"AI will change how we work": inside IE School of Architecture and Design's approach
David Goodman, dean of IE School of Architecture and Design, is clear on two things: design education must lead with sustainability, and students still need to make things with their hands. AI is part of the picture, but it's not the whole picture. The aim is practical: prepare graduates who can think critically, build responsibly and use new tools without losing judgment.
What's shifted in the last decade
Goodman sees a decisive move from object-focused teaching to purpose-driven design. "Good design must be sustainable," he notes. Students want their work to matter beyond a single building or product, and schools that put environmental and social outcomes first are attracting them.
The context is obvious-climate, inequality, unstable markets. People drawn to design want to contribute, not just create. That expectation now shapes curricula.
Skills that matter now
Critical thinking remains the anchor. The notable change is a renewed emphasis on craft-actually making "the thing," whether physical or digital. Students are expected to understand how components come together, not treat design as an abstract exercise.
Combining fabrication tech with time-tested methods is where momentum builds. The school resists hype or rejection by default; every new tool gets a thoughtful critique. That mix is especially effective for sustainability.
Teaching software without wasting class time
Students need software fluency, but the school doesn't spend much studio time on tool tutorials. There are faster ways to learn apps than eating into critique and making time. The focus stays on process, outcomes and feedback.
A clear-eyed view of AI
"AI will change how we work and what we make," Goodman says, "but expect incremental change after the early euphoria." The priority is still human creativity linked to clear goals: a more sustainable, more just and more beautiful built environment-physical, virtual or hybrid.
AI becomes useful when it's aligned to that mission. It's not a shortcut to good design; it's a new context for decision-making and iteration.
What students care about
There's strong concern for the planet-and a parallel interest in rediscovering and reimagining traditional crafts and materials. That likely reflects a search for permanence in uncertain times.
Current work ranges from biotextiles that reduce waste in fashion and packaging, to full-scale timber prototypes, to rethinking real estate as a lever for sustainable growth in the Madrid metro area. The common thread: solutions that work across scales, from garments to cities.
New and upcoming programs
The school's first Bachelor in Fashion Design cohort completed year one last summer. A Master in Interior Design launched in September. A new Master in Design for Immersive Experiences and XR is also being introduced.
Practical takeaways for education leaders
- Make sustainability a baseline, not a module. Treat environmental impact as a design constraint across every brief.
- Teach craft first. Expect students to build, prototype and test-physically and in virtual environments.
- Use class time for critique and thinking. Move software onboarding to workshops, peer-led sessions or flipped resources.
- Adopt AI with intent. Frame it as an assistant for iteration, analysis and option generation-always under human judgment.
- Design across scales. Mix product, interior, architecture and urban lenses within the same project stream.
- Connect to real contexts. Partner with city agencies, local industries and communities for authentic constraints and data.
- Assess process, not just outcomes. Reward research quality, material choices, environmental metrics and iteration notes.
- Invest in faculty upskilling. Run short clinics on AI, materials, and fabrication so staff can model the mindset you want students to adopt.
Resources for curriculum builders
For policy and guardrails on AI in learning, see UNESCO's guidance on generative AI in education. It's a helpful starting point for institutional standards and ethics. UNESCO: Guidance for GenAI in Education
If you're mapping practical upskilling paths for staff or students exploring AI's role in creative work, review current offerings and learning tracks here: Latest AI Courses - Complete AI Training
Goodman doesn't claim to know the future. But the direction is clear: rediscover what lasts, use new tools with discernment and keep outcomes tied to a better, more humane built environment. That's a curriculum worth building.
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