🌐 Culturally-Aware Urban Design Web App

Google Summer of Code 2024 Project by Sonnet Xu

Overview

This code was developed as part of a Google Summer of Code project to create an urban design platform that empowers citizens to actively participate in the city planning process using generative AI. The platform allows users to generate images of city elements, such as bus stops, city centers, and more, by inputting prompts. Users can further customize the generated designs, either by editing them directly or by incorporating reference images to guide the generation process. All generated images are saved in a history log, enabling citizens to review, select their preferred designs, and share feedback directly with city planners.

Features

• RESTful API Endpoints: Developed using Next.js to enable seamless client-server communication.
• React-Based Frontend: Integrated with the backend API, providing an intuitive interface for urban planners to interact with the data and AI models.
• Generative AI Integration: Utilizes diffusion models to generate urban designs, with the hopes of eventually being able to create designs tailored to the specific needs and histories of different communities.
• Full-Stack Deployment: The application is fully deployed using Amazon Web Services (AWS) tools.

Tech Stack

• Frontend: React, Tailwind CSS
• Backend: Next.js, Node.js
• AI Models: Generative AI diffusion models (Stability)
• Cloud Services: AWS
• Version Control: GitHub

Installation

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/OETBoston/ai-for-design
   cd ai-for-design

2. Install dependencies:

   npm install

3. Set up environment variables:

   Create a .env file in the root directory and add your environment variables as shown in the .env.example file.

4. Start the development server:

   npm start
   npm run start-react

5. Access the app:

   Open your browser and navigate to http://localhost:3000.

Usage

Design Interface: Explore different urban design options through an intuitive interface. Use the tools provided to interact with the AI models and generate designs.

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please fork the repository and submit a pull request with your changes. Ensure that your code adheres to the project's coding standards and is well-documented.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for more details.

Acknowledgements

This project was developed as part of the Google Summer of Code 2024, in partnership with the City of Boston. Special thanks to the mentors (Michael Evans and Wil Jones) and collaborators who provided guidance and support throughout the development process.