Interview with Sameedha Mahajan

Architect and Urban Designer

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

1.Can you introduce yourself and your background in architecture or design?

“I am an architect and urban designer with work experience in India and the USA. My portfolio of works is diverse and spans aviation, wastewater, critical infrastructure, and healthcare projects.

My inspiration to study architecture came from growing up around it – my father is an architect and urban designer, so I was naturally immersed in the world of design and urban planning from a young age. Seeing how architecture could shape communities and transform spaces made me want to pursue it as a career.

I got my Bachelor of Architecture degree from Kamla Raheja Vidyanidhi Institute of Architecture and Environmental Studies in Mumbai, India, and my Master of Urban Design degree from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. I bring a unique, multidisciplinary, and multicultural perspective to my work. My academic background in Architecture gave me good design focus, technical skills, and context sensitivity, while my Urban Design background offered a more analytical, systems-thinking approach to design problems. Combined, these experiences have helped me bridge the gap between architectural design and broader urban challenges, preparing me to tackle complex projects.

So far, I have worked on campus master planning analysis, environmental design, wastewater treatment plants, healthcare projects and other critical infrastructure such as electrical substations and correctional facilities. I have over 3 years of experience in aviation architecture, and have worked on 5 airports across the USA – the scope for which varies from new terminal construction, master planning of new facilities, renovation and facilities upgrades, and prefabricated structures by the runway that ensure efficient design for high-traffic environments.

Beyond architecture, I am also working on a data-driven urban revitalization project for the East Liberty neighbourhood in Pittsburgh, PA. This involves creating an inventory database to track real estate health in the business district, supporting urban design interventions.

Apart from professional work, I also engage in academic writing and am deeply committed to mentoring students and emerging professionals and fostering inclusive growth within the design community. I have been invited as a guest speaker at over 8 American universities, including the University of Maryland, University of Michigan, and Washington University, to mention a few, on topics ranging from career development in architecture to the role of design in the present world. I have also been invited to present at 2 AIA (American Institute of Architects) lectures – AIA New Jersey and AIA Queens.”

2.How do you integrate AI into your creative or design process?

“AI significantly enhances the iterative design process, allowing architects and urban designers to explore multiple options rapidly, optimize performance, and refine solutions based on real-time data. I integrate AI into iterative design modeling in the following ways:

1. Generative Design & Parametric Modeling

I use AI-driven parametric tools like Grasshopper for Rhino and Autodesk’s Generative Design to create design variations based on defined constraints (e.g., structural efficiency, daylighting, circulation). These tools allow me to input design parameters and quickly generate multiple iterations, refining the form based on project goals.

For instance, in aviation and prefabrication projects, AI-driven tools help optimize layouts by simulating traffic flow, maximizing space efficiency, and reducing material waste.

2. Performance-Based Design Iterations

AI tools help in evaluating design iterations against multiple performance metrics:

• Daylighting analysis: AI-driven DIVA for Rhino helps assess daylight penetration and glare potential.
• Structural optimization: AI tools can suggest the most efficient load-bearing configurations, reducing material costs.

3. Real-Time Feedback & Adaptive Design

Instead of relying on manual trial and error, AI provides real-time feedback, enabling faster refinements. Tools like Delve by Sidewalk Labs, for example, can analyze thousands of iterations in seconds, helping determine the most feasible solution.

For example, in my East Liberty real estate inventory project, I plan to use AI to assist in scenario modeling, predicting how different urban interventions (zoning changes, new businesses, or transit improvements) might impact the district over time.

AI as a Design Partner, Not a Replacement

I strongly believe that architecture is a very human act that requires us to use our experiences, cultural background, and empathy to create spaces. It is for this critical reason that I believe that while AI enhances efficiency and innovation, it does not replace the architect’s creative vision and critical decision-making. I see AI more as a co-pilot – helping generate, test, and refine ideas while ensuring designs remain user-centered and contextually appropriate. By taking away the manual effort and time required in analyzing data and generating multiple iterations, I believe the use of AI can help architects focus on larger creative questions.”

3.What are your thoughts on AI-generated architecture competitions and their impact on the industry?

“AI-generated designs in architecture are transforming the industry by enhancing efficiency, optimizing performance, and pushing creative boundaries, but they also raise important questions about authorship, design intent, and the role of architects in the future.

1. AI as a Tool for Efficiency and Innovation

AI accelerates design processes by automating repetitive tasks and generating multiple design iterations based on predefined parameters. Tools like Autodesk Generative Design, TestFit, and Delve allow architects to explore thousands of design options quickly, optimizing for factors like sustainability, material efficiency, cost, and circulation flow.

For large-scale projects like urban planning, aviation, or prefabricated structures, AI-generated designs can analyze vast datasets and propose optimal solutions in minutes, compared to the traditional manual approach that could take weeks. This speeds up feasibility studies and concept development while ensuring data-driven decision-making.

2. Creativity vs. Computational Design

One major debate is whether AI can truly be creative. While AI-generated forms can be visually striking and structurally innovative, they often lack the nuanced understanding of human experience, culture, and context that architects bring to design. AI is great at pattern recognition and optimization, but it doesn’t inherently understand the social, historical, and emotional aspects of space.

However, AI can augment creativity rather than replace it. For example, using AI-generated form-finding tools like Grasshopper + Galapagos allows designers to explore unconventional geometries and structures that might not have been immediately intuitive.

3. AI and the Generalization of Design

AI-powered platforms are making architecture more accessible by enabling non-architects and real estate developers to generate design solutions quickly. While this can streamline early-stage planning, it also raises concerns about architectural expertise being sidelined in favor of algorithm-driven decision-making.

