The Ultimate Guide to Using AI in Architectural Design: Why I Chose AI as My 'Memory Partner'.

90% of an architect's work consists of searching for things.
…That might be an exaggeration, but it’s not entirely untrue.
Can you imagine how many documents are created before a single building is completed?
Blueprints, meeting minutes, estimates, records of discussions with government officials, site photos, and countless emails.
By the time a project ends, that number swells to thousands or tens of thousands of files.
“What did the client say in that meeting again?”
“Is the change to the plumbing reflected in the drawings?”
To confirm these things, I search through past emails and wander through a sea of folders.
That time produces nothing. It is just a 'search'.
Architects, who should be creative, must not become information organizers.
Thinking this, I decided to hire a 'new staff member'.
Google's AI, Gemini.
He remembers everything.
His (the AI's) workspace is a repository on the cloud called 'NotebookLM'.
When a project starts, I dump all the materials there.
PDFs of drawings, audio data from meetings, government guidelines—everything.
And then, I give him this instruction:
“You are the dedicated manager for this project. Please point out any contradictions.”
He reads through the vast amount of material without a single complaint.
And when I ask, “What happened with that matter?”, he answers in 0.5 seconds.
“According to last month's regular meeting minutes, the client requested, 'I would like the waiting room sofa to be made of a stain-resistant material.' However, the current specifications list fabric. Does this need to be changed?”
…Perfect.
He never forgets even the trivial conversations that a human would forget.

The day 'he said, she said' disappeared
One of the scariest troubles on a construction site is the 'he said, she said' problem.
Memories are vague, and sometimes things are missed in the meeting minutes.
But now, I have the ultimate witness.
If I ask, “When was this change decided?”, he tells me with a source, “It is based on a statement made around 20 minutes into the December 4th meeting minutes.”
This sense of security is irreplaceable.
Because I have a partner I can rely on, I can act with confidence on-site and focus on dialogue with the client.
AI frees us from 'busy work'.
Some people are afraid that 'AI will take our jobs'.
But my experience is the opposite.
AI only takes away the 'non-creative work (= busy work)' from us.
Searching for documents and checking for consistency.
By leaving such 'defensive' tasks to AI, architects can finally immerse themselves in their true work—'creating spaces that move people's hearts'.
Beside me, there is still 'him', who never sleeps, never complains, and remembers every drawing.
Thanks to him, I feel like I can draw a good design today, too.

▼ For those who want to know more
“How do you make AI a project manager?”
“How do you set up Gemini Gems?”
For fellow professionals who want to know such specific know-how, or for those struggling with project management, I have published an 'AI Manager Construction Manual' on our office's official blog.
It is practical content you can use starting today, so please take a look.
📖 Read the article: [ArchitectureDX] How to create the ultimate partner 'AIProject Manager' (KTXArchilab OfficialWebsite )

[Author of this article: Tetsuya Matsumoto]
Representative of KTX archiLAB, First-Class Architect, Part-time Lecturer at Osaka University of Arts
Ranked 9th in the Italian DAC World Designer Rankings (Architecture Category) (1st in Japan)
▶Wikipedia Tetsuya Matsumoto (Architect)

[Contact Information]
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Nisshin Building 2F, 298-2 Funaoka-cho, Himeji-shi, Hyogo
(Business Description)
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Email: kentixx@ktx.space
Phone: 03-4400-4529 (Main)
Website:https://ktx.space/

[Related Article Links]
▶Representative Matsumoto Newsweek Magazine Interview
▶KTXarchiLAB Profile (Company Overview)
▶Architectural Design / Interior Design Case Studies
▶KTXarchiLAB YouTube Video Channel