[Kim Daesik & Kim Hyeyeon's AHA] The Era When AI Becomes a 'Partner' Beyond a Tool... The Future of Architecture

Architect Yoo Hyun-jun, Professor at Hongik University

Editor's NoteAsia Economy has decided to explore, from the perspectives of engineers and artists, how the rapidly advancing generative AI will bring changes to the field of artistic creation and what 'humans' should contemplate. Accordingly, we have prepared a monthly corner where Professor Kim Dae-sik of KAIST's Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and choreographer Kim Hye-yeon (CEO of Yeonist) either hold dialogues with artists or discuss works. The title 'AHA' in the corner stands for 'AI, Human & Art.' Through Professor Kim Dae-sik, who passionately explores the future of generative AI, and choreographer Kim Hye-yeon, who boldly integrates generative AI with dance, we hope you take a step closer to the profound themes of AI, humans, and art.

Architect Yoo Hyun-jun is a professor at Hongik University’s College of Architecture and Urban Planning and the CEO of Yoo Hyun-jun Architects. He has been rethinking the relationship between cities and humans through architecture. After earning a Master’s in Architectural Design from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and a Master’s in Urban Design from Harvard University, and obtaining U.S. architectural licensure, he has actively worked based on extensive practical experience and theory both domestically and internationally.

He has deeply connected with the public by explaining complex architectural concepts in everyday language through books such as 'Space Human,' 'What Do Cities Live On,' 'Where to Live,' and 'Space Made by Space.' He has also played a key role in popularizing the social role of architecture and the meaning of cities through various broadcasts like tvN's 'Alssul Sinjab,' OtvN's 'Accidental Adult,' and SBS's 'Master in the House.'

Under the belief that "architecture is a framework for people," he continuously explores how space defines and expands human behavior and thought. On the 4th, we met him at Yoo Hyun-jun Architects located on Dosan-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. In this era where technology and art, humans and cities intersect, Yoo Hyun-jun still asks, "What kind of space do we live in, and how does that space change us?"

[Kim Daesik & Kim Hyeyeon's AHA] The Era When AI Becomes a 'Partner' Beyond a Tool... The Future of Architecture

Professor Yoo Hyun-joon of the Department of Architecture at Hongik University is having a conversation with Professor Kim Dae-sik of KAIST and choreographer Kim Hye-yeon at an architecture office located in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, on the 4th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min

- Was there a special reason that led you to choose architecture as your path?

▲ Actually, I was not the type to immerse myself in just one thing. I disliked memorization and was not good at moving according to schedules. Because of that, I hated studying for exams, and subjects with time pressure like math or music were also unappealing. The only thing I liked was drawing. Drawing allowed me to start and stop whenever I wanted. Naturally, I became interested in art, and among middle and high school subjects, art was the only one where I felt 'self-expression' was possible.

However, just doing art felt somewhat insufficient. At that time, my father was a journalist, and given the nature of journalism, there was a lot of criticism of someone or something. Watching that, I strongly felt, "I want to create something myself rather than talk about what others have done." With that mindset, I received various recommendations for future careers, but after passing through them, architecture was what remained. It was neither humanities nor sciences, but somewhere in between where arts and engineering intersect. Whenever I took aptitude tests, I always scored 50:50, and architecture was almost the only field I could choose.

Looking back now, I think I wanted to do something truly 'lasting in the world' among the things I could do. So for me, architecture is ultimately the result of choosing 'action over words' and 'creation over criticism,' and it feels like the most human tool connecting the world and myself.

- Are there any figures who inspired you or role models you look up to?

▲ In my twenties, I actually didn’t have a clear role model. Rather, I believed that "the answer to architecture lies outside architecture." So I think I was more influenced by people in other fields than architects. For example, I greatly admired Michael Jordan. Not simply because he was good at basketball, but because I saw how he overcame tension and anxiety during games in his own way, and thought, "Ah, that’s truly an attitude toward life." I was also impressed by modern physicists, especially those who prove new concepts. Showing something not just verbally but mathematically and experimentally is truly admirable.

