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    Gendo

    SURVEYED SEPTEMBER TO OCTOBER 2026

    Beyond
    the Render

    The AI Workflow Shift in Architecture

    AI is already paying architects back in time. Insights from over 1,000 Studio and Free Gendo users on where Gendo sits in their workflow, what it changes and where it goes next.

    GENDO USER RESEARCH, 2026FIG. 00

    AI in architecture is moving beyond the image. Where does it make the biggest difference?

    1,058

    respondents

    Studio and Free Gendo users, September to October 2026.

    91%

    saved time

    Of those able to judge, in the past 30 days. Full distribution in Chapter 02.

    82%

    use other tools less

    At least one existing tool or service used less because of Gendo. Full breakdown in Chapter 04.

    Source: Gendo User Research, 24 September to 20 October 2026. n=1,058. Question bases shown. Multiple selections where applicable. Self-reported estimates.

    Where in the design process respondents use Gendo

    Gendo use extends beyond the final render

    • Competitions / bids: 20%Competitions can span stages
    • Early concepts / feasibility: 47%RIBA 0 to 2: Strategy, briefing and concept design
    • Design development / exploring options: 55%RIBA 2 to 3: Concept design and spatial coordination
    • Client presentations / design reviews: 57%Client reviews across stages
    • Planning submissions / consultation visuals: 17%RIBA 2 to 3: Planning context
    • Marketing / final project imagery: 28%Marketing across stages
    Based on 1,057 respondents, Studio and Free users combined. Multiple selections allowed, so percentages do not total 100%. Planning use is understated by this question. These figures show where respondents use Gendo, not how frequently.

    RIBA Plan of Work references are indicative context, not direct mappings. The survey asked about these activities, not numbered RIBA stages. Competitions, client reviews and marketing can span stages; planning timing varies by project. RIBA Plan of Work 2020

    View data table
    Gendo use extends beyond the final render
    Project stageRespondentsShare
    Competitions / bids21120%
    Early concepts / feasibility50247%
    Design development / exploring options58655%
    Client presentations / design reviews60157%
    Planning submissions / consultation visuals18217%
    Marketing / final project imagery29628%

    THREE WAYS TO READ IT

    Read online

    Interactive charts you can switch between Studio and Free users, plus every respondent quote.

    Download the PDF

    A designed A4 report to save, print or bring to your next practice meeting.

    Share with your team

    Send it to a colleague in one click. They get their own free access.

    INSIDE THE REPORT

    Seven chapters, every answer base shown

    1. 01

      Architecture's changing workflow

      Where AI visualisation sits across a project, and why it is moving into the working middle of design.

    2. 02

      The productivity impact

      How much time users save each month, and where those hours go.

    3. 03

      Breadth goes with benefit

      How the number of stages using AI relates to reported time savings.

    4. 04

      The changing economics of visualisation

      How Gendo is replacing existing tools and bought-in work, and where the savings show up.

    5. 05

      AI is entering planning

      How Studio users are already using Gendo visuals in planning applications.

    6. 06

      Professional control

      Why accuracy, consistency and preserving design intent matter most to professionals.

    7. 07

      What this means for architecture

      Five predictions and practical implications for studios.

    Plus an executive summary, practical implications for studios, and a full methodology appendix. Available online and as an A4 PDF.

    “We are talking to clients in visual language they are fluent in (Photorealistic images). With a fraction of the cost and effort we used to expend we can now offer clients a wide range of design options that both they and I can be confident that they understand, and that allow them to make decisions without having to make a leap of faith.”

    David, Design Principle Studio

    Get the full findings

    Explore the charts, respondent perspectives and practical implications for your studio.

    Based on over 1,000 Gendo users (1,058 respondents). Free to read.

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    How to read these figures

    • Self-reportedTime and spending figures are respondents' own estimates, not audited savings.
    • Question-specific basesEvery percentage shows the number who answered that question.
    • Clear cohort labelsThe stage overview combines Studio and Free users. The full report shows their results side by side.
    • Gendo usersNot a representative sample of all architects. Associations, not causes.