Beyond Artificiality

Architecture is undergoing a new digital turn prompted by the use of artificial intelligence, which has sparked both enthusiasm and concern—particularly regarding the notion that computers may replace architects. However, the repositioning of architects provides an opportunity to incorporate a new modus operandi with new forms of production. This paper proposes an alternative approach for human–computer interaction within the framework of discrete architecture – a topical production model for building components. The study relies on a collaborative and forward-thinking approach rather than artificiality, which often distances actors in the architecture field from emerging concepts, terminologies, and methods. It introduces the concept of synergistic design intelligence based on an improvised approach applied to a design studio experiment. The results signify a transition to a hyperspatial paradigm while demonstrating how heterogeneous computational strategies can enhance designers’ engagement with new concepts of computational thinking in architecture.