Reading Notes

1)      “GPT” refers to both Chat GPT and GPT 4 since both were used in the construction of the model.  Chat GPT and GPT 4 have different capabilities, and wherever the use of one was specific, it is noted as such.  Wherever “GPT” is used, it could refer to either Chat GPT or GPT 4.

2)      NLGAI Prompts (for GPT, Midjourney, all others) are in blue bold.

3)      NLGAI responses are in Purple bold.

4)      References to ‘the article’ refer to “In the Future, Everyone’s an Architect (and why that’s a good thing)” parts 1 and 2, available on Design Intelligence.  If you haven’t read them, you should probably begin by doing so, as they give important context to what follows.

5)      References to ‘the video’ refer to the video included in “In the Future, Everyone’s an Architect (and why that’s a good thing),” which is also available on my youtube.

6)      I developed the initial language model on March 12^th, 2023 and developed the video in the days after.  I submitted the article for publication on April 7^th, 2023.  The most challenging part of writing the article was how rapidly the technology advanced during that time.  I continually had to re-edit the article to account for new technologies and applications of NLGAI that were surfacing daily.  Indeed, the technology has advanced rapidly in the time between my submission and today (the date of publication, April 26^th, 2023).  To stay faithful to the experiment, the methods below described what I did on March 12^th, 2023.  They are not necessarily the methods I would use today.  If you’re reading this at some future date, it’s inevitable that the methods described below have been superseded.  Where possible, I tried to note how a particular process might have been updated in the lag between the creation of the model and the publication of the article.  However, with the technology changing as rapidly as it is, I would encourage you to follow my substack for periodic updates.

7)      The article and the processes described below focus on replicating the role of an architect during the earliest parts of the design cycle, since those seemed most challenging to replicate.  The video depicts an architect, client, engineer and contractor moving through the entire design cycle.  While they were not the subject of this investigation, it is imagined that the later stages of the design cycle (DD’s, CD’s, CA, etc.) could also be largely replicated via AI, resulting in a near total replacement of an architect’s labor.  For ideas on how this near-future might come to pass, please check out “ The Cult of G.E.N.I.U.S. - A Speculative Exploration on the Possibility of a Full-Stack, AI Architect” on my substack.

MAKING THE CONVERSATION

Pretraining the Model

I began by adding a series of generalized, contextual questions.  I did so to ‘prime the pump’ and get GPT thinking about the conversation it was going to have, and also as a kind of experiment control.  Later in the process, when Bob is asking Carla questions about her design preferences, I wanted to be able to see to what degree Bob’s questions were being informed by a generalized knowledge about architecture, and to what degree Bob was being responsive to Carla and the things she was saying in the moment.  I asked two questions:

“Imagine you are an architect preparing to meet with a potential client for the first time. The client is interested in designing a custom luxury residential house for themselves and their children. What questions would you ask this potential client, to better understand their design ambitions, and aspirations for the house?” (Responses here).

 

“Imagine you are a successful tech executive who is interested in hiring an architect to design and build your custom dream house. You are about to meet with the architect for the first time and interview him for the job. What questions would you ask the architect to determine if he is the right fit for you?” (Responses here).

 

I followed that by feeding GPT character descriptions of the different roles that would appear in the video.  I took care not to feed GPT any technical information – I didn’t give Bob any advice on how to be an architect, or Carla any advice on how to be a client.  I merely tried to flesh out a description that would allow GPT to ‘understand’ who they were, and hopefully have that animate their words and actions in the dialogue.  I wrote separate character descriptions, in varying detail, for Bob, Carla, Doug and Gus.

There is an alternative method of character generation that proved to be too cumbersome from a timing perspective.  It involves asking GPT to generate the character sketches through iterative prompting.  This enlists GPT in creating its own prompts.  You basically ask GPT to ask you questions that will help it in crafting a personality profile.  It asks you questions, and you answer them, and it subsequently refines the character profile.  It does a pretty good job, but it takes a while.  I could not discern the logic by which GPT was selecting its questions; some of the questions didn’t seem pertinent to what I was trying to do.  So, I would end up answering questions like what kind of food Bob enjoys, and that sort of thing.  An interesting process, with a wide variety of applications, but proved to be a little lengthy for this particular exercise.

Making the Conversation

Once the pretraining was done I pursued two parallel methods for generating the conversation.  GPT is set up on a conversational model that anticipates it interacting with you, a single user.  It is a chat bot designed for a single person at the keyboard.  I needed to alter that, so I created a model with a combination of Chat GPT, GPT 4, Google Sheets and a Google Sheets plugin called “GPT for Sheets^TM and Docs^TM.[1]  The first attempt was made with Google Sheets, and the second through iterative prompt engineering with GPT 4.  Both worked equally well, although they generated slightly different results.  Ultimately, I used GPT for Sheets^TM and Docs^TM to generate the base dialogue but then switched to using GPT 4 when it was released and I had gotten off the waitlist (roughly halfway through my work on the article).  I found that GPT 4 was better able to handle large inputs and had a higher degree of spatial intelligence.

GPT for Sheets^TM and Docs^TM

I arranged the conversation in Google Sheets such that the questions asked by one character would inform the responses of another, as well as generate additional questions (Figure 1).I let the conversation iterate through 4 cycles, until I felt that the characters had asked and answered enough of each other’s questions to form the foundations of a design brief.

GPT 4

While GPT for Sheets^TM and Docs^TM proved successful, I ultimately switched over to GPT 4 once it became available (about midway through my work on the article).  GPT 4 was a massive upgrade over Chat GPT, and able to handle much larger blocks of text.  It also seemed ‘smarter’ although I’m not sure how to quantify that.  It seemed to reflect enhanced intuition about the characters, their motives, and design choices.  I initiated the conversation with a 3-part prompt:

"I would like you to imagine the script for a zoom interview between an architect named Bob Bobinsky and a potential client named Carla Carlinsky. Respond with "..." if you understand.

 

For the zoom interview, imagine Bob Bobinsky as a 50-year-old male architect with a specialty in single-family, residential projects. He has been in practice for 20 years and is based in the San Francisco Bay Area. He runs his own firm and has 10 employees. He has received several local design awards for his work.  He was raised in Texas and studied architecture at Washington University in St. Louis.  Earlier in his career, he worked on large commercial projects for a large firm, before starting his own practice to focus on custom residential projects.  He is married with 3 children.  In his free time, he enjoys kayaking in the San Francisco Bay and cooking for friends and family. He is very interested in securing Carla as a client. Imagine Carla Carlinsky as a 40-year-old single mother of two. She is a successful tech executive, currently living in San Francisco. She recently left a tech conglomerate and cashed out her stock options, resulting in a financial windfall.  She is starting her own small consulting business so she can have more flexible time with her two children.  With the proceeds from her stock sale, she is interested in building her dream home for herself and her two children. She is interested in procuring the services of an architect. She is a California native and enjoys hiking in her free time.  She has already procured a site in the Berkeley hills where she wishes to build her dream house.  She is very passionate about sustainability and technology and would like to find an architect who shares her values.  She likes the idea of a modernist house, with clean lines, but does not want the house to be too sterile.  She got Bob’s name from a friend of hers named Hilda who recommended him highly. Respond with "..." if you understand.

