Towards a New Renaissance? Artificial Intelligence and Architectural Design

Abstract

This article examines artificial intelligence in architecture
through a critical-theoretical lens, arguing that AI is not merely a
tool but a force reshaping authorship, agency, and design practice. It explores
three key issues: the emergence of human–machine assemblages
that challenge traditional conception of authorship in architecture, the
dominance of efficiency versus the “poetry” of architectural intention,
and the limits of workflow optimization. Situating AI within historical
analogies such as the Renaissance, the author questions these comparisons
while highlighting AI’s political, cultural, and epistemological implications.
Ultimately, the paper calls for alternative design paradigms that
emphasize intention, inclusivity, and new relationships between humans,
machines, and the environment.