Samantha Donnelly

The emergence of visual GenAI is transforming building professions across all stages of the architectural design process, including ideation, sketching, spatial planning and modelling for exterior and interior designs (Ploennigs & Berger, 2023). This technological shift necessitates a strategic approach to curriculum development, especially in undergraduate programs in Architecture and Interior Architecture to cultivate visual GenAi literacy by explicitly scaffolding linguistic, analytical, and evaluative skills essential for effective professional practice. Design educators must adopt discipline-specific pedagogical strategies to not only familiarise students with GenAI tools but also engage them in critical analysis of the outputs generated by these technologies. This research proposes developing visual GenAI literacy through structured learning activities across three undergraduate subjects, incorporating GenAI outcomes into assessments, reviewing student work, and collecting feedback to generate resources supporting future curriculum delivery. The focus will be on visualization techniques using CoPilot. A guest lecture from an expert in architectural design and GenAI will offer students industry insights and deepen their understanding of the professional applications of these technologies. Students will also receive guidance on crafting effective prompts for GenAI tools, allowing them to hone their skills in prompt writing and the critical evaluation of generated visuals. The project will deliver three outputs: focus group surveys, an instructional manual for teaching staff, and a participatory workshop for sessional academics across Architecture and related design disciplines.