One of the most significant impacts of digitalization on architecture has been the positioning of the design process at the center of discourse, critique, and technique. Although the architectural meta-project has always been a fundamental pillar of the discipline, the introduction of computation has considerably expanded the territory of speculation and intensified process-based experimentation. For this reason, it has become necessary to critically assess the use of these new tools in architecture and construction.

When analyzing Artificial Intelligence—a phenomenon reshaping the discipline in ways we are only beginning to understand—several questions arise, which this workshop seeks to address through a brief yet intensive design exercise: To what extent do algorithms represent a new architectural paradigm, or are they simply another stage in the growing technification of the architectural project? Are we merely witnessing a technology that enhances the optimization of existing processes, or is it also a force that inaugurates new ways of conceiving and designing architecture? Is AI a substitutive, amplifying, or reformist technological platform? These questions, among others of similar scope, permeate contemporary disciplinary debates and demand ambitious reflection on the immediate present of architecture.

In order to respond—if only from a position of constructive uncertainty—to these issues, the workshop proposes a dual and complementary approach. The first, more theoretical, will consist of an introduction to AI as a contemporary paradigm and a critical evaluation of its relationship with architecture. The second, practical in nature, will involve the development of a simple architectural project using two distinct strategies: traditional disciplinary methods and generative AI software. The aim is to critically compare the outcomes of each approach and draw conclusions accordingly. This workshop represents BAI’s first exploration of the topic, which will continue to be examined during the AI & Architecture panel at the IEEE CAI Congress, to be held in Granada from May 8 to 10, 2026, where BAI will participate as an institutional guest.

The project to be developed is titled “Cladding & Landscape.” During its development, participants will work directly on the design of interactive façades for the controversial data centers through AI applied to Grasshopper. Without requiring prior knowledge, an iterative design workflow will be created, allowing the architectural design process to flow from Grasshopper to the generation of images, videos, and 3D models using AI tools.

KEY WORKSHOP INFORMATION

Date and venue: March 16–20, 2026, School of Architecture of Granada

Number of places: 20

Target audience: Fifth-year undergraduate Architecture students, students of the qualifying Master’s Degree in Architecture, and young architects who obtained their degree from 2023 onwards.

Free registration. The workshop is 100% funded, with no tuition fee.

Applicants must send an email including their CV and a motivation letter to: tallerbaigranada@gmail.com

Registration open until March 8 (DEADLINE EXTENDED)

Workshop instructor: John Porral, expert in algorithmic design and automation of the architectural process.

More info: workshop poster & workshop information dossier