"UNDERWATER ARCHAELOGY MUSEUM ON THE COASTLINE"
as part of a "CREATIVE AI CHALLENGE 2023".
Architectural designs and renders of theoretical manmade structures on the subject.
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Greetings, fellow AI-enthusiasts and Architects!
TASK
The task was to create a believable concept and render, portraying the subject- “Underwater Archaeology Museum on the Coastline”. The design process is solely using AI. This is the only information we are given-as always, it is left to the Architect to choose the architectural style, the environment and climate, the light and ambience, the rendering style and the format of the final image. So we are limited only to our imagination and our knowledge of the AI generative design process. Let’s begin!
1.Here are some early design ideas of museum structures built on the coast and integrated into the landscape and hinting at being submerged-
DESIGN PROCESS
I have used only AI aided text to image design in order to get the renders. Namely, Midjourney V5.2
Because this is theoretical work, we can have a relative freedom in the design. Here are some AI Prompts, I have used during the design progress of this work-*I have purposefully included some designs, which are naïve or not functional, but interesting. I am keeping this documentations as an online journal of my work and I want it to be real..
-Architectural Style
HIGH-TECH MODERNISM, FLUID MODERNISM, HIGH-TECH DECONSTRUCTIVISM, FLUID DECONSTRUCTIVISM
I was aiming to create a building structure with free flowing architecture, which is integrated into the landscape, providing a view of the surrounding environment and integrating it, as above so below.
-Environment and Climate
CORAL REEF COAST, MEDEITERRANEN COAST, TROPICAL COAST, TROPICAL OR SEMI-TROPICAL CLIMATE
It seems that the AI has a tendency to portray mostly coral reefs as underwater environments. Or at least, I was given these results. I was hoping for a Mediterranean underwater coast with Greek, Byzantine or Roman ruins somewhere in Greece, Italy or Spain. Nevertheless, a lot of the exterior shots are on such a coast.
*BUILDING IN CORAL REEF ENVIRONMENTS should be strongly prohibited, and we should aim to conserve such eco systems and interfere with them minimally. This is a future concept for building and we can hope that if such an underwater museum is built, it is going to be manufactured in a way, which is non-destructible to the flora and fauna of a coral reef. Or we advance to the point where we can create artificial coral reeves.
-Light and Ambience
REALISTIC DEPICTION OF LIGHT, TRANSLUCENT LIGHT, UNDERWATER LIGHT, AMBIENT LIGHT
The idea was to have beautiful underwater illuminations, reflections and sub-marine ambience with a depiction of flora and fauna surrounding the building structures. Gradually the project became, more-bigger and was situated at a lower depth, so AI illuminated it with artificial lights.
-Rendering style and Format
MIR RENDER, PHOTOREALISTIC, ULTRAREALISTIC, AS—16:9
I was looking for a clear vision of the project, made by professional render firms that gets as real as possible. And I wanted a big panoramic picture of the whole composition with much detail and high resolution.
2.Next up are renders of museum structures which are HALF-submerged or FULLY- submerged but with above connection, as to show, they are accessible from above and unfolding into the underwater terrain below-
DESIGN CHALLANGES
Using AI to generate an architectural design for the subject can be a tricky endeavour.
Here are the main issues with AI, I faced while designing this concept project:
-NATURE, WATER,COAST,SKY, HORIZON
It is a complicated process for the AI to understand what is "under-water", what is "submerged" and what is "extruding" through the water surface. The design goal was to convey a structure that is- on the coast, above the water and under the water. Sometimes it mixed the sky and the underwater, creating a surreal effect, which although dreamlike, was not wished for and removed credibility of the photorealistic render. Some times it created water above water above water, which looks interesting but is not our goal.
-ARCHITECTURE
Issue with creating believable underwater architecture, which is sustainable for humans. Probably this is because the lack of underwater architecture in AIs database and because there are few examples of such structures already built. It seems that the AI tries to put normal architecture- underwater, which is non-realistic. Also when trying to put a living room inside a museum, OR creating open structures underwater without any hint of glazing or windows.
-PEOPLE
People walking on the ocean floor or being in open water without any glass barrier before them (maybe should have included scuba-divers, ntm.). Obviously this was pretty irritating, as it looks –non-realistic.
-ARCHAELOGICAL RUINS
Issue with placing the modern realistic design around, above or near old archaeological ruins. This was by far the most difficult task- oftentimes, the AI mixed the two and created cartoony or science fiction looking underwater structures, which look-non believable or like a base from a commix-Not the thing I was looking for. I had definitely more luck in the interior shots of proposals, where I managed to convey an interior of an underwater museum with Greek or Polynesian statues. The idea was, to have such statues around the museum, I will further work on this, I could not achieve it.
N.B-Please note-These are the initial issues I have encountered during the design process. Some I mastered, some not, yet.
-OVERDESIGNING and CREATING EXESS AND SCALE
3. Next up are possible interior renders for the topic with a variety of exponents-
*it is still hard for me to depict believable museum exponents, with realistic archaeological sculptures, so be easy on me.
FINAL DESIGN
Choosing the right concept, idea and final design is not an easy task when presented with endless possibilities of AI and a fast render generator. I have tried to stay as "normal" and conservative with the given topic, because I am aiming for a high dose of realism, believability and execution of the design. I was designing keeping in mind, all the mentioned factors, that a real-life project should have. Or at lest, I tried, to make it as believable as possible. The final results are a blend of all parameters. We can call it parametric design.
There are quite a few final designs, I have chosen to add to this presentation or analysis of the given problem/task. The chat AI told me to write this- ""The underwater archaeology museum you're envisioning is a stunning example of sustainable and modern design, seamlessly blending with its coastal environment. This innovative museum celebrates the rich maritime history and archaeological treasures hidden beneath the ocean's surface while promoting eco-conscious practices and fluid architectural forms.""
So far this is the only sentence I used in this presentation, which is AI aided. Take it as it as.
4.Final designs, all of them exterior and all of them underwater *sorry, need more time to prepare interior concepts.:
Afterword...
I have added the most interesting outcomes of the AI Prompt-design in this publication. There are some pretty rational buildings, which can be created with today’s materials and building processes and I have added buildings, which could be built in the near future, and a few proposals, which are more of an abstract dream-like surreal idea of what could be, more for aesthetical and imaginative purposes.
These are so far my experiences with this topic. I am using this platform to promote my work, to share my work, and to give insight into the design process with AI. I can only speak from my experience. Probably, there is someone out there, who has already mastered these issues. He can please contact me J I am a young architect and a relative new user to the AI design process. I am open for constructive criticism and architectural conversations about this topic. Feel free to contact me!
6. Food for the imagination-some works, which look pretty interesting and abstract-and deserve a place here...
