ENTER YEAR 12 | AI APPS FOR ARCHITECTS | PROMPT OF THE WEEK
RBDS just turned 11 and we can't get a hold of ourselves! Some AI apps for you to try out and don't forget to check out the Prompt of the week! Lets Go!
Quantum Constructs
The Birth and Growth of RBDS: A Journey Through Shadows and Light
Eleven years ago, in the quiet, unassuming town of Dharwad, RBDS was born. Our journey has been anything but ordinary. It’s been a wild ride full of projects, pitches, rejections, emotional challenges, financial crunches, serendipitous moments of triumph, and more rejections. Yet, through it all, we've maintained a forward-looking approach, viewing roadblocks not as dead ends but as opportunities to find the “Take Diversion” signboard.
RBDS has grown, but not in the conventional way. Our growth has been marked by stumbles, cringes, and encounters with unreasonable people. Despite these challenges, it has all been worthwhile. We've always looked ahead, never allowing obstacles to halt our progress.
Over the past decade, our portfolio has encompassed a diverse array of projects: houses, resorts, restaurants, hotels, commercial buildings, and storefronts. We've engaged in architecture and interior design grounded in the principles of climate, culture, and technology. From lands and islands to far-flung locations, we've experimented with both hands-on and tech-driven approaches. Each project has taught us new methods, introduced us to new techniques, and brought us into contact with new people. For us, no two projects are the same; context is key.
The last 18 months have marked a new chapter for us. With the establishment of the RBDSai Lab, we've delved into the realm of artificial intelligence. Since the winter of 2022, we've dedicated an average of five hours daily to research, experimentation, and exploration of AI in architecture. In the past six months alone, I’ve written a book on Midjourney for Architects, produced music mainly for my own satisfaction, created short films about the city and the future, established a storytelling platform for bespoke architectural stories, and continued to practice architecture with a multidisciplinary approach.
Embracing this multidisciplinary approach, I’ve decided to stop adding “Ar” to my name. As an eternal Eklavya to Charles Correa, I strive to be a Generalist rather than a Specialist.
Today, I present to you the short version of the RBDS Production Reel. Our aim is to provoke thought in understated ways. I hope you enjoy it!
AI Apps for Architects
Most AI Apps are built for content creation, art, and general consumption. As architects working through applied research at the RBDSai Lab, we strive to identify objectives that fit the bill for these audio, video, text, and image generators. Here are a few that are super powerful and interesting for architects.
SUNO
Generate royalty/copyright-free full spectrum music for architectural communication towards the client or the public or as simple background scores for your reels. Gives you 50 free credits per day which comes to about 10 songs.
Link: https://suno.com/
LUMA - DREAM MACHINE
Luma AI's Dream Machine allows text and image inputs to generate high-quality videos. Use your 3D-rendered images to create animated clips for a quick walkthrough of the project. Gives you 30 generations per month for free but gives priority to paid users, so the wait times can sometimes be a pain.
Link: https://lumalabs.ai/dream-machine/creations
OPENAI CHATGPT
Yes. ChatGPT 4o is now available free to use for everyone. They do have a cap on tokens but daily use doesn’t come anywhere near the cap for now. If at first it doesn’t show you the model, try logging in from a different email ID and it will pop up. Use it to create structured design briefs from the first meeting with your client when the information and requirements are in bits and pieces. See the Prompt of the Week below to get started!
Link: https://chatgpt.com
MIDJOURNEY
Midjourney does not have a free tier. Basic subscription costs $10 per month. But trust me, it’ll be the best 10 bucks you’ve ever spent. Use it to create quick concepts to show your client a glimpse inside your mind. Images are so real, that you will doubt it every time.
Link: https://midjourney.com
SPEAKING OF MIDJOURNEY
Our Ultimate Workshop on Midjourney for Architects, “The Creative Cipher” is on Gumroad. You can immediately start working with Midjourney and get prepped and ready for an intensive Live session with me where we will go through the parameters, the processes, and a load of AI-driven architectural design exercises. Once you buy it on Gumroad, you will get access to introductory books, start-up guides and other resources that will help you get acquainted with Discord and Midjourney. Remember we have very less time leading up to the LIVE session on the 20th of July at 8 PM IST. Black Friday Sale is ON. A whopping 80% off and you don’t even need a coupon because the price is slashed. And, if you are still contemplating, I think you need to take a long hard look at the future of architectural design and see where you fit in. Don’t miss out now! Got questions? Book a 15-minute call with me and let me help you get some peace: Book a Discovery Call For Free
PROMPT OF THE WEEK
Here we are again with the prompt of the week! Although this prompt template was built for ChatGPT, you can try it out with Claude or Copilot as well. Here we go:
You are an expert architect with 100 years of experience, deeply influenced by [Insert Essence of Inspiration for the Design]. I need you to generate a clean and structured architectural design brief for a new project.