 

When I input “Begin the Conversation” open the zoom conversation with some friendly small talk, and then begin the interview.  Conduct the interview in a professional but friendly tone.  Bob should begin by asking Carla about her vision for the project, and Carla should respond.  Carla should ask additional questions that a client might ask a potential architect.  Bob should subsequently respond to her questions and ask her additional questions that an architect might ask a new client in order to fully understand their vision for the project. Do not conclude the interview.  I will review the responses and let you know if the interview should continue or conclude. If I write “Continue the interview” you should have Bob and Carla continue the interview.  Each should be responsive to the other’s questions, as well as ask additional questions.  Bob should ask additional questions that might help him more fully understand Carla’s vision for the project.  Carla should ask additional questions that might help her understand if Bob is the right architect for her. We will continue this iterative process until I input “Conclude the interview” at which point you should conclude the interview in a professional and friendly manner. Respond with "..." if you understand.

 

The prompts were designed to allow me to nudge the conversation along but ensure that the questions and answers being raised by both parties were authentically coming from GPT.  It would also allow me to have a measure of control to make the conversation go on as long or as little as I thought was appropriate, given the constraints of the exercise.

Making the Initial Design Brief

I let the conversation run through 4 iterations, or enough for about a 10-minute conversation.  Choosing to stop at 4 iterations was somewhat arbitrary, but not entirely without logic.  Too few iterations, and it would not have provided sufficient information for a design brief.  Too many, and it would have been too long for publication.  Importantly, GPT could have gone on indefinitely, providing more and more details about the proposed project.  It is unclear how an hour-long conversation would have affected the overall ‘design’ process.  However, every architect has had the experience of talking ‘too much’ with a client.  There’s a point in the conversation where inputs can become redundant.  A good architect knows how to ask the right questions and get to the essence of a client’s needs & intentions. 

I then asked GPT to use the transcript of the conversation it had just generated and generate a four separate design briefs:

1.       A Master Design Brief

2.       An Exterior Design Brief

3.       An Interior Design Brief

4.       A Bulleted Design Brief

For the first three, I specifically asked it to use very detailed and descriptive language, as if it was describing the project to an illustrator, since I was planning on using it to generate design options in subsequent steps via Midjourney.   I also asked it to generate a bulleted design brief, from more of a project management perspective.

Making the Initial Design Options

I first generated the images for the housing design in Midjourney V.4 (MJ4); I omit that process here, because while I was in the process of making the video, Midjourney V.5 (MJ5) was released and I began to use that instead.  MJ5, in contrast to MJ4, can accept and process more natural language prompts.  There is no special lingo needed to generate images.  According to its makers, you can merely enter a natural language description of what you would like to see. 
Since GPT’s knowledge cutoff was in 2021, it was unaware of Midjourney’s existence.  Therefore, I couldn’t ask it directly ‘make prompts for Midjourney.’  To overcome this, I tried two methods:

Method 1: Writing prompts with GPT:

First, I tried to get GPT to write my Midjourney prompts automatically.  Even though it didn’t know what Midjourney was, I tried training it anyhow by feeding it information about Midjourney V5.

I copied and pasted all the instructions from the Midjourney website about how to use prompts, as well as some random articles from around the web about how to write good prompts for MJ5.

Once it had assimilated the instructions, I asked it to use that new knowledge and craft some prompts for use in MJ5. 

It was moderately successful.  The real limitation seemed to be that it didn’t know how I wanted the images to appear, so it kept trying random approaches to angle, lighting, etc.  I was able to control it by putting more and more information into the prompts, but that seemed to be redundant; if I was going to be very specific with the prompts, I might as well do so directly into MJ5, rather than using GPT 4 as an intermediary.

Method 2: Natural Language Prompts

After that experiment, I decided to switch to a more natural language approach.  I asked GPT to generate the image prompts with the following:

“Generate a natural language description of Carla’s house that could be given to an architectural illustrator.  The description should be highly detailed.  Provide sufficient details such that an architectural illustrator could develop accurate, detailed renderings of Carla’s Dream House from multiple perspectives.”

 

That was sufficient to generate The Initial Description, which I split into parts to reflect different parts of the house.  (e.g., the bedroom and the living room should be different prompts, to avoid MJ5 trying to render both in the same image response).  I would subsequently generate options for both the exterior, the master bedroom, the office, and the living room.

To assist with lighting, camera angles, etc., I used a free tool from Promptomania to provide the correct MJ5 parameters.  For the exterior shots, I used two different camera angles, one a wide-angle lens from the front, and another from an aerial view.

I then input the completed prompts into MJ5, as is[2].  I originally generated 16 options of both interior and exterior options, resulting in 80 separate images (2 exterior shots, plus 3 interior shots x 16 options).  Since MJ5 generates 4 options with every prompt, I only had to run the prompt (or ‘reroll’) four times to generate the 80 options.

The interior options were removed from the exercise for two reasons:

1.       The space constraints of publication: I did not think anyone would watch an hour-long video or be interested in watching Carla assess 8 options for every room in her new house.

2.       The complexity of getting interior and exterior options to be consistent with one another.[3] 

Evaluating the Designs

For Bob and Carla’s second conversation, I brought eight of the completed ‘designs’ back into the conversation and developed a new set of prompts. 

At this point, the reader should have an obvious complaint: an exterior rendering of a house does not constitute a ‘design.’  Architects don’t design buildings by exterior renderings.  We design the plan, the section, and the elevations simultaneously, which then generates the 3D massing of the building which can then be rendered into an image.  An architect’s process is iterative, and reflective, moving forward and backward, between steps, etc.  This is necessary in order to ensure that the building works, spatially, and that what is being presented to the client isn’t a misrepresentation of possibility.

I entertained this ‘cheat’ for several reasons.

The logic that informed this video can be applied to different software and different approaches. I chose to use MJ5 to generate exterior renderings in lieu of floorplans for reasons of expediency and cost.  A Midjourney basic plan is $10/month, and I was already subscribed.  It also renders images in under a minute.  Given a lack of budget for the project, it made sense to use tools that were cheap or that I already had.  Could you use written text prompts to generate a floor plan instead?  And subsequently sections, models, etc.?  Yes, absolutely.  More information can be found on these processes in GENIUS. 

The point of the exercise was to see whether a NLGAI could replicate the earliest parts of the design cycle – whether it could get input from a client in natural language and use that to then generate a design.  The critical part, for me, was whether the client’s input could be extracted in useful form.  Less important was how that input was eventually used to create the ‘designs.’  The design briefs are sufficiently robust that you could give them to a human architect, and they would likely design something that lives inside the stylistic range defined by Bob’s 8 options.

