Applications of AI in architecture and planning

New solutions from AI

In his opening remarks at the seminar, Dr. Architect Nguyen Van Hai - President of the Hanoi Architects Association - shared: “In the era of Industry 4.0, artificial intelligence is becoming a cutting-edge technology leading global industries and services. For architecture and planning – fields that play a crucial role in shaping living spaces, managing urban resources, and sustainable development – AI has brought about remarkable advancements, comprehensively changing the face of our planning and architecture.”

Dr. Architect Nguyen Van Hai - President of the Hanoi Architects Association, giving a speech. Photo: Lai Tan

In Vietnam, the rapid pace of urbanization poses numerous pressing issues, such as how to effectively plan for population growth while protecting the environment; how to apply modern technology while preserving cultural identity and historical values; and, more importantly, how to resolve the conflict between growth and sustainable development.

According to Dr. Architect Nguyen Van Hai - President of the Hanoi Architects Association, AI brings new solutions ranging from big data simulation to predict planning trends to automation in architectural design, and supports the construction of smart cities, where the quality of human life is prioritized.

Accordingly, the seminar focused on four topics: “Overview of AI and its applications in architectural design”, “International experience in applying AI in large-scale urban infrastructure projects and initial approaches of major Vietnamese consulting firms”, “Domestic experience in applying AI in preparing design documents for construction permits and urban management - a practical example in Binh Chanh District, Ho Chi Minh City”, and “Documentary film: Using AI technology to create the artwork: Thang Duong Nhap That”.

At the seminar, Architect Trinh Quoc Bao - Head of the CUBIC – Gradinent Lab's Architectural Technology Research and Development Department - shared: AI plays a crucial role in connecting data and knowledge, supporting output quality control, and recreating labor results. Building AI based on the specific data of businesses is a strategic step that helps improve operational efficiency, create a significant competitive advantage, increase labor productivity, and reduce operating costs.

Specifically, architect Tran Vu Lam - Chairman of the Board of Directors of CUBIC Architecture Joint Stock Company - shared that currently, CUBIC has designed 96 high-rise projects in 16 provinces and cities, built 52,600 apartments and more than 8 million square meters of floor space. During the work process, there are repetitive tasks, data fragmentation, and difficulties in reusing past data for new projects. If AI can be applied, computers will help us complete tasks in only 1/100 to 1/1000 of the current time.

Automating construction permit management

According to experts, the application of AI in planning and architecture is still in its early stages, and no projects have been entirely designed or built using AI. However, the application of AI in planning and architecture in Vietnam has begun to yield concrete results. For example, SOS Solutions Service Co., Ltd. has developed AI for managing and issuing construction permits.

According to Hoang Anh, Director of SOS Technology Company, AI can automate the process of designing and managing model houses; increasing speed, reducing costs, and improving accuracy. Specifically, from the first step of selecting the SmartCity construction permit service, people will enter information from their land title (title deed, sheet number, plot number, location of the construction permit application, and house model). AI will automatically create design drawings based on the house model and the person's requirements, create a permit application dossier, and submit it to the public service portal. Next, AI will create an architectural spatial model, construction design documents, and construction cost estimates linked to the implementation solution. Then, the system will automatically check and process the construction planning standards and export the construction permit dossier, digitally sign it, and automatically return the results to the investor. AI will manage and monitor construction activities, ensuring compliance with regulations.

At the seminar, many experts questioned the practicality and processing speed of AI in construction management and licensing. Hoang Anh, Director of SOS Technology Company, stated: “This year, SOS has piloted a drone-based photography program in Vinh Loc A and Vinh Loc B wards (Binh Chanh district, Ho Chi Minh City) covering a 22km area, detecting nearly 20,000 violations of planning and construction permits. On average, there are more than 1,000 violations per kilometer.”

Currently, the application of BIM (Building Information Modeling) is an advanced process used in the construction industry, based on digital 3D models used throughout the lifecycle of a design, infrastructure, and construction project, and has become widespread in many countries around the world .

For example, in Hong Kong, Mr. Le Hoang Anh - representative of Vircon Hong Kong in Vietnam - stated that applying BIM can reduce operating and exploitation costs by 34%. For instance, in the Wanchai Tunnel project (Hong Kong), the application of BIM in construction reduced traffic time from 30 minutes to 5 minutes; it also features a dedicated air purification plant with a capacity of 5.4 million cubic meters of air per hour, treating 80% of air pollution; and reducing CO2 emissions by 11,000 tons per year. Similarly, the application of BIM in the Hong Kong airport expansion project reduced implementation time to only 40% of the traditional time.

Source: https://kinhtedothi.vn/ung-dung-ai-trong-kien-truc-va-quy-hoach.html