LATENT ARCHITECTURE

2026

Master's Thesis, Prof. Simone Giostra

Politecnico di Milano

ABSTRACT

This thesis investigates the role of generative artificial intelligence in architectural design and asks what becomes of the designer's agency as probabilistic systems are brought into the design process. It addresses three difficulties limiting their adoption: the loss of control associated with opaque, black-box models; the gap between the raster imagery these tools generate and the vector precision of architectural documentation; and the absence of a structured way to evaluate a tool set that changes rapidly. Against these, it categorizes generative tools by function, tests workflows that balance creative exploration with geometric control, and charts a route for AI-assisted design.

The approach is Research through Design, combining literature review, technical analysis, experimental testing, and design practice. Generative tools were first sorted by modality and interface, then assessed across the conceptual, schematic, and realization phases. Comparative testing measured image-generation and image-editing models against four criteria: usability, prompt adherence, consistency, and versatility. These findings were consolidated into an evaluation framework and examined through a case study of an unusual typology, a contemporary Islamic center.

The study finds generative AI most effective as an augmentative partner rather than an autonomous designer. Current models excel at concept exploration, visualization, and rapid iteration, yet remain unreliable for orthographic documentation and precise technical work. The most productive workflows pair human judgment with progressively constrained generation, turning stochastic output into a controlled instrument. On authorship the thesis reaches no final verdict, showing only that it is held or lost according to how the engagement is structured. Its enduring contribution is methodological: a transferable framework for bringing generative AI into practice on terms the architect sets, with control and intent kept in view.

In an era where the divide between production and consumption grows wider, industrialized farming has led to degraded land health, diminished biodiversity, declining food quality, and a disconnection between people and nature. Many today consume milk without ever seeing a cow or enjoy fruits without knowing the trees that bear them.
Red Nest seeks to bridge this gap by inviting people to leave polluted urban centers and embrace a life intertwined with nature. Rooted in permaculture principles, the project reimagines farmland as livable, self-sufficient settlements rather than production-driven spaces. Spread across the landscape, these small-scale communities will sustainably produce their own food and energy, offering a harmonious lifestyle for farmers and remote workers who rarely need to venture beyond the site.
True to its name, Red Nest embodies the concept of nesting—drawing inspiration from birds that build their homes with local materials. Similarly, the project’s dwellings will be constructed using site-sourced resources like timber and adobe, creating a built environment that mirrors the natural ecosystem. By nesting in the land, residents reconnect with the rhythms of nature, fostering a future of resilience, sustainability, and symbiosis with the Earth.

EMBER

Applied Synthesis

In an era where the divide between production and consumption grows wider, industrialized farming has led to degraded land health, diminished biodiversity, declining food quality, and a disconnection between people and nature. Many today consume milk without ever seeing a cow or enjoy fruits without knowing the trees that bear them.
Red Nest seeks to bridge this gap by inviting people to leave polluted urban centers and embrace a life intertwined with nature. Rooted in permaculture principles, the project reimagines farmland as livable, self-sufficient settlements rather than production-driven spaces. Spread across the landscape, these small-scale communities will sustainably produce their own food and energy, offering a harmonious lifestyle for farmers and remote workers who rarely need to venture beyond the site.
True to its name, Red Nest embodies the concept of nesting—drawing inspiration from birds that build their homes with local materials. Similarly, the project’s dwellings will be constructed using site-sourced resources like timber and adobe, creating a built environment that mirrors the natural ecosystem. By nesting in the land, residents reconnect with the rhythms of nature, fostering a future of resilience, sustainability, and symbiosis with the Earth.

CONCLUSION

info@architecture-tareef.com