As I got older, I became increasingly moved by architects as well. In my thirties, it was Louis Kahn, and in my fifties, Le Corbusier resonated more with me. When I was younger, I liked emotional language, but as I aged, I began to appreciate structure, order, and the power to penetrate the times. So even now, it’s hard to pick just one role model, but I think the 'ways of thinking' that resonated with me at different times have shaped me. The important thing is not to want to be 'like someone' but to follow 'how to think and live.'

- What is the essence of 'space' and 'architecture'? Is there a philosophy you particularly value?

▲ My architectural philosophy can be summarized in two very simple sentences: "Space is information," and "Architecture is designing relationships." Many people see architecture only functionally, but I always think beyond that. Functionality is basic. For example, spaces for sleeping and eating must obviously exist. That is literally a 'mechanical condition.' But above that, what’s truly important is the 'relationships' among the people living in that space. Good space naturally and peacefully creates relationships among its inhabitants. So designing space is not just about making walls and roofs but about setting distances between people, adjusting sightlines, and deciding whether people meet naturally?it's a kind of relationship design.

To properly understand this, it’s necessary to recall the origin of space. I believe the human concept of space began with the 'campfire.' People sitting around a warm fire in a circle naturally set distances and directions, creating inside and outside, and boundaries between light and darkness. That is the beginning of spatial humans. Animals don’t have this spatial sense. Only humans sense the 'distance before the fire,' regulate relationships, and start creating space. I think architecture started from there.

The next stage is the 'cave paintings.' The first attempt by humans to leave and share their thoughts was drawing on walls. It was a much more instinctive and powerful communication than words. By leaving such symbols in space, we created a sense of community, culture, and religion, and architecture became the 'framework of memory' that contains all of that. So I think architecture is the oldest information technology that visualizes, organizes, and conveys human thought and emotion. It’s still the same today. Small spaces like hospital waiting rooms, school corridors, and apartment balconies are all results of calculations on 'how to move people.'

Another important aspect is 'circulation.' Architecture designs how people move within space, who they encounter, where they stop, and where their gaze lingers. Passing through narrow corridors reduces conversation, and open spaces open the heart. So I also say architecture is 'designing intangible order.' It’s not about confining people with physical structures but designing the flow and rhythm between those structures to make people freer. I think architecture is not simply building houses but designing life habits. Ultimately, space determines how we walk, where we sit, and with whom and how long we stay. In the end, architecture is an art and technology that designs invisible relationships and behaviors rather than visible structures.

Professor Yoo Hyun-jun, Department of Architecture, Hongik University. Photo by Kim Hyun-min

- In the era when artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming mainstream, what role will architects play in the future?

▲ AI is entering architectural design at a very fast pace. In the past, the generation of initial ideas or intuitive form proposals were considered tasks only architects could do, but now AI can propose hundreds or thousands of options much faster. So what does the architect do now? The architect becomes the person who selects among those numerous proposals and explains and persuades why they chose them.

In fact, architectural design is not just about drawing plans and creating spaces. The real time investment is in communication. The client explains why they need the space and what functions they want, and the architect constantly coordinates, adjusts, and persuades numerous stakeholders such as administrative agencies, construction companies, structural engineers, and electrical teams. This process accounts for more than 80% of the entire design. So, ironically, as AI creates forms, what is required of human architects is the ability to think, insightfully explain 'why this space must be like this,' and coordinate relationships. I believe this is not a process where the human architect’s role diminishes but rather becomes clearer. The essence that we create spaces for people cannot be replaced by AI.

AI is already used on-site for generating design proposals; initial idea production and form proposals are underway; architects serve as connectors to clients.

- How does collaboration with AI actually work in your projects?

