Data-Driven Design and the Future of Architecture: Insights from InfoSci Senior Lecturer Damon Leverett and Industry Experts

A recent article in Retrofit, “Data-driven Design is Poised to Transform the Built Environment,” highlights how emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence and digital twins, are poised to transform the architecture and construction industries. Damon Leverett, an architect and senior lecturer at the University of Arizona College of Information Science, shares his perspective on the role of AI and data-driven design in reshaping the built environment.

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Leverett emphasizes the revolutionary potential of AI in architecture. “The chief goal of using AI in architecture is to make tasks we perform more efficient, allowing architects to spend more time on the humanistic concerns of the built environment,” he says in the article. Leverett also notes that AI can already assist in crucial areas such as project management and site planning, while its integration with technologies like building information modeling (BIM) and digital twins opens doors to smart city development, promoting sustainable urban neighborhoods.

The article discusses the growing importance of data as a foundational asset in modern design processes, shifting from being an obsolete byproduct to a long-term resource. According to Leverett, AI will continue to disrupt traditional design approaches, blending advanced modeling with 3D-printed concrete construction and creating opportunities for entirely new business models.

As AI tools become increasingly integrated into the industry, Leverett predicts their role will extend beyond optimization, also fostering creativity and innovation. This sentiment aligns with broader industry perspectives, which view AI and digital twins as not just tools for streamlining processes but also as catalysts for developing sustainable, beautiful and economically viable structures.

With Leverett's thought leadership and the University of Arizona’s focus on data-driven technologies in the context of human creativity and insight, the College of Information Science remains at the forefront of this transformation, preparing the next generation of students to harness the power of AI and data in the built environment and beyond ethically and responsibly.

Read the full article at Retrofit.
 

Image Gallery

View a selection of Damon Leverett's AI-generated architectural renderings in this gallery. Click an image to view in larger size and begin slideshow: