Prompt [Pond]ering

The Biennale brief called for innovative, technology-driven responses to challenges in the global architectural industry. Prompt [Pond]ering addresses a key limitation in contemporary public consultation, which is often dominated by architects, organisations, or government bodies. As a result, many participants feel underrepresented and struggle to articulate or visualise their perspectives. In an era where AI tools increasingly inform urban design, the selection of prompts plays a critical role in shaping both the quality and trajectory of generated outcomes.

The installation addresses this gap through an interactive, game-like system in which participants draw and contribute evolving keyword combinations, transforming vocabulary into a shared, dynamic resource. Reflecting architecture’s iterative nature, it explores how ideas translate into spatial propositions through human–machine collaboration, balancing creative intuition with technical mediation. By pairing experimental prompts with AI-generated imagery, Prompt [Pond]ering enables participants to intuitively understand how language shapes spatial outcomes. The project encourages reflection on design, repositions the individual within participatory processes, and fosters a more inclusive, collective vision for future community-making.

Prompt [Pond]ering is a forward-looking advocacy project demonstrating the potential of future design practices. Collaborating with an AI developer, the team curated bespoke tools for public engagement. Tested with children and elderly participants—often excluded from conventional processes—the system proved intuitive, engaging, and empowering. Workshops and talks explored its application beyond the exhibition, extending its relevance to real-world practice. Amplified through a podcast and media coverage, the project positions the team as active advocates for change, promoting a more inclusive, accessible, and technologically integrated approach to participatory design within the architectural industry.

Inspired by Tai Lam Chung Reservoir (Thousand Island Lake), the installation creates a “pool of words” where participants retrieve and contribute keywords to a shared language model. An intuitive interface allows users of all ages to scan and combine words, empowering them to shape their community’s spatial imagination.This vision is realised through advanced design and fabrication, integrating photogrammetry, CNC machining, and parametric remapping. Keywords are translated into physical artefacts through distinct toolpaths, transforming collective language into material expression and demonstrating a progressive approach that bridges participation, technology, and built form.