A Conversation with Bjarke Ingels on AI, 3D Printing, and the Future of the Architectural Profession
Bjarke Ingels. Image credit: REFORM Sofie Mathiassen
It has been almost ten years since Archinect last spoke with Bjarke Ingels. Back then, the topic of conversation was BIG's 'Hot to Cold' exhibition at the National Building Museum. Today, after a decade that has included award-winning Manhattan skyscrapers, floating cities, a Netflix profile, and a Serpentine Pavilion, it's hard to know where to start.
Among the most intriguing recent outputs of BIG's 700-strong team across the United States, Europe, and Asia, however, is their explorations in the field of 3D printing. In collaboration with construction technology specialists ICON, Ingels and his firm have overseen the design and delivery of a wide variety of 3D printed schemes, from a 100-home residential neighborhood and high-end hospitality project, both in Texas, to a Mars simulation habitat developed in collaboration with NASA. Now, in 2024, the team has embarked on its latest 3D printing endeavor: a selection of single-family houses, designed by BIG, to be included in ICON's new CODEX catalog of ready-to-print homes.
Last week, Archinect’s Niall Patrick Walsh spoke with Ingels as BIG was in the process of unveiling this newest chapter in their 3D printing explorations. In addition to discussing the specifics of BIG's designs for CODEX, we reflected on the wider future of 3D printing, the potential of alternative architectural business models, and the rise of artificial intelligence in the architectural process. The discussion, edited slightly for clarity, is published below.
