Artificial Intelligence in Architecture (AI+A) 4: AI for Everyone

By bringing people together within the Architecture, Engineering, Construction, and Operations (AECO) industry and experts from AI-related fields, the ‘AI Salon’ series hopes to foster productive discussion and explore solutions for leveraging AI technology in AECO by bridging the gap between practice and academic research. This four-part series aims to create archives and, ultimately, publications/whitepapers from these salon sessions to share with the broader public and help push the industry into wider technology adoption.

Our fourth and final session of the year, AI for Everyone, takes a different shape from our previous conversation-focused salons. This half-day event is designed as a hands-on, practice-centered exploration of how AI can support designers at every technical level—from beginners to power users. Attendees will explore “vibe coding” through a range of tools, from Processing for those with no coding or modeling experience, to Rhino for intermediate users looking to expand generative exploration, to Revit for advanced practitioners integrating AI into BIM workflows.

In addition to the workshops, we’ll also look back on the themes that have emerged across our year-long AI+A conversations, reflecting on what we’ve learned about authorship, creativity, expertise, and the evolving role of AI in design practice.

Workshop #1: Intro to AI-Assisted Creative Coding with p5.js

Instructor: Richard-Allen Foster

This is a beginner-friendly workshop on using AI as a collaborator in creative coding. Participants will use p5.js—with a brief look at three.js—to prompt AI to generate, refine, and debug JavaScript for visual and interactive design.

No coding experience is required. Projects can be built directly in the browser-based p5.js editor, with Visual Studio Code available for those who want to explore further. Through simple, curiosity-driven exercises, attendees will see how AI can unlock playful and powerful creative possibilities for architects and designers.

What to Bring: A laptop; all tools can be run in the browser.

Skill Level: Beginner; no prior coding or modeling experience required.

Workshop #2: Accelerating modeling and design automation using Rhino 3D & AI

Instructure: Dennis Shelden

This workshop introduces participants to the powerful world of customizing and scripting Rhino and Grasshopper through vibe-coding techniques and AI-enhanced automation. You’ll learn the core Python capabilities for Rhino, explore key customization libraries and APIs, and discover practical ways to integrate AI into advanced modeling workflows. Designed for users with medium- to advanced-level Rhino and Grasshopper skills but little to no coding experience, the workshop starts with a guided foundational exercise, followed by a self-directed project of your choosing. Participants are encouraged to arrive with an idea for a Rhino automation task they’d like to develop during the session.

What to Bring: A laptop with Rhinoceros V8 is required. Trial versions can be downloaded here.

Skill Level: Medium, familiar with Rhino and basic programming concepts is recommended but not required.

Workshop #3: From Idea to Revit Add-in: Rapid Development with Launchpad and AI 

Instructor: Michael Kilkelly

Learn to rapidly build custom Revit tools using AI-assisted coding—no deep programming experience required. In this hands-on session, participants will use Launchpad, a specialized C# editor inside Revit, to create fully functioning tools (including simple user interfaces) that help eliminate repetitive tasks in everyday workflows.

Through live coding demos and guided exercises, you’ll explore how AI can democratize Revit customization, turning ideas into working tools in minutes rather than hours.

What to Bring: A laptop with Revit 2022 or higher installed. Launchpad will be provided during the workshop.

Skill Level: No prior experience needed. Familiarity with Dynamo or basic programming concepts is recommended but not required.