having a well-organized visual database will be valuable when you are.
2. Trial existing AI visualization tools, such as Midjourney or DALL-E, to understand their basic capabilities and limitations for architectural work. This gives you practical experience without major investment.
3. Document your current visualization workflow and identify pain points where AI could help most – especially in early design phases and client presentations.

Additional actions include the following:

• Experiment with the practical Integration of these AI tools including: how to integrate them with existing software (BIM, rendering programs); identify best practices for using AI in client presentations; and examine ways to maintain consistency between AI-generated images and final designs.
• Advance your technical understanding of AI tools including: basic principles of architectural-focused AI image generation; data management and organization for AI training; and ethical considerations and copyright issues in AI-generated architectural imagery.

About Matthew

Matt Goldsberry, Assoc. AIA, HDR

Matt oversees the applied research and implementation of advanced computational design workflows. He is the director of Data-Driven Design and is responsible for developing new computational tools and workflows to facilitate design exploration, automated analysis, and advanced data management. Matt is also a Lecturer at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where he teaches courses on advanced geometry and building information modeling. Matt holds a Master of Architecture degree from the University of California Los Angeles and a Bachelor of Science in Architecture degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.