AI design harness for architecture

Architecture, in loops.

Define the standard. The building follows, round by round.

clinicDESIGN.mdrules/model.ifc

A neighbourhood clinic, two storeys, on this 40 × 30 m plot. Timber, calm, daylight in the waiting area. Barrier-free.

Standard set. I'll check every round against:

DIN 18040-1MBO § 6 setbacksBrief areasStyle: timber, calm

Generating round 1…

Round 1: 23 of 48 checks fail. Doors 850 mm and corridor 1300 mm are below the minimum. DIN 18040-1

Revised corridor to 1800 mm, doors to 900 mm. Round 2: 48 of 48 pass, plus 135 geometry and 20 brief checks.

Show me the plan, and the timber option.

Here they are. Both options pass.

✓ plan✓ 3D view✓ IFC4✓ OpenUSD

Ask for a change…

live model

checks waiting23 of 48 fail✓ all checks pass

plan · ground floor

option B · timber

1 · Define the standardSay what you want, in your words.

2 · Generated and checked, round by roundThe building appears and fixes itself.

3 · Visualised and finalisedPlans, views and models, on request.

Interface concept. Checks and numbers from the open-core demo.

Pilot it on a real project Open core on GitHub

The problem

Architects spend their time on lines, not ideas

Every change means redrawing

Move one wall, and plans, sections and areas follow by hand.

Code problems show up late

Accessibility and setbacks are checked after the design is fixed.

Few options get tested

Fees and hours allow one or two variants, rarely the best one.

From a line to a loop

Stop redrawing. Close the loop.

Today: a line

Each step waits for the last. A code problem found late sends you back to redraw.

ArchiLoops: a loop

Set the standard once. Each round is generated, checked and fixed until every check passes.

Shicong Cao has spoken on AI in architecture at the AIA Conference on Architecture (Boston, 2025), BIG SEE (Portorož, 2025), Buildtworlds (Stuttgart, 2025), AI in AEC (Helsinki, 2026) and NIBS Building Innovation (Washington DC, 2026).

Loop 1

The rule loop

StandardDoor and corridor widths, DIN 18040-1

The loopGenerate → check → fix, until all 48 checks pass

clinicplanrules/ DIN 18040-1

Standard: door and corridor widths to DIN 18040-1.

Round 1: 23 of 48 checks fail. Doors 850 mm, corridor 1300 mm. DIN 18040-1

Widened doors to 900 mm and the corridor to 1800 mm. Round 2: 48 of 48 pass.

Ask for a change…

plan · ground floor ✓ 48 of 48 pass

Loop 2

The site loop

StandardSetbacks per MBO § 6: 0.4 H, at least 3 m

The loopBuild inside the buildable area, or explain why it cannot

corner-plotDESIGN.mdmodel.ifc

Standard: setbacks per MBO § 6. A smaller clinic on the corner plot, 20 × 16 m.

This layout cannot fit the site as briefed. The double-loaded section needs 10,460 mm; the buildable depth after setbacks is 10,000 mm. MBO § 6

I won't relax a rule. Change the layout idea or the brief, and I'll run it again.

Ask for a change…

live model cannot converge

Loop 3

The option loop

StandardTimber where it can be, compared on carbon

The loopVary → build in 3D → compare checks, cost and carbon

cliniccomparemodel.ifc

Standard: timber where it can be. Compare it with masonry on carbon.

Both pass all 203 checks. Timber has about 42% less carbon and about 2.6× the material cost. illustrative data

Export both for the client meeting.

Done.

✓ plans✓ 3D views✓ IFC4

Ask for a change…

compare

A · masonry

✓ 203 checksEUR 187 / m²97.3 t CO2e

B · timber

✓ 203 checksEUR 480 / m²56.5 t CO2e

Early prototype · 23 → 0 failed code checks in two rounds

Pilot it on your next early design.

One of your real projects, set up and run with your team.

Get in touch

Open core: arch-harness · A simplified model for early design, not a building-permit review.