AI and Architecture: A Virtual Exhibition at Pavillon de l'Arsenal

The online exhibition 'Intelligence artificielle & architecture' at Pavillon de l'Arsenal in Paris, curated by architect and AI researcher Stanislas Chaillou, explores the integration of artificial intelligence into architectural design. Originally scheduled until April 5, 2020, the exhibition is currently closed but available virtually. Chaillou, a researcher at Harvard Graduate School of Design, argues that AI can liberate architects from bureaucratic tasks, allowing them to focus on design. He traces the evolution of architectural design from modularity in the 1920s-30s through CAD in the 1960s-70s and parametricism in the late 1990s to the current AI era. Demonstrating AI's potential, Chaillou discretized apartment plans with variables like door position, generating countless layout variations. He highlights AI's benefits: flexibility, multiple options, and real-time analysis. The exhibition showcases experimental projects with strong graphic qualities and rich historical context, but raises questions about AI's ability to produce art. Chaillou warns that architects must embrace AI or risk being subservient to engineering and construction industries.