The third edition of the Forbes Real Estate Summit, held recently at the Grand Center in Punta del Este, established itself as a key forum for analyzing the opportunities and challenges of the regionalreal estate market.
With more than 250 industry leaders in attendance, the event addressed topics ranging from investment and sustainable construction to the impact of artificial intelligence and new technologies on architecture. In this context, the Universidad ORT Uruguay actively participated as a gold sponsor, reaffirming its commitment to innovation and professional development in the field.
One of the highlights of the day was the panel titled “Cities of 2050”, which featured Architect Gabriel Lambach, a professor in the School of Architecture.
Technology as a tool for reflection
In his presentation, Architect Lambach offered a critical and insightful perspective on the role of artificial intelligence in architecture. In this regard, the professor urged us to move beyond the view of AI as merely a buzzword, which “is used as a buzzword”, comparing the current phenomenon to what happened previously with the concept of the metaverse or the internet revolution itself.
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For Lambach, the true value of these tools lies not in their novelty, but in their ability to optimize decision-making through concrete applications. Among the key points he presented, he highlighted the possibility of using AI to:
- Simulate and compare scenarios in significantly less time than traditional methods.
- Reducing the margin of error in a context where decisions are often made in “real time,” frequently without the necessary space for technical reflection.
- Handling large volumes of data to support design projects and real estate ventures more accurately.
Beyond technical efficiency, Lambach emphasized the importance of maintaining a human-centered perspective when integrating these technologies. In this regard, the professor concluded:
“We should try not to get hung up on the term and instead take a more human-centered approach.”
- You might also be interested in reading: “AI Tools for Architects and Designers”
A Long-Term Perspective and the Role of Education
As the panel concluded, he emphasized that to build the cities of the future, it is necessary to “set aside immediate profitability in favor of a broader vision”, which he described as a “long-term” perspective.
This approach proposes avoiding technological “shortcuts” that promise quick fixes but lack the transdisciplinary thinking necessary to resolve housing and urban crises.
- You might also be interested in reading: “Digital Architecture at ORT: Designing with AI, AR, and VR Starting in the First Year of College”
Speaking from his role as a professor at the School of Architecture, Lambach highlighted the transformative potential of education as a driver of change. He explained that lifelong learning is the tool that enables future architects to adapt to constant changes, without losing sight of the fact that the ultimate goal of any technological innovation is to solve problems for human beings.
“Education has a transformative potential that many other disciplines lack,” Lambach reflected, noting that a bachelor’s degree is not the end of the process, but rather the beginning of a phase of continuous learning to face a world that is constantly changing.
The School of Architecture’s participation in this international forum underscores the importance of bringing academia and the private sector together to design more resilient, healthy, and balanced cities by 2050.
- You might also find it helpful to read: “EPICA: Artificial Intelligence to Boost Creativity in Architectural Research”
Watch the conference again:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vs_ApTIvOAQ
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