I selected the 8 that seemed in best alignment with Carla’s vision and discarded the rest to be mindful of time.  The Design Review Prompt would instruct Bob to present the designs to Carla, and Carla to respond to them, based on her preferences.[4]

Here, I engaged in a type of cheat, but an appropriate one under the technological circumstances.  The most challenging part of the exercise was in getting Carla to evaluate and react to design proposals.  Despite the seeming intelligence of some of these programs, both Chat GPT and MJ4 lack computer vision.  Meaning, they can’t see, interpret, or answer questions about an image.  And they certainly can’t have any opinions on it.  I was attempting to elucidate a reaction to the images.  Which designs did Carla ‘like’ and what did she ‘like’ about them?  It was not enough for Carla to merely look at the images and answer questions about them – she had to react to them as Carla.

As if on cue, OpenAI released GPT 4 within the few weeks between when I started the article and when I finished it.  One of the distinguishing features of GPT 4, as opposed to its predecessor, is multi-modal image recognition.  So, my problem was solved, in theory.  I would be able to have Carla look at the images, and react to them from the standpoint of Carla, given what I had programmed about her situation and personality.  Alas, while GPT 4 has been released and was used in the creation of this video, as of time of publication, its image recognition capabilities have still not been opened to the general public.

I sidestepped the issue in the way that I thought was most appropriate to the spirit of the exercise.  My approach anticipated forthcoming technology (I assume that GPT 4 will release its multimodal capabilities within the next few weeks) as well as proved the efficacy of the general model: I took Carla’s reactions and reran the image generation based on her reactions.  The images you see in the video are a synthesis of the original design brief, as well as Carla’s reactions after-the-fact.  To the degree that there is coherence between what Carla is describing about the image, and the image itself, it’s because the image is partially based on Carla’s reaction to it.

As an additional degree of proof in the model, I used the ‘describe’ function in MJ5 to review Bob’s generated design options and translate them back into text.  For those unaware, the describe function recently debuted in MJ5 does have computer vision and offers a text description of any image you upload.  After generating MJ5’s descriptions of the 8 schemes, I compared them against Carla’s reactions and against the images themselves, in order to establish that the computer vision was actually working, and not just spouting nonsense.  It wasn’t as accurate as some other programs might have been (or as GPT 4 will eventually be) but it was sufficient to give me confidence in the model.

Refining the Design

At this point, I had a design interview, a design brief, multiple schematic renderings of the possible house design and the client’s reaction to them.  In anticipation of later stages of the exercise, I asked GPT for several other items:

Data Model

I asked GPT to generate a data model using the design brief, and all discussions up to this point.  I wanted to understand how GPT was understanding all of this.  A data model is just a way of organizing information in such a way that it becomes code-able, for use in programming languages.  I wanted to make sure that it was organizing information in a way that was useful to any downstream applications.  It appears that it did so.  The organization of The Data Model appears suitable for use in multiple downstream applications, although to keep the exercise tightly focused, I did not try to program anything based on its outputs.  If you would like to try it yourself, GPT 4 was able to take the data model and generate codes for pyplot and Mermaid, although I did not try to do anything with that code.

Room Schedule

I also asked it to produce a room schedule for similar reasons – I was just curious how much of the conversation it was actually ‘understanding’ versus how much was just language prediction.  GPT 4 clearly displays some kind of world-building intelligence.  It can organize things spatially.  If you tell it that the bedroom is north of the office, the gym is west of the bedroom, the laundry room is south of the gym, it will be able to tell you that the laundry room is west of the office, without having been told that explicitly.
I found the implications of this profound.  I was also impressed with the fact that GPT was making good guesses about the interior details of the house, without having been told to do so.  At what point in the conversation, Bob tells Doug that the house is ‘around 3500 square feet’ while the total generated by the room schedule was 4520 sf.  I had thought that I had caught GPT in an error!  However, subtracting the deck and the patio gets you to 3,920 sf, and subtracting the garage gets you to 3,120 sf.  Allowing for circulation space, mechanical spaces, assorted closets, etc., 3,500 sf is probably spot on!  When GPT had Bob tell Doug that the house was around 3500 sf, was it merely saying so because that would be the average size for a 3 BR luxury home in Berkeley?  Or did it perform the calculations ahead of time, averaging room sizes first, and then summing that into an aggregate?  Or did it arrive at that number in some other fashion?
The room schedule provides other insights into the ‘intelligence’ of GPT.  For instance, why did it list the bathrooms as having 1 window each, but the powder room as having zero windows?  Does it understand the difference between the two, and understand that a bathroom with no windows can be inhospitable, while a powder room with no windows might actually be considered typical? 
How did it generate the number of doors?  Does it have some kind of mental map from which it understands that the dining room is adjacent to the kitchen?  Early research has validated that GPT 4, in contrast to Chat GPT, does have some kind of spatial, world-building intelligence.[5]  Or maybe it was just making a guess about the number of doors that would be typical for each space?  Fascinating!

Engineering & Contracting

It was not part of my original plan to include an engineer and contractor.  I decided later in the process to include them, mostly because I wanted to test the limits of the model.  The model had proven successful in orchestrating the architect/client design conversation and an early production of schematic design.  Would its mysterious methods translate into other conversations?  Could the design brief, written by GPT, based on a conversation, itself generated by GPT, allow for a discussion of engineering and buildability?

I replicated the previously-discussed methods to generate the conversations with Doug the Engineer and Gus the Contractor.  Their character prompts are here and here, respectively.  For the engineer and contractor, it was necessary to be a bit more specific in the kinds of instruction given.  A limitation of GPT seems to be that it prefers to resolve conversations quickly.[6]  When you ask it to orchestrate a conversation between two parties, it will try to complete that task by rushing to the end and wrapping up that conversation.  In the conversation between Bob and Carla, I circumvented that tendency by specifically asking GPT not to conclude the conversation, and instead wait for me to allow it to conclude, and to otherwise continue asking questions. (see Conversation Starter).  The drawback to that approach is that you really had to give GPT time to explore.  It would ask questions in its own order, and it was difficult to tell whether its questions were auguring towards some goal.  A human understands that sometimes you let a conversation wander, but in business conversations, time is money, and you’re typically moving towards some goal or agreement.  Because of the iterative nature of the prompting, I’m not sure that GPT understood that, and it seemed to meander at some points.

I wanted to be mindful of time, and didn’t have the patience to wait for Bob and his vendors to get to the point.  I added a specific instruction of ‘send the design brief’ to the prompt logic so that I would have a command to execute and help them get to the point.  It was my intuition, as well, that GPT would understand that Doug should understand the design brief once it had been sent to him.

The conversations with the engineer and the contractor revealed another interesting problem, briefly mentioned in the article: because GPT is trained on historical data, it could not extrapolate outward into a near future and consider what construction timelines might be.  Bob kept insisting that the drawings would take 4 or 5 months.  And Gus kept saying that the construction would take 14 months.  That hardly seemed appropriate in a video that purported to depict a futuristic, automated design and construction cycle.  Perhaps that points to a problem of imagination, perhaps not.  I, as the human imagineer of the exchange, envisioned a near future where design and construction are nearly completely automated and conducted by AIs, although I didn’t specifically write that into any prompts.  GPT did not predict or intuit my vision.  Is that because as a human, I am just so vastly more creative, and this machine isn’t capable of my human-level imagination?  Or is it because I just failed to tell it that that’s what I wanted?  Could it have imagined the near-future scenario, if I had prompted it appropriately?  Interesting questions!

