Bricks And Bytes "The Industry Is Fundamentally Incapable of Change" - Spacemaker Founder Explains Why
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Nov 20, 2025 In this discussion, Carl Christensen, co-founder of Spacemaker and now a product leader at Autodesk, shares insights on the AEC industry's resistance to change. He explains how outcome-based design can tackle interconnected problems and emphasizes the importance of making informed early decisions. Carl highlights how AI simulations can quickly evaluate environmental impacts like sunlight and noise. He also delves into Spacemaker’s acquisition by Autodesk, underscoring the significance of cultural alignment and proving customer value.
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Outcome-Based Design Beats Deliverable Focus
- The AEC industry resists change because many problems are tightly interconnected and local context matters.
- Focusing on outcomes instead of deliverables can reframe decisions and unlock better project starting points.
Early Decisions Drive Project Fate
- Early-phase design choices lock later outcomes because decisions are made with limited information.
- Bringing richer analysis into early stages creates better starting points and downstream results.
Spacemaker's Fast Environmental Simulations
- Spacemaker combined generative alternatives with fast environmental simulations for sunlight, noise, and wind.
- The tool imported GIS and context data so stakeholders could trust and compare options quickly.