Architectural Informatics
Upcycling Wood Innovation for Sustainable Design Using AI & XR

The Architectural Informatics workshop stands at the intersection of architectural design and information processing, revolutionising wood upcycling by merging digital and manual techniques. It focuses on creatively transforming leftover materials, such as wood waste, into high-value products like furniture and cladding.

Through Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Extended Reality (XR), the workshop explores how these tools enhance upcycling by automating design communication and facilitating digital fabrication. Participants engage in an iterative "design thinking" process — 3D scanning, AI-driven design, VR simulation, and MR-assisted assembly — creating an interactive feedback loop between physical and digital.

Students from diverse disciplines define urban challenges and develop prototypes embodying sustainable urban and community construction (SDG Goal 11), using Beijing's Liangma River as the urban case site.