{"id":12597,"date":"2025-09-21T07:25:20","date_gmt":"2025-09-21T07:25:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/unit-21.com\/?p=12597"},"modified":"2025-09-21T07:25:20","modified_gmt":"2025-09-21T07:25:20","slug":"xavier-thanki-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unit-21.com\/?p=12597","title":{"rendered":"Xavier Thanki"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td>Text2Forest | Berlin, Germany | Unit 21 | 2025<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:24px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td>This project explores language-based machine learning as a generative design tool, positioning artificial intelligence (AI) not as a means of optimisation but as co-author of architecture. At its centre is a fine-tuned language model that translates weather-based text prompts into tree geometries, each shaped by specific environmental conditions. These forms are not predefined but probabilistically generated, embedding ecological logic into their structure.<br><br>The tool,&nbsp;<em>Text2Forest<\/em>, is deployed across a site to algorithmically plant a forest \u2014 each tree unique and tied to its own climate narrative. This forest is not decorative, but productive: a living index of environmental variation and a material resource for architectural intervention. Architecture emerges not from idealised forms but from what the forest provides, shifting authorship toward procedural cultivation.<br><br>By merging natural language processing with growth algorithms, the project challenges conventional design control. It embraces indeterminacy and decentralised authorship, reframing the relationship between environment, computation, and material outcome. Forestry becomes a digital, linguistic, and architectural act.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"499\" src=\"https:\/\/unit-21.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/BARC0175_24_THANKIXAVIER_PG21_Portfolio_Page_21-1024x499.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12607\" srcset=\"https:\/\/unit-21.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/BARC0175_24_THANKIXAVIER_PG21_Portfolio_Page_21-1024x499.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/unit-21.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/BARC0175_24_THANKIXAVIER_PG21_Portfolio_Page_21-250x122.jpg 250w, https:\/\/unit-21.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/BARC0175_24_THANKIXAVIER_PG21_Portfolio_Page_21-768x374.jpg 768w, https:\/\/unit-21.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/BARC0175_24_THANKIXAVIER_PG21_Portfolio_Page_21-1536x748.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/unit-21.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/BARC0175_24_THANKIXAVIER_PG21_Portfolio_Page_21-2048x997.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"padding:50% 0 0 0;position:relative;\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/1120520734?h=b6b2643629&amp;badge=0&amp;autopause=0&amp;player_id=0&amp;app_id=58479\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;\" title=\"BARC0175_24_THANKIXAVIER_PG21_Film_02\"><\/iframe><\/div><script src=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/api\/player.js\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><br><strong>Generating Bias<br><\/strong>A selection of trees generated with the bias informed system.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"padding:56.25% 0 0 0;position:relative;\">\n  <iframe src=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/1094804820?autoplay=1&amp;loop=1&amp;muted=1&amp;background=1&amp;playsinline=1&amp;autopause=0&amp;title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;portrait=0\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write\" title=\"Bartlett_Summer_2024_MArch_PG21_Ioana_Drogeanu_02\">\n  <\/iframe>\n<\/div>\n<script src=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/api\/player.js\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><br><strong>Text2Forest<br><\/strong><em>Text2Forest<\/em>&nbsp;is a machine learning tool that converts weather simulation data into language-based prompts, generating tree geometries tailored to specific environmental conditions.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"512\" src=\"https:\/\/unit-21.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/BARTLETT_SUMMER_2025_PG_UG21_XAVIER_THANKI_2_-_xavier_thanki-1024x512.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12598\" srcset=\"https:\/\/unit-21.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/BARTLETT_SUMMER_2025_PG_UG21_XAVIER_THANKI_2_-_xavier_thanki-1024x512.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/unit-21.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/BARTLETT_SUMMER_2025_PG_UG21_XAVIER_THANKI_2_-_xavier_thanki-250x125.jpeg 250w, https:\/\/unit-21.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/BARTLETT_SUMMER_2025_PG_UG21_XAVIER_THANKI_2_-_xavier_thanki-768x384.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/unit-21.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/BARTLETT_SUMMER_2025_PG_UG21_XAVIER_THANKI_2_-_xavier_thanki-1536x768.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/unit-21.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/BARTLETT_SUMMER_2025_PG_UG21_XAVIER_THANKI_2_-_xavier_thanki-2048x1024.jpeg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><br><strong>The Forest<\/strong><br>A forest of 6,230 trees, grown entirely through language.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"padding:50% 0 0 0;position:relative;\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/1120522315?h=3b5c8d6c7c&amp;badge=0&amp;autopause=0&amp;player_id=0&amp;app_id=58479\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;\" title=\"BARC0175_24_THANKIXAVIER_PG21_Film_05\"><\/iframe><\/div><script src=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/api\/player.js\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"427\" src=\"https:\/\/unit-21.