I just made friends with AI’s abilities to generate images of my lofty speculations regarding the bleak but fascinating environs of the future. As someone I respect said, “Midjourney is only fun when you take it to its limits to hallucinate. It's not a tool (yet).” I agree with his assessment. I got my Microsoft Bing AI. A more everyday version of machine-generated images that are based on text prompts.

Ecumenopolis of the near joyless
I did refer to dystopia with its toxic waters, sulphuric rains, and blackened industrial landscapes of abandoned factories, roads and towns. Places where the people lived in giant settlements of highly technological constructs by a single agency as everything else was. In order to build and inhibit, people destroyed more and more of their earth and its resources. At one point, nothing was left for humans outside of these giant pods of interiority and gray exteriors. There were no days, nights, and hours anymore. The time collapsed onto itself as the atmosphere started to go extinct. Colors were a thing of the past millenniums. The only thing that mattered was the omnipresent data flow that was integrated into creatures' brains. Talk and other human communications were the traits of the long past. The only prominent sounds that existed were the omnipresent metallic sounds of large pieces of building components being added to this endless process of building this near-joyless ecumenopolis.

There are a lot of flat-out denials of AI in the world at the moment. I’m not a denier but, like many, I have concerns and questions about it. If you’re going to start working with it, I recommend using all your generative thinking. AI needs your imaginative, iterative, and spontaneous mind. This is exactly how architects can conquer their place and establish their role within this rapidly growing platform. As my friend Mathias del Campo said in a private exchange, “If we don’t do it as architects, someone else will do it for us.”
If you are an architect like me, just imagine the more threatening ramifications of that.

A personal take on EOM: context > the one Eric has in his mind.building concept > the one Eric has in his mind.building design > the one Eric has in his mind.end user > market rate.theory > the one he says.sensationalism gage > now you are talking, it always explodes as some... View full entry

Evaluations, Degree Requirements and Classes: View full entry

Names: Part 4: Evaluations, Degree Requirements, and Classes View full entry

Decision Making, Fees: Part 3: Names View full entry

Introduction: SCI-ARC was radical. Back then, in 1972 when it all started, when the way of thinking was fresh, revolutionary, and accessible. In a warehouse, now mostly gone industrial part of Santa Monica where forward-thinking people from all walks of life students and educators alike... View full entry

Claes Oldenburg had a special place in my formative years as an architecture student. In 1980, our traveling SciArc - New York studio and our instructor John Knight visited his house studio in SoHo where he was living with his wife and great collaborator Coosje van Bruggen. She and I got into a... View full entry

Photographs: Michael RotondiStory and arrangement: Orhan AyyüceAlso,Homeboy travels far and edges on View full entry

Dear architects, it is clear, purely form making centered architecture is over now. It was fun for a while to get everyone out of their coffin and there are truly talented memorabilia left behind. It should be over long time ago but it was rescued by corporate identity makers who brought in... View full entry

*An Archinect blogger’s brief response to “AIA approves updated five-year Strategic Plan for 2021-2025” (AIA strategy in bold.)Climate Action: To have the AIA and the profession focus on real action that mitigates climate change. Of course, who wouldn’t? Anything less than that would be a... View full entry

Photo, Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles TimesI have been maintaining the idea that the architect Peter Zumthor's LA County Museum’s design will have the whole park it sits on breathe better. This, now well known photograph from LA Times capturing the demolition of LACMA, revealing the unearthing... View full entry

“Urban archaeology" is both archaeology “in the city” and “of the city.” Archaeology in the city studies a wide range of prehistoric, eigteenth- and nineteenth-century and, (twentyfirst century, added by the blogger) sites which, because of their urban environment, are partially... View full entry

“Realistically, the rest of the world just doesn’t see architecture as being as important as architects do” – Anonymous The real worrisome emptiness in these kind of statements is not the usual lamentation of the profession itself but the world’s failure to understand what architecture... View full entry

