By Ana Arcanjo
Artificial intelligence (AI) is already taking over everything – from our news feeds to our voice assistants. So why not let it redesign our cities too? The previous article discussed how generative AI revolutionizes architecture and urban planning. Now, we have a real-world example: Cityzen Tower, the new skyscraper by Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) in Tbilisi, Georgia. It’s not just a building – it’s a piece of biophilic, sustainable design, and, of course, optimized by AI. But is this highly engineered future being built for people or an ideal city we don’t even know if we want?
Cityzen Tower rises imposingly where the former Soviet military headquarters once stood – a place that, ironically, symbolized a past where control was absolute. Now, control takes a different form: algorithms, data analysis, and computational modeling define every inch of urban space. Located in Saburtalo, a growing academic and commercial district, the tower promises to transform the city’s skyline. And yes, there are 23,000 m² of green spaces, plazas, and pedestrian routes. But what’s better for urban life: a project planned down to the last pixel or the spontaneous, imperfect chaos of the cities we know?
ZHA loves to say that its projects are inspired by nature, and Cityzen Tower is no exception. Its design evokes the rolling hills and valleys of Tbilisi as if AI decided that the best way to honor the natural environment was to build a glass-and-steel structure that curves like a living organism. The terraced gardens are a nice touch – but do they really recreate the experience of a carefree walk in the park, or are they just the perfect backdrop for Instagram photos?
Here’s where AI steps in as the big hero:
- AI-assisted wind and solar analysis ensures impeccable thermal comfort (for those who can afford a space inside, of course).
- Smart balconies and shading systems optimize natural light and reduce energy consumption – because a self-thinking building is clearly what was missing to save the planet.
- Rainwater collection and reuse contribute to sustainability. But who ensures that this water will be used efficiently for the entire community and not just to keep the lush hanging gardens pristine?
If AI has really made this project so efficient and sustainable, should we hand over the planning of all future cities to it? And more importantly: if AI is optimizing space, who is optimizing AI to ensure it prioritizes real human needs?
Cityzen Tower is being marketed as an icon of innovation and progress – but progress for whom? The project reflects global trends in smart urbanism, where spaces are designed to be more efficient, sustainable, and visually impressive. But while the tower integrates perfectly into its surroundings in an aesthetic sense, the real question is whether it will integrate into the city’s daily life.
We can imagine two possible futures:
- An urban paradise where technology finally solves city problems. Traffic flows, and indoor climate control are perfect, and green spaces are accessible to all.
- A glass-and-steel dystopia where AI optimizes everything – except the lives of ordinary people. Expensive housing, “green” spaces that exist only to increase property values, and urbanism that benefits a few while ignoring the needs of the majority.
Cityzen Tower is an incredible project, no doubt. But we must ask: is this new wave of hyper-planned, AI-assisted urbanism really leading us to a better future? Or is it just creating cities that look great on paper (or on a computer screen), while inequality and exclusion persist in the real world? We don’t yet have all the answers to these questions, but asking them is essential. We need to reflect on what we are building and for whom before the cities of the future are decided solely by algorithms and real estate interests. True innovation isn’t just in impressive design but in the ability to create spaces that truly serve people’s needs.
Maybe it’s time not only to admire these ambitious architectural projects but also to question for whom they are being built. After all, a smart city isn’t just one optimized by AI – it’s one that truly works for the people who live in it.
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name: Cityzen Tower
architect: Zaha Hadid Architects | @zahahadidarchitects
location: Tbilisi, Georgia
client: Cityzen
completion: expected 2028
visualizations: © Negativ | @negativ_va
design: Patrik Schumacher
ZHA project director: Manuela Gatto
ZHA project associate: Yevgeniya Pozigun
ZHA project architects: Takehiko Iseki, Massimo Napoleoni
ZHA project leads: Armando Bussey (Design), Bowen Miao (Facade), Maria Avrami (BIM),
ZHA technical coordination: Kutbuddin Nadiadi
ZHA project team: Alicia Hidalgo Lopez, Armando Bussey, Besan Abudayah, Bowen Miao, Catherine McCann, Charles Walker, Ignacio Fernandez De Castro, Jessica Wang, Jose Pareja Gomez, Kutbuddin Nadiadi, Laizhen Wu, Manuela Gatto, Maria Avrami, Massimo Napoleoni, Panos Ioakim, Takehiko Iseki, Thomas Bagnoli, Yevgeniya Pozigun
ZHA analytics & insights team: Uli Blum, Danial Haziq
ZHA sustainability team: Aleksander Mastalski, Aditya Ambare, Carlos Bausa Martinez, Shibani Choudhury, Disha Shetty
local architect: Artstudio Project
structural engineers: Capiteli
facade engineering: FMT Facade Consultants
MEP: Zerone
landscape consultant: Artstudio Project
animation: Render.ge
LEED consultant: Sustainable Engineering Ltd
Interior Architect, MSc, in Design, and Interdisciplinary Researcher. Enthusiast of innovative teaching methodologies.
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