Gone are the days when architects were limited to drafting blueprints by hand and supervising construction sites. The field is undergoing a massive transformation powered by rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI).

This is something that the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) has always been one step ahead of.

Established in 1975 as “a college without walls,” SCI-Arc has long been a place for exploratory discourse and a laboratory for testing what architecture can achieve in the 21st century. It benefits from its location in Los Angeles, a global hub for both technology startups and established giants.

While M. Casey Rehm only arrived in 2014 to join SCI-Arc, his journey to fully understand the intersection of synthetic intelligence and architectural design dates back to 2003. It’s safe to say he’s seen it all — from explicitly programmed AI, where behaviours had to be meticulously coded, to probabilistic models that learn from prior knowledge.

Before assuming his current role as coordinator for the Master of Science (MS) in Architectural Technologies, Rehm infused AI-related coursework and teaching methodologies across various SCI-Arc programs, like the M.Arch 1 and M.Arch 2, as a faculty member. “That was the crux behind our postgraduate program,” he says.

The one-year MS in Architectural Technologies bridges advanced computational research with the latest innovations in platform applications, game engines, machine vision, and artificial intelligence. Most importantly, it teaches students to be adaptable lifelong learners. After all, architecture is anything but static — a fact Rehm learned as a child. His father was an architect, and in his era, draftsmen were a common sight in architectural offices. Today, they have become obsolete due to the new tools and technologies this MS program trains students to embrace.

“It builds on SCI-Arc’s history of rethinking architectural education,” says Rehm. “It’s research-based, but it’s not geared towards journal publications — it’s more about applied tech and ensuring students graduate with exposure directly applicable in professional settings or entrepreneurial ventures.”

Rehm oversees the studio sequence within the master’s program — a comprehensive three-semester journey. The initial semester is an intensive introduction, aligning students from diverse domestic and international backgrounds and varying professional experiences. This foundational phase accelerates their proficiency, preparing them for the subsequent two semesters of independent research.

During these advanced stages, Rehm and his team of faculty advisors support students as they develop cutting-edge technologies, workflows, and design concepts that will radicalize architectural practice. The program encourages innovative exploration under three main categories: context analysis, interface development, and community mediation.

One standout project involves a student using AI to analyze social media references for several locations, rethinking architectural context in the contemporary era. By focusing on a specific brand and its cultural identity, she merges this analysis with architectural design, creating both 2D graphic content and 3D architectural solutions for retail spaces in different cities.

Another student project focuses on developing “gentle interfaces” to mediate communication between tenants, community members, developers, and political groups. This AI advisor facilitates transparent communication, explaining zoning laws in plain English and summarising community feedback for developers.

None of these breakthroughs would have been possible without the cutting-edge tools, software, and AI models MS in Architectural Technologies students are introduced to in the classroom. So far, they’ve engaged with advanced models, such as stable diffusion and text-image clip-guided diffusion models, alongside other machine vision algorithms. They work with GitHub, accessing and contributing to pre-release and research-based tools. Interfaces like ComfyUI for image and video generation and commercially available tools like Runway are integral to their workflow too.

Industry expertise completes the package. “When our students are developing independent research projects, we bring in this network of industry experts and supporters,” shares Rehm. “For example, we’ve had a senior developer from Google’s Delft project speak to students on automating master planning. We’ve also had a lead developer from Amazon Web Services show students how to host interactive AI software and tools on Amazon Web Services Cloud.”

Other notable contributors include members from Google’s Adele project, the Google Artists + Machine Intelligence Group, and several other architectural and design offices. Representatives from Nike and Adidas have conducted workshops and lectures. MVRDV’s Leo Stuckart, associated with the innovative MVRDV NEXT group, has traveled to the US from the Netherlands on multiple occasions to lecture and advise SCI-Arc students.

Insights are especially crucial for budding architects who want to change the world. Thankfully, sustainability is a core component of the MS in Architectural Technologies program, and several research projects actively explore innovative ways to make architecture more eco-friendly and resource-efficient.

Rehm is currently leading one that focuses on optimising cross-laminated timber panels using AI. The goal is to integrate subgrade timbers into mass timber structures and achieve a 30% reduction in material usage. Even a recent student project explored the integration of direct air capture units within new residential constructions. Direct air capture, which cleans air by removing particulates, is typically conducted in remote areas like Wyoming for tax benefits. However, the student investigated the viability and potential air quality benefits of implementing such units in urban environments like Los Angeles and Mexico City.

“Ultimately, we want our students to use AI tools to expand their practice and discipline,” says Rehm. “We want them to find new ways to establish themselves and their economic and cultural value to society.” Learn more about how the MS in Architectural Technologies helps them achieve this.

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