Offers a bold and materially grounded rethinking of design with artificial intelligence, and proposes a new model of agency distributed across material, artificial, and human actors Rooted in material philosophy and ecological design thinking, Material and Artificial Intelligence in Architecture establishes a comprehensive framework for understanding AI in architecture. Conceptually rigorous yet accessibly written and visually rich, the book interweaves design, theory, technology, and practice to explore how artificial intelligence, material agency, and human authorship will co-create the built environment of the future. Challenging both pervasive fear-driven narratives and techno-solutionist hype that dominate public discourse around AI, the book proposes a new plane of engagement―introduced as Shared Materiality. This concept recognizes the entangled agency of human, artificial, and material actors. It also addresses the ethical, ecological, and social implications of AI technologies, including the vast energy demands of AI systems, embedded algorithmic bias, and broader concerns about systemic inequity and access. Specifically within the field of architecture, it critiques the dominance of image-based AI in current architectural discourse and practice, redirecting attention to geometry, morphology, and structure―fundamental spatial dimensions of architecture―and discusses emerging AI models that engage these domains. Drawing on the author's extensive teaching and research experience, Material and Artificial Intelligence in Architecture discusses: Theory, technology, and design: a rare integration of architecture's core domains, combining deep conceptual framing, technological insight, and advanced experimentation in design. Comprehensive conceptual framework: for understanding AI in architecture, rooted in new materialist thought and philosophical realism. AI intuition: cultivating future designers’ ability to collaborate with AI through attuned expertise rather than control. Advanced methodologies for Urban Design and Urban Housing design: with a detailed presentation of speculative studio work that integrates AI, robotic fabrication, and material practice. Critique of typology in architecture: proposing instead an open taxonomy: a dynamic, adaptive classification system that aligns with the distributed logic of AI systems. Critique of image-based AI in architecture: advocating geometry-based approaches that emphasize spatio-tectonic reasoning, material articulation, and spatial intelligence. Ethical and ecological implications of AI systems: addressing authorship, access, equity, energy consumption, algorithmic bias, and the extractive infrastructures underlying current technologies. Material and Artificial Intelligence in Architecture delivers cutting-edge insights for architects, design enthusiasts, and interdisciplinary readers interested in the intersection of design, philosophy, and artificial intelligence. It is also highly suitable for students, educators, and researchers in architecture and design, with particular relevance to graduate-level and post-professional programs.
Jonas Coersmeier is a German architect and American professor based in Brooklyn, New York. He explores the intersection of technology and material philosophy in design. His research and teaching at Pratt Institute and the University of Pennsylvania focus on social and ecological equity in urban housing and urban design. Educated at Columbia University, MIT, and the Technical University of Darmstadt, he brings an international perspective to architectural thinking--combining engineering discipline with speculative design experimentation. An award-winning designer, his projects have been exhibited and published internationally, contributing to a broader discourse on architecture and design.
