Are We Designing Cities for Humans or for Machines? Architecture in the Age of AI
Are We Designing Cities for Humans or for Machines? Architecture in the Age of AI In 2025, architecture stands at a critical crossroads. Cities are growing smarter, buildings are becoming more automated, and infrastructure is increasingly designed to serve machines, algorithms, and data flows . This raises a fundamental question architects can no longer ignore: Are we still designing cities for people — or are we designing them for machines? The Shift No One Talks About Historically, architecture has been centered around human needs: Comfort Proportion Social interaction Movement and perception But today, some of the most influential buildings in North America are designed primarily for: Servers Sensors Autonomous systems AI-driven processes Human presence is often secondary. This shift is subtle, but profound. Architecture Optimized for Machines Many contemporary buildings prioritize: Constant internal temperatures Controlled lighti...
