Multi-Scalar Urbanism: Concept Buildups with AI

The workshop is structured as a live studio where participants can choose to work from one shared demo masterplan or use their personal urban projects to mirror the buildup approach. Participants can work individually or be assigned a different workstream from the same base project. (Dependant on number of students)

Step 1: Principles, Frameworks & Multi-scalar Urbanism

An introductory presentation covering urban design principles, frameworks, and multi-scalar case studies (BIG). An intro to the demo masterplan project and its underlying story is introduced as a reading framework.

Step 2: Axonometric Build-up

Extracting or creating additional layers of a masterplan into a volumetric axonometric buildup. Each student develops a sequence of axonometric steps that show how the masterplan gesture forms.

Step 3: The Deck

Diagrams are annotated, then laid out as an axo sequence. This creates a short, sharp pitch sequence telling the story of the masterplan.

Step 4: The Animation

Krea or Gemini will be used to input the buildup stills, allowing AI to fill in the increments between steps. Adobe premiere is then used if needed to stitch the video outputs and tweak as needed.

Program:

Day 1:

• Introductory presentation on urban design principles, frameworks, multi-scalar case studies, and storytelling in urbanism.
• Framing the workshop and the importance of a concept buildup.
• Introduction to the demo masterplan project.
• Live demonstration of extracting the plan-layer buildup (grid/blocks to superplots to plots to buildings) step by step.
• Storyboarding the concept sequence logic based on design and narrative.
• Setting up Rhino cameras for the sequence.

Day 2:

• Recap of Day 1 plan sequences.
• Rhino model and axonometric export workflow to turn moves into a volumetric buildup base.
• Sequencing the axonometric gesture buildup step by step.
• InDesign or Illustrator workflows for editing and annotating the axonometric linework.
• Animating in AI (Krea or Gemini) to generate the incremental buildup steps.