Reverse Engineering

HWKN Architecture

Short description

Matthias Hollwich is transforming the future of urban developments globally and has advanced the use of AI to drive the future of architecture with a hyper-local, AI-powered approach, creating unique and personalized buildings that blend seamlessly with the fabric of different cities around the world.

Rather than creating starchitecture-type buildings, HWKN leverages AI to design buildings that weave into a city’s DNA. As a first step, Matthias and his team spearheaded the research project Neo York, fusing AI with the firm’s design ethos to reinterpret the architectural essence of iconic New York City landmarks. The project focuses on twelve Art Deco landmarks, including the Chrysler Building, the Empire State Building, and the Flatiron Building. By leveraging AI, HWKN conducts a detailed analysis of each building's geometry and design, allowing the AI to reinterpret and enhance these structures' unique characteristics.

From here, Matthias’ vision of designing contextual buildings with AI, which capture HWKN’s future-forward design philosophy, has evolved into using the technology to drive the future of the architecture and AI,by raising the bar to create contextual, novel, and surprising designs that serve a city's first. In Riyadh, a playscape designed by HWKN reimagines traditional playgrounds through AI that reflect local cultural and environmental aspects. Customizability ensures that each playground meets the needs and desires of a specific community. HWKN is also exploring the potential of branded residences. The same process is being used by HWKN to expand on the idea of the branded residence.

Here the firm utilizes AI to craft distinctive personalities of buildings that either derive from an established brand, or a public personality such as film directors, sport and music legends, or any other distinct person, . HWKN uses AI to create an authentic relationship between the personality of brand or celebrities and translates them into buildings with referencial character on the inside and outside. HWKN is tapping into something that nobody has seen ever before, and though most of these designs are still in the conceptual phase, two designs have been greenlite for construction.