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Journals / Kent Akademisi / 2026 / Cilt: 19 Sayı: 2

Artificial Intelligence, Architecture, and Urban Sustainability: A Systematic Review with a Speculative Design Approach

Yapay Zeka, Mimarlık ve Kentsel Sürdürülebilirlik: Spekülatif Tasarım Yaklaşımıyla Sistematik Bir İnceleme

Fazıl Akdağ(ERCİYES ÜNİVERSİTESİ, MİMARLIK FAKÜLTESİ, MİMARLIK BÖLÜMÜ, BİNA BİLGİSİ ANABİLİM DALI)0000-0002-3316-8104
Fatma Betül Künyeli(ERCİYES ÜNİVERSİTESİ, FEN BİLİMLERİ ENSTİTÜSÜ)0000-0002-6189-5966
Pages
1–21
Publication Date
2026-03-03
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

The findings contribute to both academia and practice by highlighting how AI-driven approaches can enhance sustainable city planning and by identifying areas where further innovation is needed, thereby informing future design strategies.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:This study presents a systematic literature review that examines the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies into the disciplines of architecture and urban planning, within the context of sustainable cities.
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Key Findings & Data:In this review conducted in accordance with the PRISMA protocol, 11 academic publications were evaluated through keywords identified in the Web of Science and Scopus databases.
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Conclusion & Impact:The findings contribute to both academia and practice by highlighting how AI-driven approaches can enhance sustainable city planning and by identifying areas where further innovation is needed, thereby informing future design strategies.
🔬Design:Review & Systematic Survey
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Mimarlıkta Yapay Zeka · Sürdürülebilir Kentsel Planlama · Akıllı Şehirler ve Etik

Abstract

This study presents a systematic literature review that examines the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies into the disciplines of architecture and urban planning, within the context of sustainable cities. In this review conducted in accordance with the PRISMA protocol, 11 academic publications were evaluated through keywords identified in the Web of Science and Scopus databases. The literature has been examined under five thematic headings: AI applications in urban planning processes, Decision support systems and scenario development, Social participation and governance, Conceptual- speculative approaches, and the Sustainability perspective. Methodologically, the study has focused on both technical applications and social and ethical dimensions with an interdisciplinary approach. The literature shows that AI is effective in areas such as data-intensive decision-making, multi-scenario analysis, and performance optimization in planning and design processes. However, significant gaps still exist in the areas of social engagement, ethical responsibility, and stakeholder diversity. The speculative design approach, on the other hand, has the potential to go beyond current practices by combining possible future scenarios shaped by AI with architectural and urban visions. In this context, the study poses the following fundamental research questions: (1) How are AI technologies integrated into the fields of architecture and urban planning? (2) What themes are prominent at the intersection of AI and speculative design? (3) How are AI applications evaluated in terms of social participation and ethical governance with respect to sustainable city goals? These questions provide an essential framework for forward-looking creative and critical urban design approaches. This review addresses a notable gap in the literature by examining the role of AI in sustainable urban design, providing insights into underexplored areas such as participatory governance and ethical AI practices. The findings contribute to both academia and practice by highlighting how AI-driven approaches can enhance sustainable city planning and by identifying areas where further innovation is needed, thereby informing future design strategies.

Özet

ÖZ Bu çalışma, yapay zekâ (YZ) teknolojilerinin sürdürülebilir şehirler bağlamında mimarlık ve şehir planlama disiplinlerine entegrasyonunu inceleyen sistematik bir literatür taraması sunmaktadır. PRISMA protokolüne uygun olarak yürütülen bu taramada, Web of Science ve Scopus veritabanlarında belirlenen anahtar kelimeler aracılığıyla 11 akademik yayın değerlendirilmiştir. Literatür beş tematik başlık altında incelenmiştir: Kentsel planlama süreçlerinde YZ uygulamaları, Karar destek sistemleri ve senaryo geliştirme, Sosyal katılım ve yönetişim, Kavramsal-spekülatif yaklaşımlar ve Sürdürülebilirlik perspektifi. Yöntemsel olarak çalışma, disiplinlerarası yaklaşımla hem teknik uygulamalara hem de sosyal ve etik boyutlara odaklanmıştır. Literatür, YZ’nin planlama ve tasarım süreçlerinde veri yoğun karar alma, çoklu senaryo analizi ve performans optimizasyonu gibi alanlarda etkili olduğunu göstermektedir. Bununla birlikte, sosyal katılım, etik sorumluluk ve paydaş çeşitliliği konularında hâlen önemli boşluklar bulunduğu görülmektedir. Spekülatif tasarım yaklaşımı ise, mevcut uygulamaların ötesine geçerek YZ ile şekillenen olası gelecek senaryolarını mimari ve kentsel vizyonlarla birleştirme potansiyeli taşımaktadır. Bu bağlamda çalışma, şu temel araştırma sorularını yöneltmektedir: (1) YZ teknolojileri mimarlık ve şehir planlama alanlarında hangi yöntemlerle entegre edilmektedir? (2) YZ ve spekülatif tasarım kesişiminde hangi temalar ön plana çıkmaktadır? (3) YZ uygulamaları sürdürülebilir şehir hedefleri açısından sosyal katılım ve etik yönetişim ekseninde nasıl değerlendirilmektedir? Bu sorular, geleceğe dönük yaratıcı ve eleştirel şehir tasarımı yaklaşımları için önemli bir çerçeve sunmaktadır. Bu inceleme, sürdürülebilir kentsel tasarımda yapay zekânın rolünü inceleyerek literatürdeki önemli bir boşluğu ele almakta, katılımcı yönetişim ve etik yapay zekâ uygulamaları gibi az araştırılmış alanlara dair içgörüler sunmaktadır. Bulgular, yapay zekâ destekli yaklaşımların sürdürülebilir şehir planlamasını nasıl geliştirebileceğini vurgulayarak hem akademiye hem de uygulamaya katkıda bulunmakta ve daha fazla yeniliğe ihtiyaç duyulan alanları belirleyerek gelecekteki tasarım stratejilerine öneriler sunmaktadır.

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Cite This Article

Akdağ, F., Künyeli, F. B. (2026). Artificial Intelligence, Architecture, and Urban Sustainability: A Systematic Review with a Speculative Design Approach. Kent Akademisi, Cilt: 19 Sayı: 2, 1–21. https://doi.org/10.35674/kent.1681393

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