Architects Call for Tech Revolution at London Summit

• Proeksa Meas
• 11 April 2026
• Construction Focus
• 1094 Views

The construction industry is facing a digital wake-up call as the Archi-Tech Network (ATN) held its inaugural summit in London, demanding a shift toward open software, artificial intelligence, and seamless data sharing.

Founded by architect Oliver Thomas, the movement aims to fix a long-standing frustration: outdated, disconnected software that stifles creativity and slows down the building process. The summit brought together over 500 designers and technologists who are pushing for a future where tools are intuitive, collaborative, and hosted in the cloud.

A central theme of the event was the push for “interoperability”—the ability for different software programs to work together without losing data.

Industry experts argued that architects currently waste too much time toggling between programs and reworking designs. While AI was a hot topic, speakers reassured the crowd that human empathy remains irreplaceable in design. Instead of replacing architects, technology is being redirected to solve massive global challenges, such as quantifying climate impact and making cities more resilient to natural disasters.

Bentley Systems Bentley also presented an immersive virtual reality experience at the summit. Using Bentley software and cutting-edge 3D visualization, attendees were transported into a digital twin of Manhattan’s coastal resiliency project.

The simulation allowed users to stand inside a virtual power plant and witness how modern flood defenses, designed with Bentley’s open data tools, would protect the city from a storm like Hurricane Sandy.

The tools used to design our world must be as innovative as the buildings themselves. By embracing open data and immersive technology, firms like Bentley are helping architects move beyond technical hurdles to focus on what matters most—building safer, more beautiful, and more sustainable cities for the future.

• Bentley
• AI
• Bentley Systems
• Arch-Tech Network
• VR