Welcome to Delirious Architecture : Hallucinations & Reality
Introducing the RBDSai Lab's Weekly Newsletter
The Night That Sparked Innovation
Let me paint you a picture of a moment that altered the course of my creative journey. Picture this: a chilly December evening in 2022, the Dubai skyline lit up by intermittent fireworks marking the close of the Dubai Shopping Festival. There I was, soaking in the ambience at a rooftop eatery with my best bud when the topic veered towards this novel platform called ChatGPT. We were chuckling over the quirky uses people had come up with for ChatGPT, but when I actually saw what it was capable of, it was nothing short of an epiphany. The gears in my head started turning at warp speed, imagining the untapped potential of ChatGPT in the realm of architectural design and inquiry. Could this tool answer the unanswerable? Craft visions of unseen worlds? Describe architectural marvels yet to be?
Back then, ChatGPT was thriving, sans internet access, and though scepticism usually was my go-to, this time, curiosity won. The thought of a personal chatbox, a digital muse for my deepest architectural musings, was too enticing to resist. The moment I returned to my studio, I dove headfirst into ChatGPT, embarking on a marathon 19-hour session of endless exploration.
Journey into the Visual
But words were just the beginning. I craved a visual counterpart to the vibrant ideas sprouting in my mind. That's when Midjourney came into the picture, recommended by one of my bright students. The mere act of joining the Midjourney server on Discord sent shivers down my spine - the platform was a bustling digital bazaar of creativity. However, the absence of a free trial (and my longstanding aversion to pricey digital subscriptions) led me down a different path.
Enter Playground AI. It started with tentative steps, gently tweaking parameters and keywords, all amidst the hustle of active architectural projects. But as our confidence grew, so did our ambition, pushing the boundaries of what these AI tools could achieve. Alongside, we dabbled with Leonardo AI and Stable Diffusion, expanding our toolkit.
The real turning point came with a reluctant yet decisive click on Midjourney's $10 subscription. That night, a creative frenzy ensued, birthing 229 images by the wee hours of the morning - a testament to the tool's mesmerizing capabilities.
First Forays and Exclusive Reveals
My initial experiments were architectural in essence - homes, material selections, and living spaces. But there was room for whimsy too, with creations ranging from a Coca-Cola ad to a hyper-realistic human face. These images, exclusive to your eyes, have never graced the online world. They almost made it into my book, but alas, we were bound by the publisher's page limit.
This initial exploration ignited an insatiable thirst for knowledge. I delved into every resource I could find that even remotely touched on AI, from the nuances of SEO optimization to the frontiers of music generation. Over a year has whizzed by in what feels like a blink, filled with milestones like publishing a book, leading workshops, teaching online classes, and speaking at various events about the transformative role of AI in Architectural Design, a path I've come to refer to as the New Ritualistic Pathway.
While penning 250-word summaries for our AI-enhanced Architectural Concepts on platforms like LinkedIn and Instagram brought a certain level of satisfaction – given the daily ritual of writing – it felt somewhat limiting. I yearned to weave longer tales, speculative narratives enriched with captivating imagery. This desire gave birth to this very Substack.
The Verge of a New Narrative
And so, we find ourselves at the dawn of a thrilling narrative that marries the realm of architecture with the limitless potential of artificial intelligence. This journey isn't merely a recount of my personal achievements; it's an invitation to venture into the yet-to-be-mapped territories of creative design. Come along on this enthralling adventure, where stories unravel through the prism of innovation and creativity.
Every week, I'll be sending your way a vibrant array of speculative architecture stories, practical tips and tricks, expert insights into architectural philosophies, bite-sized AI tool tutorials, snippets of my personal odyssey, and perhaps even a challenging AI-driven architectural project! Along the way, I plan to sprinkle in some advice on techniques and tools that can help architects fine-tune their craft and portfolios, as well as aid architecture students in bolstering their skills and understanding of the real-world landscape.
Given that this is my inaugural newsletter, I'm all ears for your thoughts and feedback! Drop a comment below or shoot me an email – I'm eager to hear what resonates with you and where there's room for improvement. While the format of this newsletter may evolve to better suit the content, rest assured, my voice will remain unwaveringly confident and inviting.
My name is Sahil, and until next time, I’m leaving you with a video that showcases the potential of generative AI in architectural storytelling. Hope to see you soon! Enjoy!
It’s very interesting to know your beginning of AI’s journey Sahil …..waiting to hear more 👍🏼