HABTOOR GRAND RESORT JBR / DUBAI / UAE
Are Architects becoming replaceable?
The growth of Smart, AI-led software is
putting design in everyone’s hands.
14 June 2023
MAIN HALL
09:30
Introduction
Paul Godfrey / Head of Content / Middle East Consultant
Welcome to the Future of Architecture Summit 2023
A review of the key themes throughout the event and why it represents an important milestone in regional urban planning.
MAIN HALL
09:40
Keynote Presentation
Christian Vasquez / Architect and Business Development Executive / NEB ; Director / American Institute of Architects Middle East
The Future of World Architecture
What are the key design trends that we see emerging from the world’s major capitals and from the think-tanks of the leading architectural showcases? This presentation assesses the new directions and to what extent they will translate into models for urban planning and the development of a new generation of uber-communities.
MAIN HALL
10:00
Presentation
Li Ren / Project Architect / Perkins Eastman
Sustainable Streetscapes in the 15-minute city
One of the critical debates in urban planning is whether the future will be about super-tall structures or the more compact, low-level community, where all essential services will be within a 15-minute travelling radius. Here, Li Ren depicts a world where the street furniture, travel-ways and through-routes in that 15-minute community are all sustainable in terms of their material and functions.
MAIN HALL
10:20
Presentation
Adam Smith / Managing Director / Polypipe Middle East
Creating a vibrant, healthy and high-performance infrastructure
Effective utilities planning is a vital function of the successful community, yet all too often corners are cut and the optimum solutions not applied – whether through lack of budget, shortage of know-how, or value engineering. Here, Adam Smith explores some critical solutions that dramatically improve the utilities infrastructure, how it is planned and how it is most effectively actioned and delivered.
MAIN HALL
10:50
Panel Discussion
Panel Discussion
What will the Future look like and why?
Recent advances in the use of hi-tech materials are reintroducing the preference for super-tall structures – as seen most recently in SE Asia and the decision to build high to reduce urban density. Yet conversely, in Saudi’s mega-projects, such as The Line, we are seeing the advent of micro-communities placed side-by-side to form extended civic developments. Which way will urban planners finally decide to go and what are the most feasible structural and commercial realities of that choice?
Talking points:
- The relative costs of building super-high versus the 15-minute community
- Where are we seeing evidence of true ‘future vision’ urban planning?
- How can these future visions be implemented – will they always involve wholesale demolition of what already exists?
- What about re-purposing? Is it cost-effective and can it really provide bespoke solutions?
Moderator:
- Adam Smith / Managing Director / Polypipe Middle East
Speakers:
- Laura Morgan / Market Intelligence lead MEA / JLL
- Sam Graham / Managing Director / RLB (Middle East)
- Dr. Harpreet Seth / Head of Architecture / Heriot-Watt University Dubai
- Engi Jabr / Managing Director / Climatize
- Manisha Dayaram / Chief Commercial Officer / The Devmark Group
- Edward McIntosh / Design Director / Middle East, Atkins
MAIN HALL
11:20
Coffee Break
Networking
Coffee Break
MAIN HALL
11:40
Presentation
Alan George / Senior Architect / Orange Design Group
How should architects promote their vision?
What are the most effective ways that today’s architects and designers can communicate disruptive views and their visions of the new urban future? Alan George looks at how best to deploy the raft of social media options and generate first-class followers, achieving scale and quality. This is a 10-minute influencer briefing – and vital viewing!
MAIN HALL
11:50
Presentation
Dr. Bhakti More / Chairperson / School of Design & Architecture, Manipal Academy of Higher Education
Artificial Intelligence – Architect of the Future?’
Are AI-led software packages such as Midjourney now taking over the function of architects and designers? Are they as competent in delivering multi-faceted, purposeful projects and can they deliver works of string genius and innovation? Do we have to think of design now as the product of a code rather than an intellectual, human mind? Thos presentation reviews the evidence and gives clear examples of the latest AI-led innovations and projects.
MAIN HALL
12:10
Panel Discussion
Panel Discussion
In the age of Smart tech, is there room for design and project genius?
The panel discusses whether we are about to witness the demise of specialist architects and indeed, the design profession as a whole – will it be submerged by super-intelligent AI-based programmes, which can produce highly competent concepts in a matter of minutes, and then cost and timeline them? What will we lose if the human touch is removed for good, and what will be the design tenets favoured by this new era of AI?
Talking points:
- How good at design are the new illustrative packages – can they replace human intelligence and skills?
- Is there a commercial dimension here, whereby architects can be replaced with greater cost-effectiveness?
- What are architects and designers saying and are they using these new packages themselves?
- Is there inevitable repetition and ‘sameness’ in these designs created by AI?
Moderator:
- Paul Godfrey / Head of Content / Middle East Consultant
Speakers:
- Fernando Freitas / Director / Omnium
- Seb Davies / Director / RLB (Middle East)
- Preeti Mogali / Senior Associate / Perkins Eastman
- Dipali Shirsat / Founder / The Visual Poetry
- Nicholas Byczynski / Director of Sustainable Engineering / AESG
- Barbora Pazderova / Founder & Global Director / Emeis Global
MAIN HALL
12:40
Presentation
Prof. George Katodrytis / Professor of Architecture / American University of Sharjah
Towards a new world order: what is the typography of structure that the new materials are capable of creating?
The advent of a new generation of materials doesn’t only mean higher levels of sustainability and new organic capabilities – it also means the ability to design in totally different ways and use new structural techniques – such as advanced 3D printing – to exceptional levels. This presentation reviews the possibilities and looks at detailed case studies of what is already being achieved in the ‘here and now’.
MAIN HALL
13:00
Presentation
Delvene Lee / Head of Interior Design / KEO International Consultants
What is the Future made of?
We are at an exceptional junction in materials sourcing and procurement where – for the first time in history – we can move beyond traditional materials to a new dimension of full sustainability. We can even now think about materials that are organic in compound – extruded from the DNA of fungi and plants and able, like living entities, to place valuable oxygen into the environment. This major sea-change opens up hitherto unimaginable possibilities – and in some cases, examples of these applications already exist, setting exciting and fresh new benchmarks.
MAIN HALL
13:25
Presentation
Jens Otterstedt / General Manager / Al Masaood Bergum
Modular construction: advantages and innovations
Al Masaood Bergum is a regional leader in creating high-quality, fast-assembly modular components – often from dynamic new compounds and mixes of materials. How does this style of assembly work in practice? What are its structural properties and possibilities? Here we get a keynote briefing on one of the most highly contemporary aspects of today’s built environment and the competitive and commercial advantages that it can offer.
MAIN HALL
13:45
Presentation
Maria Dautant / Senior Associate / HLB Lighting Design
How lighting changes the vocabulary of the built environment
Is lighting given the credit it deserves in terms of altering our perception of spacial typology, colour and scope? In fact, the new generation of interior and exterior architectural lighting is capable of radically shifting how we understand space and dimensions. It can also be controlled and modified with minute precision, depending whether we want to preserve dark skies, light with intricacy, or with high intensity. This presentation looks at some of the technological advances in lighting and the architectural benefits that this can bring – in often dramatic and unexpected ways.
MAIN HALL
14:10
Closing remarks
MC
Closing Remarks
MAIN HALL
14:20
Lunch & Event Close
Networking