Project Details:
Project Name: [Insert Project Name]
Location: [Insert Location]
Client: [Insert Client Name]
Project Type: [Insert Project Type, e.g., Residential, Commercial, Mixed-use]
Site Area: [Insert Site Area in sq.m or sq.ft]
Building Area: [Insert Building Area in sq.m or sq.ft]
Design Style: [Insert Design Style, e.g., Contemporary, Traditional, Eclectic]
Key Features: [Insert Key Features, e.g., Sustainability, Smart Home Integration, Cultural Elements]
Budget: [Insert Budget]
Timeline: [Insert Timeline]
Project Requirements:
Concept and Vision:
Outline the overarching vision for the project.
Discuss how [Insert Essence of Inspiration for the Design] influences this vision.
Site Analysis:
Describe the location and its significance.
Detail the topography, climate, and surrounding context.
Highlight any unique site features or constraints.
Design Program:
List the required spaces and their functions.
Provide a breakdown of the spatial organization.
Include any specific client requirements or preferences.
Sustainability and Innovation:
Describe sustainable practices and materials to be used.
Discuss innovative technologies or methods integrated into the design.
Aesthetic and Functional Goals:
Outline the desired aesthetic outcomes.
Discuss functional goals and how they cater to the client's needs.
Regulatory and Compliance Considerations:
Identify relevant building codes and regulations.
Discuss any anticipated challenges in obtaining approvals.
Project Timeline and Phases:
Provide a detailed project timeline.
Outline the key phases of the project from design to completion.
Output Requirement:
Create a Word document of the final design brief and provide a download link at the end of the response.
Please ensure the design brief is comprehensive, detailed, and structured in a professional format suitable for an architect. The document should be easy to understand and visually organized.
Additional Notes:
[Insert any additional notes or special instructions]
Generate the design brief based on the provided details.
Change the parameters in the parenthesis to whatever your project is. This is helpful when you come back from meeting a client for the first time and the requirements that he told you are vague and all over the place.
NOTE: If the Word document link in the output doesn’t work the first time, just type “Link doesn’t work,” and ChatGPT will recreate the link for you.
Here’s an example Prompt:
You are an expert architect with 100 years of experience, deeply influenced by traditional Indian architecture and sustainable design principles. I need you to generate a clean and structured architectural design brief for a new project.
Project Details:
Project Name: The Dharwad Residence
Location: Dharwad, Karnataka, India
Client: Dr. Anil Kumar
Project Type: Residential
Site Area: 3,000 sq.m
Building Area: 25,000 sq.ft
Design Style: Contemporary with Traditional Accents
Key Features: Sustainability, Smart Home Integration, Cultural Elements
Budget: ₹10 crore
Timeline: 18 months
Project Requirements:
Concept and Vision:
Outline the overarching vision for the project.
Discuss how traditional Indian architecture and sustainable design principles influence this vision.
Site Analysis:
Describe the location and its significance.
Detail the topography, climate, and surrounding context.
Highlight any unique site features or constraints.
Design Program:
List the required spaces and their functions.
Provide a breakdown of the spatial organization.
Include any specific client requirements or preferences.
Sustainability and Innovation:
Describe sustainable practices and materials to be used.
Discuss innovative technologies or methods integrated into the design.
Aesthetic and Functional Goals:
Outline the desired aesthetic outcomes.
Discuss functional goals and how they cater to the client's needs.
Regulatory and Compliance Considerations:
Identify relevant building codes and regulations.
Discuss any anticipated challenges in obtaining approvals.
Project Timeline and Phases:
Provide a detailed project timeline.
Outline the key phases of the project from design to completion.
Output Requirement:
Create a Word document of the final design brief and provide a download link at the end of the response.
Please ensure the design brief is comprehensive, detailed, and structured in a professional format suitable for an architect. The document should be easy to understand and visually organized.
Additional Notes:
Emphasize the integration of local cultural elements into the design.
Ensure the design promotes sustainability and eco-friendly practices.
Generate the design brief based on the provided details.
See what it created with the example prompt:
I’m Sahil Tanveer of the RBDSai Lab signing off for the week. I promote, consult, and apply AI for Architects along with my Architecture and Design Studio RBDS. If you liked this Substack,
You will love my book, DELIRIOUS ARCHITECTURE: Midjourney for Architects. It is a 330-page hardcover showcasing the potential of AI in Architectural Design. It is available on Amazon worldwide.
You can start your AI Journey with THE CREATIVE CIPHER Workshop on Midjourney for Architects available on my Gumroad.
You can consult with us on AI for your architecture studio. We have multiple levels of learning and integration starting from a Beginners session to the AIMM Assessment and beyond. Get in touch with us at sahil@rbdsailab.com or check out our page www.rbdsailab.com
I’m talking about AI. Our team is set to visit key cities of India for architectural conferences, Podcasts and exclusive student interactions at architecture schools. We’d love to come over for an engaging meetup, hands-on workshop, or a creative collab. Enquiries to sahil@rbdsailab.com