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/BARTLETT_SUMMER_2025_PG_UG21_XAVIER_THANKI_3_-_xavier_thanki-1024x427.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12599\" srcset=\"https:\/\/unit-21.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/BARTLETT_SUMMER_2025_PG_UG21_XAVIER_THANKI_3_-_xavier_thanki-1024x427.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/unit-21.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/BARTLETT_SUMMER_2025_PG_UG21_XAVIER_THANKI_3_-_xavier_thanki-250x104.jpg 250w, https:\/\/unit-21.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/BARTLETT_SUMMER_2025_PG_UG21_XAVIER_THANKI_3_-_xavier_thanki-768x320.jpg 768w, https:\/\/unit-21.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/BARTLETT_SUMMER_2025_PG_UG21_XAVIER_THANKI_3_-_xavier_thanki-1536x640.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/unit-21.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/BARTLETT_SUMMER_2025_PG_UG21_XAVIER_THANKI_3_-_xavier_thanki-2048x854.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><br><strong>The Canopy<\/strong><br>A pathway that weaves through the forest, constructed entirely from the available timber stock of the site, following the forest\u2019s own logic of availability.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"padding:61.7% 0 0 0;position:relative;\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/1120521275?h=39acd1f0b0&amp;badge=0&amp;autopause=0&amp;player_id=0&amp;app_id=58479\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;\" title=\"BARC0175_24_THANKIXAVIER_PG21_Film_04\"><\/iframe><\/div><script src=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/api\/player.js\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/unit-21.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/BARTLETT_SUMMER_2025_PG_UG21_XAVIER_THANKI_4_-_xavier_thanki-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/unit-21.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/BARTLETT_SUMMER_2025_PG_UG21_XAVIER_THANKI_4_-_xavier_thanki-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/unit-21.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/BARTLETT_SUMMER_2025_PG_UG21_XAVIER_THANKI_4_-_xavier_thanki-250x188.jpg 250w, https:\/\/unit-21.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/BARTLETT_SUMMER_2025_PG_UG21_XAVIER_THANKI_4_-_xavier_thanki-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/unit-21.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/BARTLETT_SUMMER_2025_PG_UG21_XAVIER_THANKI_4_-_xavier_thanki.jpg 1400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><br><strong>The Pavilion<br><\/strong>Material selection begins at the level of the tree. Each specimen is digitally indexed and pruned based on form and location, enabling architecture to emerge directly from forest structure.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/unit-21.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/BARTLETT_SUMMER_2025_PG_UG21_XAVIER_THANKI_5_-_xavier_thanki-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12601\" srcset=\"https:\/\/unit-21.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/BARTLETT_SUMMER_2025_PG_UG21_XAVIER_THANKI_5_-_xavier_thanki-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/unit-21.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/BARTLETT_SUMMER_2025_PG_UG21_XAVIER_THANKI_5_-_xavier_thanki-187x250.jpg 187w, https:\/\/unit-21.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/BARTLETT_SUMMER_2025_PG_UG21_XAVIER_THANKI_5_-_xavier_thanki-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/unit-21.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/BARTLETT_SUMMER_2025_PG_UG21_XAVIER_THANKI_5_-_xavier_thanki.jpg 1400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><br><strong>The Outpost<\/strong><br>Each intervention synthesises neo-primitivist thinking with contemporary structural strategies. The result is an architecture rooted in the expressive potential of unprocessed material, yet directed by the physical logic of the forest itself.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Text2Forest | Berlin, Germany | Unit 21 | 2025 This project explores language-based machine learning as a generative design tool, positioning artificial intelligence (AI) not as a means of optimisation but as co-author of architecture. At its centre is a fine-tuned language model that translates weather-based text prompts into tree geometries, each shaped by specific environmental conditions. These forms are not predefined but probabilistically generated, embedding ecological logic into their<\/p>\n<div class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn read-more-btn\" href=\"https:\/\/unit-21.com\/?p=12597\">Read More<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[768,770,7],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/unit-21.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12597"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/unit-21.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/unit-21.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unit-21.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unit-21.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=12597"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/unit-21.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12597\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12714,"href":"https:\/\/unit-21.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12597\/revisions\/12714"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/unit-21.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12597"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unit-21.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=12597"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unit-21.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=12597"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}