4. Ethical and Practical Challenges

• Loss of Design Authorship: If an AI generates a building layout, who owns the design? The architect, the software developer, or the AI itself?
• Bias in AI Models: AI systems are trained on existing datasets, which may contain biases. This can lead to homogenized, data-driven designs that reinforce past architectural trends rather than innovating new ones.
• Over-Reliance on AI: Architects must ensure AI remains a tool for assistance rather than replacement. While AI can generate concepts, human architects are needed to interpret, refine, and ensure cultural and contextual relevance.

5. The Future of Architecture with AI

AI will likely shift the role of architects from drafting and modeling to curating and guiding AI-generated solutions. Instead of manually iterating designs, architects will focus more on strategy, concept refinement, and human-centric problem-solving.

For example, in my work on the urban design intervention model for the East Liberty neighborhood, AI helps analyze and visualize property trends. However, the final decisions – such as what interventions will best support community growth – would still require human judgment, ethics, and creativity.

Final Thoughts: AI is a Co-Designer, Not a Replacement

AI-generated design is a powerful tool that enhances but does not replace architectural thinking. It will continue to reshape workflows, increase efficiency, and challenge traditional design processes, but the architect’s role as a critical thinker, storyteller, and place-maker will remain essential.”

4.Can you share a specific project where AI was a key tool in the design or visualization process?

“One of my projects where AI is playing a key role in design and visualization is my ongoing work with the East Liberty neighborhood in Pittsburgh. This project involves creating a real estate and urban space inventory database to track the health of the business district and assess the impact of urban design interventions over time.

How AI Is Used:

1. AI-Driven Data Analysis for Urban Design

We are leveraging AI-powered data analytics to process large datasets, including:

• Property ownership records
• Real estate values
• Business occupancy rates
• Rent estimations & trends over time

By using AI models to analyze trends and predict future urban development, we will generate heatmaps showing which areas were thriving, declining, or have the potential for revitalization.

2. AI for Scenario Modeling & Iterative Design

AI-driven urban modeling tools helped us test different interventions:

• What if zoning laws were changed to allow mixed-use developments?
• How would introducing green spaces or pedestrian zones impact foot traffic and property values?
• What is the optimal density for commercial and residential spaces in East Liberty?

AI simulations provide data-backed insights, guiding more strategic urban planning decisions.

Impact & Takeaways:

The project demonstrated how AI can be a powerful decision-making tool, but human architects and urban designers are still needed to interpret findings and ensure solutions align with community needs.

AI enhanced efficiency, allowing us to analyze massive datasets and generate insights that would have taken weeks manually.

AI-driven scenario modeling helped us test different urban design strategies without requiring extensive physical site studies.”

5.What advice would you give to architects or designers who are looking to explore AI in their work?

“As architects integrate AI into their workflows, it is crucial to approach this technology responsibly and ethically. My key pieces of advice would be to:

• Prioritize Human-Centered Design: AI-generated solutions can be efficient, but they must not compromise the human experience. Balance data-driven insights with empathy and social context to create spaces that serve communities.
• Maintain Transparency and Accountability: Clearly communicate how AI-driven decisions are made and be transparent with clients about the role of algorithms in design. Take responsibility for potential biases embedded in AI models, especially when analyzing social or economic data.
• Be aware that AI models can perpetuate social and economic inequalities if trained on biased data. Hence, it is necessary to process AI output using our own knowledge and understanding.
• While AI can accelerate repetitive tasks, human intuition and creativity remain irreplaceable. Use AI as a co-pilot rather than an authoritative decision-maker.
• As AI seeps into all aspects of life, understanding its role in BIM workflows and coding basics can make you efficient. You don’t need to be a machine-learning expert, but understanding how AI works can help you use it effectively.

The smart architects of the near future will be those who can blend AI with design intuition. However, this requires ethical integration of AI into the design process, where design still is about the human experience, cultural context, and empathy toward the users.”

6.What tools or software do you find most useful for AI-driven design?

“Some of the most useful AI-driven tools across different design phases are:

1. Generative Design & Parametric Modeling: These tools help generate multiple design iterations based on predefined constraints.

• Autodesk Generative Design – Automates design exploration by optimizing for material efficiency, sustainability, and cost.
• TestFit – AI-powered real estate feasibility software for site planning, unit layouts, and massing studies.
• Rhino + Grasshopper with AI Plugins (Galapagos, Wallacei, Ladybug) – Ideal for parametric modeling, environmental analysis, and evolutionary design solutions.

2. AI-Powered BIM & Automation

• Autodesk Revit + Dynamo – AI-powered parametric scripting for automating modeling and documentation.

3. AI for Sustainability & Performance Analysis

• Climate Studio (for Rhino) – AI-driven daylight and energy performance simulations.
• Cove.Tool – Automates sustainability analysis and code compliance.
• DIVA for Rhino – Helps with lighting and thermal performance analysis.

5. AI in Urban Design & Real Estate

• Delve (by Sidewalk Labs) – AI-driven master planning tool optimizing density, mobility, and sustainability.
• Space Syntax AI – Analyzes pedestrian movement and spatial configurations for better planning.

Final Thoughts

Real estate feasibility & urban design → Try TestFit

Concept design & generative modeling → Start with Rhino + Grasshopper AI plugins

BIM automation & efficiency → Explore Revit + Dynamo”

Follow Sameedha on Linkedin to learn more about how she integrates AI in the design process: @Sameedha Mahajan