Annabel Pretty

Senior Lecturer, School of Architecture, Unitec Institute of Technology, Aotearoa, New Zealand.

Annabel Pretty is the Discipline Leader for the Master of Architecture Professional (MArch Prof.) and a Senior Lecturer at the School of Architecture, Unitec Te Pūkenga, whose research investigations are located at the intersections between architecture, photographic representation of architecture, encompassing the diverse cultures associated with the reproduction, mediation, and reception of architecture. The research trajectory includes supervising thesis students on the professional Master’s, whose projects lie within art, architecture, and social architecture. Current research has sought to investigate: the hyperreal photomontage representations of architectural possibilities. Present study involves a Doctor of Philosophy in Architecture (under examination) at the School of Architecture and Planning, Waipapa Taumata Rau (University of Auckland), titled “Sublime Follies: Unveiling the Realm of Multiple-Reality Architecture”. Visual architectural representation and production can be found on Instagram at @annabelpretty and @sublime_follies and writing @unreliable_landscapes. A Cumulus Fellow since 2016 and current Aotearoa New Zealand PhotoForum member. 

Surplus Reality: GenAI and the Post-Truth Architectural Milieu of Representation

Keywords: Deleuze, Benjamin, generative AI, architectural representation, post-truth

Abstract: This paper explores the convergence of Deleuze’s multiplicities, Benjamin’s loss of aura, architectural representation, and Generative AI in contemporary creative practices, specifically within architectural representation. Deleuze’s concept challenges hierarchical structures, fostering new configurations of thought, and Benjamin’s notion questions the authenticity of reproduced images, influencing the transformation of the intersection of art and architecture. The emergence of architectural representation blurs physical and virtual boundaries, while Generative AI introduces algorithm-driven spatial designs. Investigating these intersections, this paper explores their impact on architectural practices, particularly in digital design. It examines how Generative AI challenges traditional authorship and creativity, promoting collaborative processes. Synthesising these concepts ascribes the evolving landscape of architectural practice in the digital age, emphasising the need to engage critically with these frameworks.