▲ I have had a connection with AI for quite some time. When I studied at MIT, there was a concept called 'shape grammar' in the architecture department. This means that architects develop designs through a kind of grammar of thought. For example, if an architect designed a house with the entrance on the south and rooms arranged accordingly, but one day changed their mind and moved the entrance to the west, the subsequent design would naturally change. There was a program where AI learned the architect’s past design process and predicted and suggested the next floor plan by saying, "If it were you, you would have changed it like this." I was amazed to see that even the architect’s 'way of thinking' could be learned. This is not just simple drawing generation but moving toward understanding the architect’s thought structure.

Looking at the images AI produces these days, they are all pixel-based. But architecture is the result of abstract thinking composed of lines. The thickness, density, and spacing of a single line all carry meaning. The reason AI cannot fully replace drawings now is that it does not understand the 'meaning of abstracted lines.' But the moment it does, architects and AI will truly 'collaborate.' I believe the era when AI becomes not just a tool but a 'partner' to architects is near. When that time comes, the role of architects will need to be redefined again.

- If humanoids or non-human entities start sharing human daily spaces, how will architecture change?

▲ It will definitely change. When AI first appeared, I thought it still existed only in 'virtual space.' Humans live in physical space, and AI existed in digital space. But now, through humanoids, AI is beginning to enter analog space, the reality we live in. The era has come when machines that walk on two legs, open doors, and climb stairs share human spaces.

From now on, when designing the structure of a house, we cannot think only about humans. Robots must be considered too. For example, door widths, ceiling heights, and furniture arrangements must be convenient not only for humans but also for robots to operate easily. And it’s not just functional; emotionally, living with robots creates a completely new psychological environment for humans. So I think architecture must newly design how humans and machines 'coexist.' Space is not just walls and floors but a stage for relationships. Now, space must embrace relationships between people and people, people and space, and people and machines. This is a very interesting and challenging task for architects.

Architecture must consider robots like humanoids; now architecture must reorganize relationships among people, machines, and space.

- If there were no budget or regulatory constraints, is there a space you would definitely want to design?

▲ I want to design an entire city. Not just a cool museum or a stylish house. I have always wanted to properly create something like a smart city. Today’s problems cannot be solved by a single building. As cities grow, people’s movement patterns become complex, and issues like climate, energy, conflicts, and density are all interconnected, designing one building cannot solve them. So there is a need to redesign the entire city system. For example, energy circulation, flows of people gathering and dispersing, water and air circulation, and information transmission methods must be integrated and spatially organized.

If there were truly no constraints?unlimited budget, no regulations, no political interests?I would want to create the most energy-efficient and most humane city within the laws of physics. But I think building such a city is not just a technical problem. Ultimately, what matters is what kind of life people will live in that city and what relationships they will form. That is why architecture remains important: because 'space changes life, organizes relationships, and ultimately designs society.' The future is not about technology but about who and how can create 'structures for people.'

Professor Yoo Hyun-joon, Department of Architecture, Hongik University. Photo by Kim Hyun-min

- What advice would you give to the younger generation studying architecture in this era?

▲ These days, young people worry about what they can become in the future or whether there will be jobs. But I think architecture is not just a discipline to become an architect. The real important thing is learning 'how to think, how to organize, and how to speak' through the process. Studying architecture touches philosophy, engineering, art, sociology, and psychology. There is a lot to study, many assignments, and many sleepless nights. But the strength gained from that lasts quite long. And it manifests in each person’s own way no matter what field they go into. Not everyone who graduates from architecture becomes an architect; nowadays, people go into various paths like construction, marketing, strategic planning, and even broadcasting or content production.

Also, your perspective on the world changes. Even if you travel to Rome like anyone else, someone trained in architecture reads the hidden texture of time in the city. That is one of the greatest gifts architecture gives. Whatever your job or how the world changes, the ability to read space and think about structure will enrich your life greatly. So even now, if I could go back to being 20, I would choose architecture again. I think many architects would answer the same way.

Professor Kim Dae-sik, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, KAIST · Choreographer Kim Hye-yeon (CEO of Yeonist)