The Final Design

For Bob and Carla’s third conversation, I aimed to wrap everything together. 

As a preliminary matter, I asked Bob to calculate his own fee and establish a total price for the contract (prompt here).  He very generously assigned himself a fee of 12% of construction costs.  The construction costs were also calculated by GPT (in character as Gus, the Contractor).

By now, the conversation was getting to be about 20 minutes in length, so I wanted to avoid a lot of continued discussion.  I instructed GPT to have Bob present the ‘final’ design to Carla and to have her approve it after asking any remaining questions she might have (prompt here).  I did not allow for an additional cycle of feedback and response, owing to time constraints.  However, it’s worth noting that this process could be extended indefinitely.  One could easily program Bob to go back to Carla x number of times and get her continued reactions to different design possibilities.  Carla’s feedback could be assimilated into GPT’s mental model of the project, leading to finer and finer resolutions of the design.

I knew that I had enough content for the article I was intending to write, so I brought it to a close and turned my attention to making a video representation of the exchange.

Making the Video

At this point in the process, I had a wealth of material: the design brief, the images, the budget, etc.  However, the transcript of the whole conversation was still in raw form.  However, the challenging part was done.  Assembling the rest of the video was quite mechanical.  I first copied the conversational text out of GPT and into MS Word, to make it a little easier to work with.  I utilized an online service called Synethesia.io to generate the avatars for the video.  A basic plan for Synthesia.io costs $30/month and for that, you can generate roughly 10 minutes of video per month.  Because Synesthesia does not create multi-character videos (yet), I split the transcript into 4 parts, one for each character.  I added in the requisite number of pauses during which the other party would be talking.  The following exchange

·         Bob talks for 10 seconds.

·         Carla Talks for 17 seconds.

·         Bob talks for 24 seconds.

would have to have pauses to make it sound & look natural in video, like so:

Bob talks for 10 seconds	Carla Stays silent and nods for 10 seconds
Bob stays silent and nods for 17 seconds	Carla talks for 17 seconds
Bob talks for 24 seconds	Carla stays silent and nods for 24 seconds

To make sure that these pauses were accurate, I extracted the length of each conversation segment through a 4-step process. 

1.       I used a text-to-speech engine to read the entire transcript aloud and recorded the reading using desktop audio recording software.[7]

2.       I then used an online transcription service to transcribe the audio file I just generated, now with timestamps. 

3.       I put that timestamped transcript back into GPT 4, which was able to take it (in parts) and generate a table that had the duration of each character’s speech, as well as their subsequent required conversational delay.

4.       That allowed me to manually enter the delays into Synethesia.io (they have a little button where you can just input ‘add 10 sec delay’)

Synethesia.io can also accept audio recordings.  It is possible to take a recording of your own voice, upload it, and have one of their avatars read it.   I elected to use written transcripts because I already had them and did not want to add an extra step.  Synethesia.io and similar platforms have a very user-friendly interface and are designed for novices.  It was simple enough to select avatars, have them read the scripts, and export the results to an *.mp4 file.

Synethesia.io took about 1 hour to generate each character’s video.  I subsequently spliced the 4 videos together using desktop video production software, which was easier than it sounds, since GPT had previously generated a table for me that indicated exactly when each party was speaking.  I also added a zoom frame around the conversation, mostly for humor.

CONCLUSIONS

Ordinarily, this is the part where I would write some kind of pithy conclusion, offering insights into what we all can learn from this exercise.  However, I wrote most of that into the article.  I offer this record of the process knowing that it’s completely out of date, even as I write these words.  However, I thought it was important to memorialize what I did.  My primary motivation was to illustrate how easy it was.  It didn’t require any expensive software or advanced knowledge of coding.  It was entirely off the shelf technology.  The total budget for the project was probably less than $100, although I did not keep close track of the tokens I was spending.

Emphatically, I don’t offer this process as some kind of proof that AI can now do an architect’s job.  But I think it should raise some questions about what an architect’s job actually is.  The conventional wisdom around AI and architecture tells us that it’s the earliest parts of the design cycle (meaning, interviewing clients, generating creative designs, etc.) are safe from automation, because computers can’t possibly do that sort of thing.  Maybe not, but it looks like they can fake it pretty damn well.

APPENDICES

LIST OF PROMPTS

Bob’s Character Sketch

Imagine Bob Bobinsky as a 50-year-old male architect with a specialty in single-family, residential projects. He has been in practice for 20 years and is based in the San Francisco Bay Area. He runs his own firm and has 10 employees. He is very active in the local architectural community and has served on several boards for local nonprofits.  He has received several local design awards for his work.  He was raised in Texas and studied architecture at Washington University in St. Louis.  Earlier in his career, he worked on large commercial projects for a large firm, before starting his own practice to focus on custom residential projects.  He is very passionate about sustainability and believes architects should do more to develop sustainable solutions in their work.  He is married with 3 children.  In his free time, he enjoys kayaking in the San Francisco Bay and cooking for friends and family. He is very interested in securing Carla as a client, as he believes that her connections within the tech community might lead him to further commissions in the future.

Carla’s Character Sketch

Imagine Carla Carlinsky as a 40-year-old single mother of two. She is a successful tech executive, currently living in San Francisco. She recently left a tech conglomerate and cashed out her stock options, resulting in a financial windfall.  She is starting her own small consulting business so she can have more flexible time with her two children.  With the proceeds from her stock sale, she is interested in building her dream home for herself and her two children. She is interested in procuring the services of an architect. She is a California native and enjoys hiking in her free time.  She has already procured a site in the Berkeley hills where she wishes to build her dream house.  She is very passionate about sustainability and technology and would like to find an architect who shares her values.  She likes the idea of a modernist house, with clean lines, but does not want the house to be too sterile.  She got Bob’s name from a friend of hers named Hilda who recommended him highly. 

Doug’s Character Sketch

Imagine Doug Duggins as a 40-year-old structural engineer who owns his own firm located in Oakland.  He has five employees and specializes in structural designs for residential construction.  Doug wanted to be an engineer since he was a little kid.  He grew up in Southern California but is a long-time resident of the Bay Area.  He got his PhD at Berkeley and stayed in Oakland after graduating.  He worked in industry for 5 years before starting his own firm.  His experiences at a large engineering firm taught him a lot about how to do complex engineering, but he prefers small jobs where he can work more closely with his clients.  Bob and Doug are friendly and have collaborated on many projects together in the past. Doug enjoys spending time in nature, and has a passion for sustainability.  He often advocates within his own profession for the use of more sustainable design options, and tries to avoid using concrete in his designs whenever he can.