This reminded me the story. People still won't believe me when I admiringly say Frank inhaled. I did too, and four-five of my classmates inhaled as well. We all smoked a joint together at the Gund Hall. I do have living witnesses. Year was 1980, when the true bad boy then, Frank Gehry, was... View full entry

Photo by Ioana RuxandraBy the time I arrived to the building above Portuguese Point, Pacific Ocean already prepared me to talk with architecture of Wayfarers Chapel. Inside, I looked up and saw the architecture of timber and glass made a tree drawing, and outside, the structure ghosted into the... View full entry

Another competition I have lost knowingly and plus 80 bucks, also knowingly.Why?Well, the competition presented itself as the last chance to build a house in Hollywood Hills just below the beloved and heavily known real estate sign later cropped to today’s iconic status. In LA, the view of the... View full entry

IRVING J. GILL: SIMPLICITY AND REFORMIrving J. Gill (1870–1936) created a distinctive architecture in Southern California, using a refined and abstracted architectural vocabulary which he described as “the straight line, the cube, the arch, and the circle.” This exhibition examines Gill’s... View full entry

Has the poor become so unbearable that the haves don't want them around anymore? Sure, there is a tiny percentage of low-income units required in the permitting process, but not even close to dodge housing crisis and provide something for the thousands spread around the city living in cardboard... View full entry

At the end of June this year myself and team of architects gathered in Woodbury University's WUHO space and worked on a competition project for ten continuous days producing the work for Istanbul Community Market Ideas Competition hosted by Ctrl+Space. We are pleased to share with Archinect... View full entry

Based on a true story told by Ise Gropius herself in 1980. It was a long day towards the end of the summer at the Graduate School of Design. 1940 was a tough year. The horrific war was well underway and the news from Europe wasn’t so good. Though, none of this would upset Walter as much if it... View full entry

We are now entering MAX, it stands for Maximum Analog XIR. Whatever it is to you, it means the whole world to the occupant. In it, all conceptions of minimalist bourgeoisie stop. The longer you are superconscious, as a clean liner, and primping yourself, XIR aka MAX the maximum analog, is adding... View full entry

If you are questioning what is so personal about these images and what a poor way to observe the nature, read on (some images are from Mars.)Since my birth, living mostly and if not all in urban centers I became accustomed to detect and appreciate their nature. Sure, there are exceptionally... View full entry

My doctor told me I should walk more often since I am not a sports person other than occasionally betting on European soccer games. He told me to walk exercise as much as possible and enjoy the nature. I was pleasantly surprised when I start to walk every day and be with the nature that surround... View full entry

Haus Lange installation, Michael Asher, 1982 (photo from the exhibition catalog) LEARNING FROM MICHAEL ASHER Michael Asher died almost two years ago in October 2012. When he was alive his work was mostly unknown to architects except somebody like Frank Gehry who was his good friend. In the art... View full entry

THIS IS YOUR FATHER'S LICENSEArchitects are highly intelligent people. They are the members of a noble profession who in dictionaries referred as master builders.They are taught and talk a specialized language, they have skills to design and visualize three dimensionally, and intern long years to... View full entry

SHENZHEN I am sympathetic to Shenzhen from its occupation. A port city like the one I grew up in. I feel like I know its tricks, talents and aura, even if I am wrong. I don't know Shenzhen that much face to face, I know something in her DNA, which makes me more relaxed about exploring it. ... View full entry

Some of the familiar biennale exhibitions were handled by a second venue near Shenzhen Shekou Port Ferry Terminal named “Border Warehouse”. There were some panel discussions on visible and invisible borders socially, physically, locally and economically. This subject was developed by... View full entry

I am sleepless and I can't get used to the idea that I am in Shenzhen, China. I might as well be in Las Vegas hotel room with a gold leaf framed watercolor print hanging on the wall and a laptop with a spotty internet access. This is my first time in China with a mission to attend and journal the... View full entry