Co-Creating Using AI : A Design lab with Dr. Sechaba Maape

In the first creation Lab, we grounded ourselves in indigenous knowledge systems, using traditional ecological wisdom to listen to the land and reveal its living identity, memory, and presence. Now, we take the next step in this journey by bridging rooted heritage with modern technological frameworks. This second session invites designers, thinkers, and community members to explore how Generative AI can serve as a collaborative tool rather than a top-down solution. We will test how AI tools can translate deep ecological insights, oral histories, and spatial relationships into tangible architectural and landscape design concepts. What we will explore together: Digital Translation of Living Identity: How prompt engineering and AI visualization can express the spiritual, ecological, and cultural character of a landscape. De-centering Human-Only Design: Using technology to honor the agency, rights, and seasonal shifts of the land itself. Speculative Proposals: Hands-on co-creation of forward-looking design concepts that remain deeply accountable to indigenous ethics and ancestral roots.