Presented by Yusuke Obuchi, a visiting professor of architecture from the University of Tokyo, this lecture, entitled “Design Sustainability with Empathy: Human-Centric Computational Design and Fabrication,” explores how computational design, robotic fabrication, and AI-driven systems can move beyond productivity and efficiency to redefine the human role in construction.

Drawing on psychological insights such as the Endowment Effect, it examines how empathy emerges when people are directly engaged in making and maintaining their environments. Together, these perspectives highlight a shift in design — where technology and human empathy converge to cultivate more meaningful, resilient, and sustainable futures.