Gus’s Character Sketch

Imagine Gus Guthrie as a 55-year-old general contractor who owns his own firm located in Oakland.  He has 25 employees and specializes in high-end residential construction.  Gus has been working in construction since he was a teenager, and his father was also a contractor.  Gus cares about doing professional, high-quality work, and makes a good living.  He is married with 3 children.  His oldest daughter has recently started college, a fact that he is very proud of, as she is the first in his family to go to college.  He is looking forward to retirement, but intends to keep working until all of his children have finished college.  After that, he hopes to move outside the Bay Area and live in the country or in a small town somewhere.  He enjoys boating and fishing in his spare time and collects stamps.  Bob and Gus are friendly and have collaborated on many projects together in the past. 

Iterative Prompting for Character Generation

I want you to help me write a personality profile of Bob Bobinsky. His current personality profile is as follows:

“Bob is an architect.  He is 50 years old.”

Your goal is to help me craft the best possible personality profile for Bob. The personality profile will then be used by you, GPT 4, to answer other prompts and other questions later in the chat. You will follow the following process:

1.        You will first ask me 3 questions about Bob. 

2.        I will provide my answers, but we will need to improve the personality profile through continual iterations by going through the next steps.

3.        Based on my answers, you will generate 2 sections.

a.        an updated 250-word personality profile of Bob

b.       Additional questions (ask any relevant questions pertaining to what additional information is needed from me to improve the personality profile).

We will continue this iterative process with you asking me additional questions and me providing additional answers to you and you updating the personality profile in the Revised prompt section until I say we are done.

Conversation Starter

"I would like you to imagine the script for a zoom interview between an architect named Bob Bobinsky and a potential client named Carla Carlinsky. Respond with "..." if you understand.

For the zoom interview, imagine Bob Bobinsky as a 50 year old male architect with a specialty in single-family, residential projects. He has been in practice for 20 years and is based in the San Francisco Bay Area. He runs his own firm and has 10 employees. He has received several local design awards for his work.  He was raised in Texas and studied architecture at Washington University in St. Louis.  Earlier in his career, he worked on large commercial projects for a large firm, before starting his own practice to focus on custom residential projects.  He is married with 3 children.  In his free time, he enjoys kayaking in the San Francisco Bay and cooking for friends and family. He is very interested in securing Carla as a client. Imagine Carla Carlinsky as a 40-year-old single mother of two. She is a successful tech executive, currently living in San Francisco. She recently left a tech conglomerate and cashed out her stock options, resulting in a financial windfall.  She is starting her own small consulting business so she can have more flexible time with her two children.  With the proceeds from her stock sale, she is interested in building her dream home for herself and her two children. She is interested in procuring the services of an architect. She is a California native and enjoys hiking in her free time.  She has already procured a site in the Berkeley hills where she wishes to build her dream house.  She is very passionate about sustainability and technology and would like to find an architect who shares her values.  She likes the idea of a modernist house, with clean lines, but does not want the house to be too sterile.  She got Bob’s name from a friend of hers named Hilda who recommended him highly. Respond with "..." if you understand.

When I input “Begin the Conversation” open the zoom conversation with some friendly small talk, and then begin the interview.  Conduct the interview in a professional but friendly tone.  Bob should begin by asking Carla about her vision for the project, and Carla should respond.  Carla should ask additional questions that a client might ask a potential architect.  Bob should subsequently respond to her questions and ask her additional questions that an architect might ask a new client in order to fully understand their vision for the project. Do not conclude the interview.  I will review the responses and let you know if the interview should continue or conclude. If I write “Continue the interview” you should have Bob and Carla continue the interview.  Each should be responsive to the other’s questions, as well as ask additional questions.  Bob should ask additional questions that might help him more fully understand Carla’s vision for the project.  Carla should ask additional questions that might help her understand if Bob is the right architect for her. We will continue this iterative process until I input “Conclude the interview” at which point you should conclude the interview in a professional and friendly manner. Respond with "..." if you understand.

The Design Review

Imagine a follow-up conversation between Bob and Carla, happening later on the same day.  Bob has completed 8 potential designs for Carla’s house and will briefly present them to her over zoom, with accompanying visuals, one at a time.  Carla should react to each one with her likes and dislikes.  If Carla really likes a design option, and hasn’t stated why, Bob should inquire as to what she likes about it.

Begin by having Bob present Carla with the first 4 options, and having Carla respond to each.  Do not conclude the conversation.  I will review the responses and let you know if the conversation should continue or conclude. If I write “Continue the conversation” you should have Bob and Carla continue the conversation by having Bob present 4 additional options.  Bob and Carla should each be responsive to the other’s questions, as well as ask additional questions if appropriate. 

If I write “Conclude the conversation” you should conclude the zoom call by having Bob thank Carla for her input, and request permission to put her on hold for a few minutes.

Bob and Doug Conversation Prompt

Imagine a new zoom conversation between Bob and an engineer, Doug Duggins.  Imagine Doug Duggins as a 40-year-old structural engineer who owns his own firm located in Oakland.  He has five employees and specializes in structural designs for residential construction.  Doug wanted to be an engineer since he was a little kid.  He grew up in Southern California but is a long-time resident of the Bay Area.  He got his PhD at Berkeley and stayed in Oakland after graduating.  He worked in industry for 5 years before starting his own firm.  His experiences at a large engineering firm taught him a lot about how to do complex engineering, but he prefers small jobs where he can work more closely with his clients.  Bob and Doug are friendly and have collaborated on many projects together in the past. Doug enjoys spending time in nature, and has a passion for sustainability.  He often advocates within his own profession for the use of more sustainable design options, and tries to avoid using concrete in his designs whenever he can.

Begin the conversation with some polite small talk, and then have Bob introduce the Carlinsky Residence as a new project for them to collaborate on.  Have Doug ask relevant questions that a structural engineer might ask when considering taking on a new project.  Have Bob answer those questions.

Do not conclude the conversation.  I will review the responses and let you know if the conversation should continue or conclude. If I write “Continue the conversation” you should have Bob and Doug continue the conversation.  Each should be responsive to the other’s questions, as well as ask additional questions.  Doug should ask additional questions to help him understand the structural requirements of the design.  Bob should ask questions about Doug’s ideas for a structural design.

If I write “Send the Design Brief”, you should take the following steps:

1.        Have Doug ask Bob if there’s some kind of design brief he can look at.

2.        Have Bob reply that it’s just been sent to his inbox.

3.        Have Doug indicate that he sees it and is having a look.

We will continue this iterative process until I input “Design the Structural system” at which point you should take the following steps:

1.        Have Doug ask Bob if he can see the BIM model.

2.        Have Bob reply that the BIM model is in his inbox.

3.        Have Doug indicate that he sees it and is having a look, and will input the structural design momentarily.

Do not conclude the conversation.  I will review the responses and let you know if the conversation should continue or conclude. If I write “Conclude the conversation” you should have Bob and Doug end the zoom call in a cheerful and affable manner. 

