CHAPTER 4
The Future of Design

*THE FUTURE OF DESIGN WILL TRANSFER TO BUILDERS*

The designers of tomorrow will be builders themselves, or they will be designers using AI and emerging technologies. Design tools will become more automated, rolling code compliance, cost, and constructibility into the process of design from the start. These tools will also become more intuitive, democratizing the process and allowing builders and designers to collaborate in real-time.

Which of these will most shape construction design in the next 10 years?

AI design automation
Digital twins
Parametric tools
ML-powered BIM
Other

Data will elevate the approach to design.

77% of construction leaders surveyed agreed that building information modeling (BIM) is very or extremely valuable to improving project outcomes.³⁰ As advanced data capture evolves, designers will have increased access to contractors’ insights on constructible and non-constructible elements, further strengthening this design approach.

But this isn’t just about collecting data, it’s about building intelligence that compounds with every project. Based on historical data, cost information will be automatically tallied in the design phase. AI tools will optimize designs, not just for code compliance and structural soundness, but also to help ensure they’re candidates for automated construction.

HOW VALUABLE DO YOU THINK BIM IS FOR IMPROVING PROJECT OUTCOMES?

Click on the graph to enlarge.

ORGANIZATIONS WITH EFFECTIVE PRECONSTRUCTION STRUGGLE WITH REWORK 65% LESS OFTEN THAN BELOW-AVERAGE ORGANIZATIONS

Preconstruction will also inform the design phase. Effective preconstruction is universally recognized as critical for reducing delays, improving profitability, and enhancing client satisfaction. In fact, the State of Global Preconstruction report found that organizations with effective preconstruction struggle with rework 65% less often than those with below-average preconstruction practices.³¹ Early involvement of stakeholders and standardized processes are key differentiators between successful and struggling organizations.

Digital twins will enable designers and builders to work in tandem and witness the impact of design decisions on construction and vice versa before a tool is even lifted. And they will make buildings more adaptable throughout their lifecycle, evolving with real-time data.

While tomorrow’s design solutions might look very different from today’s tools, what won’t change is the value of field experience. It will, in fact, be multiplied through coordination systems and data capture. This real-world insight from builders — who best understand what works in the field — is the data that will drive future design automation. Every RFI, every field modification, and every constructability issue will be data to influence future design.

IN THE FUTURE OF DESIGN, THE VALUE OF FIELD EXPERIENCE WILL NOT DECREASE; IT WILL BE MULTIPLIED

AI and machine learning will enable upfront engineering.

In the current construction process, engineering happens after the design. Plans are drawn up by designers, and then engineers and builders assess those plans for constructibility and efficiency, often redrawing them in the process. Rework costs alone amount to 19% of total project costs, according to the FMI State of Global Preconstruction Report.³²

With AI, engineering decision-making can be incorporated into the initial design process and drive quality and compliance checks. Equipping AI with decisions from past projects, manuals, guidelines, and building codes can allow it to check designs against that data, automating what could take designers hours of tedious work.

Machine learning (ML) can also add value through generative design, performance prediction, BIM integration, and resource optimization. The industry is optimistic about the impact ML will have on design, as 49% of construction professionals surveyed anticipate increased use of BIM for design collaboration and clash detection.³³

49%

OF CONSTRUCTION PROFESSIONALS SURVEYED ANTICIPATE INCREASED USE OF BIM FOR DESIGN COLLABORATION AND CLASH DETECTION

“Buildings are the most expensive, most complicated, and hardest-to-create things that mankind endeavors to build. They are harder to build than airplanes. Boeing designs seven airplanes and builds them for 65 years. We design an individual building. We design one at a time, using disparate kinds of labor. All different kinds of consultants come together to build these things. And it’s hard for me to think that there is anyone out there — architect or designer — who can keep their mind completely wrapped around the design problem the entire time.

AI is going to enable us to see a lot more clearly the complexity that goes into buildings.

We might be able to design processes, systems, and physical spaces better.”

^⬣^{CLIFTON HARNESS, CO-FOUNDER AND CEO AT TESTFIT}

AI is going to enable us to see a lot more clearly the complexity that goes into buildings.

We might be able to design processes, systems, and physical spaces better.”

^{CLIFTON HARNESS, CO-FOUNDER AND CEO AT TESTFIT}

⬣

“A lot of rework happens because, if architects want to change something in the architectural drawing, they don’t always know how those changes impact engineering solutions. We run architecture drawings through a generative AI algorithm that we built, which allows engineers to explore thousands of different layout options.

Generative design means we’re able to generate most of the drawings in minutes.

We’re doing the same structural analysis an engineer would have done manually, but we do it much faster at a bigger scale. This empowers engineers to react much more quickly.”

^⬣^{ZHIHAO ZHAO, CO-FOUNDER AND CEO, GENIA}

Generative design means we’re able to generate most of the drawings in minutes.

We’re doing the same structural analysis an engineer would have done manually, but we do it much faster at a bigger scale. This empowers engineers to react much more quickly.”

^{ZHIHAO ZHAO, CO-FOUNDER AND CEO, GENIA}

Design will be more efficient.

As design tools advance, they will become more intuitive and accessible, allowing broader team participation in the design process. Parametric design tools will allow dynamic updates and faster designs. Algorithmic design tools can take this concept even further, using advanced algorithms to automate the design process. Designers will be able to create complex structures that would be too tedious or complicated to design by hand, incorporating various sources of data and performance criteria when creating a structure.

All of the design technologies described will be combined in a project coordination system to capture the reason behind every design decision. That data leads to coordinated decision-making and more efficient designs that impact every aspect of construction.