Symposium on generative AI in architectural education
On the city campus of the University of Antwerp, a full-day symposium brought together professors, teaching assistants and educational support staff from all architecture programs across Flanders to explore the role of generative AI in architectural (design) education. The event also welcomed international perspectives, including a guest lecturer from Germany, offering a fresh view on Flemish educational structures.
The symposium focused on exchange, experimentation, and reflection, with a program designed to foster dialogue and hands-on engagement. Highlights included:
- Short presentations from each participating institution, sharing experiences with visual generative AI in design education
- Hands-on workshops to explore what generative AI means for architectural education and how we can prepare students for a future filled with generative AI
- Discussions on opportunities and challenges of using AI for research or design classes, such as writing a paper for architectural theory classes, or visualising images for a design studio
- Exploration of AI’s potential to contribute to both general and discipline-specific student competencies.
- Pedagogical reflections on how AI can be taught within architecture programs—whether integrated into existing courses or as standalone modules, and how it can be approached as knowledge, skill, and attitude.
The symposium offered a valuable platform to collectively reflect on the future of architectural education in an era of rapid technological change.
This event was organised by PhD candidate Elien Vissers-Similon.