From concept to execution topost-production.The long-awaited AI and humandigital-craft workflow is finallyhere for Architects.

Mariana Cabugueira Studios

AI image generation has always felt surface-level when used in Architecture—candy—with the sole purpose of avisual sugar rush, leading to dead ends and, let’s be honest, perpetuating the digital candy hangover of AI-generated architecture.

  • AI Image Generation Process.

  • MCStudios KSA Microliving airport Masterplan aerial.

That rush would fuel the architect to pre-conceive Design. Getting back into 3D, we architects live the inevitable first disappointment in realizing that the new geometry cannot reach the sweetness level of the AI pre-concept, and the second disappointment, that in no way was AI capable of sugarcoating the new architecture's true geometry without deforming it to a level of unrecognition.

This was until now. AI has found its way into the post-production of architectural design with reasonable fidelity to the input geometry. The inconsolable architect, who was inspired by pre-concept AI, upgrades the images into liveable and buildable spaces in 3D and can finally get the cherry on top by feedbacking into AI for that sugar-icing post-production aesthetic.

This project is a testament to that workflow, done right. Commissioned to propose a pioneering way of living and building the future airports, KSA Micro Living Airport was the first time we tested and proved in-studio the full circle between AI Pre-Concept → Human Digital Craft and Planning → AI Post-Production. The process was non-linear and required the latest AI updates on image and motion generation tech. But it proved that it is valid and that the sole architect is becoming increasingly autonomous when creating, executing, and marketing architecture.

  • MCS Airport KSA VIP Lounge

  • MCStudios KSA Microliving airport exploded diagram

AI <-> Human Craft Design Process.

The design process uses a hybrid workflow, integrating AI from concept to completion. This creates a continuous HUMAN-AI feedback loop that informs both the architect and the project. In the early stages, AI image generation tools were used to rethink traditional airport design. The typical H and L shapes, and the usual airport layouts for passenger flow and air traffic, were challenged by AI. Input data for the architectural design included factors like the number of planes, inbound travelers, retail space, and passenger experience areas. The goal was to find the most optimized layout that could efficiently and positively meet the demands of modern travel..

  • Selected Generations

  • After a lengthy process of human curation by the architect team, the final layout to be further explored presents a masterplan of linear piers, sunken to meet the demands of desert architecture, and a central circular artery - a layout that optimizes space, reduces congestion, and provides equal access to runways, improving efficiency for more plane-capacity. This main artery serves as the core network for underground connections and theheart of the passenger experience.The pre-concept AI phase followed ahuman-leddesign process, where the architect, aviation consultant, and designer had full control. The 3D modeling and 2D planning required for a fully functional airport masterplan refined the initial AI output, resulting in the final human-crafted model.

  • MCStudios KSA Microliving airport AI International Downtown district

  • MCStudios_KSA Microliving airport_International VIP Lounge

Text and Images: Mariana Cabugueira Studios / Project: KSA MicroLiving Airport, Saudi Vision 2030 / Studio: [MC] Studios, London / Post-Production AI: Kajetan Szostok

 

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