POETIC REGENERATION OF A CHILDHOOD CHAPEL THROUGH AI-HUMAN COLLABORATION: A DESIGN INQUIRY INTO THE REALM OF FLOATING SILENCE

This design-led study investigates how artificial intelligence (AI) can act as a poetic co-designer in reimagining abandoned architectural spaces filled with memory, silence, and spiritual residue. Centering on the project *Realm of Floating Silence*, the work explores a childhood chapel site left in ruins as local rituals faded. Rather than allowing this sacred ruin to vanish in time, the design seeks to rebirth the site through a speculative architectural lens. Combining analog sketching, narrative writing, generative AI tools (Stable Diffusion, ControlNet), and spatial composition via physical and digital modeling, the methodology explores a hybrid human-machine workflow.

The design process initiates with field observations and emotional mapping of the site’s decay, followed by iterative prompt engineering aligned with hand-drawn spatial visions. AI-generated images are not treated as end products but as conceptual collaborators that extend the poetic and atmospheric qualities of memory. Through layers of petal-like translucent forms, immersive light behavior, and AI-assisted spatial rhythm studies, the pavilion constructs a meditative journey where silence is spatialized.

Findings revealed that combining intuitive design with algorithmic depth opens new terrain for emotionally resonant, digitally imagined spaces. The project also received strong public resonance at the Taiwan International Interior Design Expo, affirming the power of co-creation in shaping meaningful spatial narratives. This extended abstract argues that AI, when framed not as a tool but as a generative partner, enables designers to reconstruct memory-laden architecture as a vessel for renewal. Ultimately, the work contributes to the emerging discourse on human-AI architectural collaboration, positioning poetic silence as a medium for future design imagination.

Shao, W. Y. (2021). *Design, Future, and Super Intelligence: T-shaped Learning in the Age of Algorithms*. Guangxi Normal University Press. ISBN: 978-7-5598-3660-1

Shao, W. Y. (2022). *Aesthetic of Play: From 2D to Post-Dimensional Design*. Guangxi Normal University Press. ISBN: 978-7-5598-4407-1

Wu, C. C. (in preparation). *Constructing a Graded Budget System for Interior Design: Exploring Design Models Based on International Competition Standards* (Unpublished master’s thesis). National Taipei University of Technology, Graduate Institute of Architecture and Urban Design.

The author extends gratitude to the team at Chiun Ju Interior Design for their support during the creative development, visualization process, and exhibition preparation. Additional thanks go to extended collaborators who provided valuable feedback and encouragement throughout the project.