Bob and Gus Conversation Prompt

Imagine a new zoom conversation between Bob and a general contractor, Gus Guthrie.  Imagine Gus Guthrie as a 55-year-old general contractor who owns his own firm located in Oakland.  He has 25 employees and specializes in high-end residential construction.  Gus has been working in construction since he was a teenager, and his father was also a contractor.  Gus cares about doing professional, high-quality work, and makes a good living.  He is married with 3 children.  His oldest daughter has recently started college, a fact that he is very proud of, as she is the first in his family to go to college.  He is looking forward to retirement, but intends to keep working until all of his children have finished college.  After that, he hopes to move outside the Bay Area and live in the country or in a small town somewhere.  He enjoys boating and fishing in his spare time and collects stamps.  Bob and Gus are friendly and have collaborated on many projects together in the past. 

Begin the conversation with some polite small talk, and then have Bob introduce the Carlinsky Residence as a new project for them to collaborate on.  Have Gus ask relevant questions that a general contractor might ask when considering taking on a new project.  Have Bob answer those questions.

Do not conclude the conversation.  I will review the responses and let you know if the conversation should continue or conclude. If I write “Continue the conversation” you should have Bob and Gus continue the conversation.  Each should be responsive to the other’s questions, as well as ask additional questions.  Gus should ask additional questions to help him understand the buildability of the design and request any information that a general contractor would need to develop a construction schedule.

Bob should answer those questions if applicable.

If I write “Send the Design Brief”, you should take the following steps:

1.        Have Gus ask Bob if there’s some kind of design brief he can look at.

2.        Have Bob reply that it’s just been sent to his inbox.

3.        Have Gus indicate that he sees it and is having a look.

If I write “Send the BIM Model”, you should take the following steps:

1.        Have Gus ask Bob if there’s some kind of digital model he can look at.

2.        Have Bob reply that it’s just been sent to his inbox, and Doug’s structural design has recently been added to the model.

3.        Have Gus indicate that he sees it and is having a look.

We will continue this iterative process until I input “Proceed with construction” at which point you should take the following steps:

1.        Have Gus agree to take the job.

2.        Have Bob express gratitude and indicate that he will be back in touch when Carla gives them a confirmed start date.

3.        have Bob and Gus end the zoom call in a cheerful and affable manner. 

Prompting Bob to Calculate his Fee

As Bob, considering the construction cost estimate provided by Gus, which ranges from $1.8 million to $2.2 million, add your own fee to the contruction totals so that Carla can have a ballpark estimate of her dream home’s final cost.

Bob & Carla’s Final Conversation

You will now resume the conversation between Bob and Carla, who has been on hold this entire time.  Bob should present the final house design and give a brief explanation of how Carla’s desires and needs as a client were incorporated into the design.  Carla should react, and ask what the necessary steps are in order to begin the project.  Bob should answer any remaining questions she has about the project.

Do not conclude the conversation.  I will review the responses and let you know if the conversation should continue or conclude. If I write “Continue the conversation” you should have Bob and Carla continue the conversation.  Bob and Carla should each be responsive to the other’s questions, as well as ask additional questions if appropriate. 

If I write “Conclude the conversation” you should conclude the zoom call in an excited yet professional tone.

GPT OUTPUTS

List of Questions an Architect might ask their Client

1.        What is your overall vision for the house, and how would you describe the architectural style you're drawn to?

2.        How many family members will be living in the house, and could you provide a brief overview of their individual needs and preferences?

3.        How do you envision the layout and flow of the house, in terms of public and private spaces?

4.        What are the most important features or rooms you'd like to include in the house, and are there any specific requirements for these spaces?

5.        Are there any sustainability or energy efficiency goals you'd like to achieve with this project?

6.        How important is outdoor living and landscaping to your overall design vision, and do you have specific requirements or ideas for these areas?

7.        How do you feel about incorporating smart home technology and automation features into the design?

8.        Are there any particular materials, finishes, or textures you're drawn to or would like to incorporate in the design?

9.        Do you have any accessibility or future-proofing considerations, such as aging in place or accommodating potential changes in family dynamics?

10.     What is your budget for this project, and do you have any specific timeline or deadline expectations?

11.     How involved would you like to be in the design process, and what is your preferred method of communication?

12.     Are there any examples of homes, design elements, or architectural features that you admire and would like to discuss further?

13.     By asking these questions, you can gain a comprehensive understanding of the client's design ambitions and aspirations, allowing you to create a personalized, luxury residential house that meets their unique needs and preferences.

List of Questions a Client Might Ask Their Architect

1.        Can you tell me about your background, experience, and how you got into architecture?

2.        What is your design philosophy and approach to creating unique, custom homes?

3.        Can you provide me with a portfolio or examples of your previous work, particularly for high-end, custom-built residences?

4.        How do you stay current with the latest trends, materials, and technologies in residential design and construction?

5.        Can you discuss your process for working with clients from the initial design concept to the completion of the project?

6.        What is your experience in integrating sustainable and energy-efficient features into your designs?

7.        How do you approach balancing aesthetics, functionality, and budgetary constraints in your projects?

8.        Are there any specific architectural styles or design elements you specialize in or particularly enjoy working with?

9.        Can you provide references from previous clients who have commissioned custom homes from you?

10.     How do you manage communication and collaboration with your clients throughout the project?

11.     What is your typical timeline for designing and overseeing the construction of a custom home?

12.     Can you discuss your fee structure, and what services are included in your fees?

13.     How do you handle any potential challenges or obstacles that may arise during the design and construction process?

14.     Are you able to work with and coordinate with other professionals, such as interior designers, landscapers, or engineers, as part of the project?

15.     What sets you apart from other architects who specialize in designing custom homes?

MASTER DESIGN BRIEF

Carla's dream house is a harmonious blend of sustainability, modernity, and family-focused design. Situated in the picturesque Berkeley hills, the house takes full advantage of its natural surroundings and offers breathtaking views of the Bay.

The exterior of the home is characterized by clean lines and simple forms, with large windows and sliding glass doors creating a seamless connection between indoor and outdoor living spaces. A combination of natural materials such as wood and stone adds warmth and texture, while the use of steel accents lends an elegant touch of modernity.

Upon entering the home, one is greeted by an expansive open floor plan that combines the living room, dining room, and kitchen into a single, cohesive space. The living area features floor-to-ceiling windows that flood the room with natural light and provide panoramic views of the surroundings. The kitchen is designed to be both functional and visually appealing, with custom cabinetry, high-end appliances, and a large island that can serve as a focal point for family gatherings and entertaining guests.

A covered outdoor terrace extends from the main living area, offering a comfortable space for alfresco dining and relaxation. The terrace is surrounded by lush landscaping and features eco-friendly materials, such as reclaimed wood and native plants, to create a serene and inviting atmosphere.

The private family wing of the house is strategically separated from the communal living spaces, ensuring privacy and tranquility. The master suite is a luxurious retreat, complete with a walk-in closet, spa-like ensuite bathroom, and a private balcony that overlooks the hillside. The children's bedrooms are located nearby, providing a sense of comfort and security, while still allowing for individual expression and personalization.

