Abstract
Significant advancements have been made in Artificial Intelligence, and it has impacted architectural design practices by improving data processing and decision-making processes. AI has become an essential part of modern design processes, enabling flexible and responsive design solutions. However, the expanding use of generative AI in design practices has raised concerns regarding the potential homogenization of urban environments and the fading of cities’ visual identities, particularly when the context is not systematically taken into account in the design process. This study seeks to bridge the existing gap on the absence of methodological frameworks for incorporating visual identity elements into AI-based architectural design practices.This study provides a set of systematic strategies for formulating AI-based prompts that can ensure the maintenance of a city’s visual identity. The study employed a dual methodology, which involved a theoretical study to identify visual identity elements such as natural, social, artificial, and physical environments. Additionally, an analytical study involving a comparative study of two recent architectural design projects that employed generative AI tools was carried out. An analytical matrix was created to evaluate the level of integration of visual identity components into prompt formulation strategies employed by generative AI tools. The study found that generative AI tools can effectively maintain visual identity depending on the comprehensiveness and clarity of the methodological framework employed during the design process. This study concluded that generative AI tools can function as a supportive tool for architects during design processes while maintaining the continuity and uniqueness of a city’s visual identity.