AI-informed Field Notes for a Roman Travel Experience

Abstract

This paper explores the intersection of artificial intelligence and architectural sketching in the context of international travel experiences. Traditional hand-drawn sketches, once a medium for capturing and projecting architectural visions, have waned in the face of digital photography and social media's image-centric culture. To address this challenge, a one-week workshop was designed, leveraging AI text-to-image generation technology to document Rome as the chosen experiential site. By employing AI image generation tools, participants crafted altered narratives that provided deeper insights into Rome's essence, synthesizing historical layers with innovative elements. This pedagogical approach not only exposed attendees to the cultural richness of Rome but also empowered them to envision a future that transcended conventional design boundaries. By incorporating AI into their creative process, participants bridged the gap between past and future, history and imagination, thus fostering a productive dialogue between computation, representation, and culture.