Incorporating sustainability features, the house boasts a green roof, solar panels, and energy-efficient windows. The design emphasizes natural ventilation and passive heating and cooling strategies, minimizing energy consumption and reducing the home's environmental impact.

A dedicated home office space provides an inspiring and functional environment for remote work or personal projects. Large windows frame views of the surrounding landscape, fostering creativity and focus. The office is also designed to be flexible, easily transforming into a guest room or additional living space when needed.

The dream house is a true testament to the perfect balance between form and function. With a strong focus on sustainability, modern aesthetics, and family-centered design, Carla's home is set to be an inspiring and comfortable sanctuary for generations to come.

EXTERIOR DESIGN BRIEF

The exterior of Carla's dream house reflects a perfect balance between modern design, natural beauty, and sustainability. Nestled in the scenic Berkeley hills, the home's facade embraces its surroundings and capitalizes on the stunning views of the Bay.

Clean lines and simple geometric forms define the structure, creating an elegant and contemporary aesthetic. The generous use of floor-to-ceiling windows and sliding glass doors accentuates the visual connection between the interior and exterior spaces, allowing for an abundance of natural light to permeate the home.

A harmonious blend of natural materials, such as wood and stone, brings warmth and texture to the facade. The use of reclaimed wood adds an eco-friendly touch, while the incorporation of local stone highlights the home's connection to its environment. Contrasting these organic elements, sleek steel accents provide a refined and modern counterpoint.

The covered outdoor terrace serves as an extension of the living area, seamlessly integrating indoor and outdoor spaces. Surrounded by lush landscaping, the terrace features sustainable materials like reclaimed wood and native plants, creating a serene and inviting atmosphere for alfresco dining and relaxation.

The roof of Carla's dream house showcases a commitment to sustainability, with a green roof system that not only reduces energy consumption but also enhances the home's visual appeal. Solar panels are discreetly integrated into the design, demonstrating the seamless fusion of eco-friendly technology and modern aesthetics.

Attention to detail is evident in the design of the entrance, which is both welcoming and visually striking. A cantilevered roof extends over the front door, providing shelter and a sense of grandeur, while the juxtaposition of wood, stone, and steel materials adds depth and interest to the facade.

In summary, the exterior of Carla's dream house embodies a sophisticated interplay of modern design principles, sustainable features, and natural elements. With its visually captivating facade and thoughtful integration with its surroundings, the home is poised to be a stunning architectural gem in the Berkeley hills.

INTERIOR DESIGN BRIEF

The interior of Carla's dream house is a testament to modern, sustainable living, with an emphasis on open spaces, natural light, and a seamless connection between indoor and outdoor environments. Every room is thoughtfully designed to cater to the needs and desires of Carla and her family while maintaining a strong commitment to eco-friendly materials and energy efficiency.

Upon entering the home, visitors are greeted by a spacious, open-plan living area that seamlessly connects to the kitchen and dining area. The floor-to-ceiling windows and sliding glass doors flood the space with natural light, enhancing the sense of openness and connection to the outdoors. The living area is designed to encourage social interaction, with comfortable seating arrangements and a cozy fireplace as the focal point.

The kitchen boasts state-of-the-art, energy-efficient appliances and sustainable materials, such as reclaimed wood cabinetry and recycled glass countertops. A large island serves as both a functional workspace and a gathering spot for casual meals or conversation. The adjacent dining area is well-suited for both intimate family dinners and larger gatherings, with an elegant dining table and chairs that complement the overall design aesthetic.

The children's bedrooms are located close to the master suite, providing Carla with a sense of comfort and security. Each bedroom is designed with ample storage, natural light, and a cozy atmosphere that promotes rest and relaxation. The master suite is a luxurious retreat, complete with a spacious walk-in closet and a spa-like en-suite bathroom featuring a soaking tub, a walk-in shower, and dual vanities.

The home office is both functional and inspiring, with a carefully curated selection of eco-friendly materials and furnishings. Large windows frame picturesque views of the surrounding landscape, creating a serene and motivating workspace. Built-in bookshelves and storage solutions ensure that the office remains organized and clutter-free.

Throughout the home, sustainable materials such as reclaimed wood, natural stone, and low VOC paint are used to create a healthy and environmentally conscious living space. The incorporation of energy-efficient lighting, heating, and cooling systems further emphasizes the home's commitment to sustainability.

In summary, the Interior Design Brief for Carla's dream house showcases a harmonious blend of modern design, family-friendly functionality, and eco-friendly materials. Each space is carefully crafted to cater to the needs of Carla and her family while demonstrating a strong commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship.

BULLETED DESIGN BRIEF

Project Name: Carlinsky Residence Client: Carla Carlinsky Location: Berkeley Hills, California Project Type: Single-family residential Budget: $2.5 million Timeline: 2 years

Design Vision:

·         Modern, sustainable home for a single mother and her two children

·         Clean lines and environmentally friendly features

·         Warm and inviting atmosphere, avoiding sterility

·         Strong connection to the outdoors, taking advantage of the views and natural surroundings

Site:

·         Gentle slope with mature trees

·         Stunning views of the San Francisco Bay

·         Opportunities for indoor-outdoor living spaces

Sustainability Features:

·         Solar panels

·         Energy-efficient windows

·         Green roof (to be explored)

·         Water conservation measures, such as rainwater harvesting or gray water recycling

Interior Spaces:

·         Open floor plan with a spacious living, dining, and kitchen area

·         Separate home office for the client's consulting business

·         Individual bedrooms for the two children

·         Shared playroom or study area for the children

·         Master suite with a walk-in closet and spa-like bathroom

Materials and Finishes:

·         Natural materials, such as wood and stone, for a warm and inviting atmosphere

·         Combination of wood siding and large expanses of glass on the exterior

·         Hardwood floors and stone countertops in the interior

·         Mix of traditional and modern finishes

Design Inspiration:

·         Mid-century modern aesthetic (e.g., Richard Neutra and Joseph Eichler)

·         Contemporary architects like Tom Kundig and Tadao Ando

·         Emphasis on blending with surroundings and maximizing natural light

Collaboration and Communication:

·         Regular client involvement throughout the design process

·         Use of drawings, renderings, and physical models to facilitate client understanding and feedback

·         Ongoing communication and updates on progress, budget, and timeline

Budget and Timeline Management:

·         Detailed budget and schedule outlining the various phases of design, permitting, and construction

·         Close coordination with team, consultants, and contractors to ensure adherence to guidelines

·         Regular updates to the client and creative problem-solving in case of unexpected challenges

THE INITIAL DESCRIPTION

Imagine: Carla's Dream House is a modernist, single-family residence situated on a half-acre sloping lot in the Berkeley hills. The design should focus on clean lines and a warm, inviting atmosphere, with mid-century modern influences. The house should feature a harmonious blend of natural materials like wood and stone, creating a seamless connection between indoor and outdoor spaces.

