The impact of artificial intelligence (AI) in architecture is growing at a rapid pace. A survey where over 2,000 design professionals were asked about the future of architectural visualization revealed that 55% of respondents had either embraced the groundbreaking technology or begun experimenting with it.
As AI advancements become more refined, we see tools gaining traction that support areas such as design exploration, task automation, and building performance optimization that aim to give you more time to focus on complex problem-solving and pushing creative boundaries.
If you're looking for something to help streamline your design workflow or are just curious to test out a tool, we've compiled a list for you to explore. There are, of course, a plethora of AI tools out there, so if you have one you can recommend that's not listed below, get in touch, and we can add it to the list.
Results from the Future of Architectural Visualization survey
AI tools you can use for free
Adobe Firefly is a generative AI system designed to work with Adobe's Creative Cloud applications and for anyone at any design skill level. It offers text-to-image, generative fill, text effects, and generative recolor tools. The tool can be used in a browser or within Photoshop. The Firefly standalone web application has a free and premium plan option.
ARCHITEChTURES is a generative AI-powered building design platform that creates optimal building designs in real time. It helps you meet quantitative requirements by optimizing the feasibility analysis process with regulatory confidence, rapid iterations, and accurate insights within minutes instead of months. It offers a 10-day free trial.
Ark Design AI is an AI platform for creating architectural schematic designs. It instantly generates optimized building designs that adhere to your project requirements. The floor plans are generated based on aspects such as space utilization and energy efficiency. You can develop precise estimations with its automated cost estimation and smart 3D rendering features. It has free and premium plan options.
KREA is an image-generating tool that enhances and upscales images in real time. It offers multiple ways to do so, such as text-to-image, image-to-image, and screen-to-image. You can draw inspiration from the unique and wide range of images provided and share your collections of prompts with the community. The beta version is free.
Enscape & KREA AI courtesy of Modulus Render
Luma AI is an app for iOS that generates lifelike 3D content. It creates 3D visuals by turning the objects you capture or film on your phone into 3D visuals. The content is created within minutes, and the results are photorealistic. It produces 3D images through a technique called Neural Radiance Fields (NeRF). The tool is free to use; however, the video to 3D feature comes with associated costs.
Maket is a generative design tool for residential planning. It automates residential floorplans and 3D renders, simplifies zoning research, and ensures projects adhere to regulation requirements. You can explore different design styles with a single text prompt. It has a free and a premium plan option.
Stable Diffusion XL by Stability AI is an open-source AI platform that generates images from text within seconds. It is known for producing hyperreal and photorealistic imagery thanks to its color accuracy, enhanced contrast and shadows, and higher-definition features. The tool is customizable, which means you can create and refine as far as your imagination takes you. There is a free and pro version of the tool.
More AI architecture software to explore
Archicad AI Visualizer is an experimental solution powered by Stable Diffusion. The tool creates 3D visualizations that can be used during the early stages of design. It works by implementing text prompts to generate images, which can then be used to explore different ideas quickly and easily.
DALL E is a text-to-image tool developed by OpenAI in 2021 that lets you generate and edit images from text descriptions. DALL E 2 was its successor, released in 2022, and DALL E 3 is the latest version of the model, released in 2023. To use the DALL E tools, you must purchase credits starting from as little as 0.080 USD per image.
Delve is a generative design tool by Sidewalk Labs that creates design options and solutions for optimized planning. The tool uses machine learning and user input to evaluate and present you with the best options for your project priorities in minutes. It aims to simplify the development process, giving architects, developers, and urban designers better and faster solutions for neighborhood design.
Kaedim is a tool for architectural modeling that lets you create 3D assets on demand. The platform removes the task of 3D modeling from your hands while allowing you to explore creative concepts. It makes it possible to convert simple and schematic two-dimensional ideas into accurate 3D models.
Midjourney is a generative AI program and service that creates images from written prompts. It’s best known for its blend feature, which lets you upload multiple images and merge them into a new image based on the concepts and aesthetics of the uploaded images. It automates tedious design tasks, giving you more time to focus on your project's creative and collaborative aspects.
Integrating AI tools into your design process
Quote from 'How AI rendering is revolutionizing architecture design' article
It's important to note that successfully integrating AI tools—or any tools for that matter—into your design workflow requires ongoing learning, adaptability, and a mindful approach to ethical considerations and potential challenges.
AI is still an emerging technology in architecture, and the landscape of tools is constantly evolving. So, it's a good idea to keep an eye out for the latest developments to ensure you have the best tools to complement your skillset and expertise as an architect.