 

Exterior: The exterior of the house should showcase large floor-to-ceiling windows, optimizing the stunning views of the surrounding landscape. The structure should incorporate multiple levels and terraced sections, adapting to the slope of the site. The primary facade should be dominated by natural materials, such as wood cladding and stone accents. A flat roof with overhanging eaves will provide a contemporary feel while also offering solar shading. The house should feature a cantilevered deck or patio that extends from the main living area, creating an inviting outdoor space for dining and entertaining.

 

Ground Floor: Upon entering the house, a spacious, open-concept living, dining, and kitchen area should greet the visitors. The living area should be oriented to maximize views of the landscape and should include a fireplace with a natural stone surround as its focal point. The dining area should be able to comfortably accommodate a table for eight, while the modern kitchen should boast energy-efficient appliances, ample storage, and a large central island.

A separate family room should be adjacent to the open-concept space, providing a cozy and more intimate setting. The ground floor should also include a guest bedroom, a full bathroom, and a laundry room.

 

Upper Floor: The upper floor should house the master suite, which includes a spacious bedroom with panoramic views, a walk-in closet, and a luxurious en-suite bathroom with a freestanding tub, a large walk-in shower, and a double vanity. In addition, two more bedrooms should be located on this floor, each with ample closet space and large windows that let in natural light. These bedrooms should share a well-appointed bathroom with a combination tub and shower.

 

A dedicated home office should also be situated on the upper floor, providing a quiet and comfortable workspace for Carla. This room should have large windows to allow for ample natural light and inspiring views, as well as built-in storage and desk solutions.

 

Outdoor Spaces: The outdoor spaces should emphasize the connection between the house and its natural surroundings. The cantilevered deck or patio should be accessible from the main living area and should include an outdoor dining and entertaining space, complete with built-in seating and a barbecue area. The landscape design should incorporate native plants and trees, as well as sustainable features like a rainwater harvesting system and a green roof section.

 

Sustainability and Technology: Carla's Dream House should be designed with sustainability and technology in mind. Solar panels should be integrated into the design, either on the roof or as part of the exterior cladding. The house should incorporate energy-efficient appliances, low-flow fixtures, and high-performance insulation. Smart home technology should be integrated throughout the house, including advanced lighting and climate control systems, security, and home automation features.

 

In summary, the architectural illustrator should create detailed renderings of Carla's Dream House that showcase the modernist design, the warm and inviting atmosphere, the seamless connection between indoor and outdoor spaces, and the integration of sustainability and technology. The renderings should capture the essence of Carla's vision for her dream home, from multiple perspectives both inside and outside the house.

 

DATA MODEL

Below is an expanded data model for the Carlinsky Residence project presented in a tabular format. The tables represent the different entities and their attributes.

Table: Clients

Attribute	Data Type	Description
ClientID	Integer	Primary Key, Unique client identifier
Name	Varchar(100)	Client's full name
Phone	Varchar(20)	Client's phone number
Email	Varchar(100)	Client's email address
Address	Varchar(255)	Client's address

Table: Projects

Attribute	Data Type	Description
ProjectID	Integer	Primary Key, Unique project identifier
ClientID	Integer	Foreign Key, Related client identifier
ProjectName	Varchar(100)	Name of the project
Location	Varchar(255)	Project location
Budget	Decimal	Project budget
Timeline	Integer	Project timeline in months
Status	Varchar(50)	Project status

Table: DesignRequirements

Attribute	Data Type	Description
RequirementID	Integer	Primary Key, Unique requirement identifier
ProjectID	Integer	Foreign Key, Related project identifier
Category	Varchar(50)	Category of the requirement (e.g., Sustainability, Interior Spaces, Materials & Finishes)
Description	Text	Description of the requirement

Table: DesignInspirations

Attribute	Data Type	Description
InspirationID	Integer	Primary Key, Unique inspiration identifier
ProjectID	Integer	Foreign Key, Related project identifier
ArchitectName	Varchar(100)	Name of the inspiring architect
ProjectName	Varchar(100)	Name of the inspiring project

Table: TeamMembers

Attribute	Data Type	Description
TeamMemberID	Integer	Primary Key, Unique team member identifier
Name	Varchar(100)	Team member's full name
Role	Varchar(50)	Team member's role (e.g., Architect, Interior Designer, Landscape Architect, Structural Engineer)
Phone	Varchar(20)	Team member's phone number
Email	Varchar(100)	Team member's email address

Table: ProjectTeam

Attribute	Data Type	Description
ProjectID	Integer	Foreign Key, Related project identifier
TeamMemberID	Integer	Foreign Key, Related team member identifier

Table: Milestones

Attribute	Data Type	Description
MilestoneID	Integer	Primary Key, Unique milestone identifier
ProjectID	Integer	Foreign Key, Related project identifier
MilestoneName	Varchar(100)	Name of the milestone
StartDate	Date	Milestone start date
EndDate	Date	Milestone end date

 

ROOM SCHEDULE

Room Name	Square Footage	Number of Doors	Number of Windows
Foyer	70	1	0
Living Room	350	1	4
Dining Room	240	2	2
Kitchen	420	1	4
Family Room	400	2	6
Laundry Room	100	1	0
Master Bedroom	400	1	4
Master Bathroom	180	1	1
Master Closet	150	1	0
Bedroom 2	250	1	2
Bathroom 2	90	1	1
Bedroom 3	200	1	2
Bathroom 3	70	1	1
Office	150	1	2
Powder Room	50	1	0
Garage	800	2	0
Patio	200	1	0
Deck	400	1	0

THE BUDGET

Item	Low-End Estimate	High-End Estimate
Site Preparation	35000	50000
Foundation and Framing	420000	440000
Electrical and Plumbing	160000	180000
HVAC System	80000	90000
Roofing and Insulation	60000	70000
Windows and Doors	90000	120000
Exterior Finishes	100000	140000
Interior Finishes	280000	350000
Cabinetry and Countertops	100000	140000
Appliances and Fixtures	50000	70000
Landscaping and Hardscaping	100000	140000
Pool and Patio	100000	140000
Design and Permitting	60000	70000
Contractor's Overhead and Profit (10%)	163500	200000
Total	1798500	2200000

 

BOB CALCULATES HIS OWN FEE

As Bob, considering the construction cost estimate provided by Gus, which ranges from $1.8 million to $2.2 million, I would need to add my architectural fee to determine the final price for the Carlinsky Residence project.

Typically, architectural fees can range from 10% to 15% of the total construction cost. For this project, let's assume a fee of 12%.

Using the lower end of the construction cost estimate ($1.8 million) as an example:

Architectural fee: $1,800,000 * 0.12 = $216,000

Final price (lower end): $1,800,000 (construction) + $216,000 (architectural fee) = $2,016,000

Using the higher end of the construction cost estimate ($2.2 million) as an example:

Architectural fee: $2,200,000 * 0.12 = $264,000

Final price (higher end): $2,200,000 (construction) + $264,000 (architectural fee) = $2,464,000

Based on these calculations, the final price for the Carlinsky Residence project, including the contractor's estimate and my architectural fee, would range from approximately $2,016,000 to $2,464,000.