We are witnessing a technological revolution that is reshaping the boundaries of architecture, design and education. The integration of these technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) and Extended Reality (XR) tools, is blending reality with computer-generated information creating new dimensions of design and experience. From a pedagogical perspective integrating these emerging technologies represents a shift from traditional methods towards more interactive and engaging approaches. The implementation of a hybrid-pedagogical approach is not merely about technological adoption; it is a fundamental reconceptualization of design education, purposefully structured to cultivate the critical cognitive faculties, deep critical thinking, generative creativity, and dynamic adaptabilities. This study explores two complementary approaches to embedding AI in architectural education revealing how strategically differentiated temporal frameworks, FAST extracurricular workshops and SLOW studio modules, collectively cultivate critical AI literacy. We position time-constrained workshops as high-velocity (FAST) experimentation,where thanks to a structured framework, micro tasks and rapid AI iteration students were able to translate their id.a, starting from generic abstraction, into design results with consistency and immediacy. Here, speed becomes pedagogical: generative tools enable risk-taking, pattern recognition, and intuitive fluency through compressed cycles of prompt-refinement-output, training fast learning as exploratory agility. Conversely, (SLOW) reframes the semester-long studio module as a conversational space for deep criticality, where AI interaction is deliberately decelerated. Students engage in iterative dialogue with AI outputs over weeks, interrogating socio-spatial implications, material realities, and contextual coherence, transforming algorithmic speed into scaffolding for slow learning as reflective praxis.
GianMarco is an Italian architect graduated from Naples Second University, Italy, obtaining a Master degree in Architecture with highest honors. Recognized for his outstanding work, GianMarco has received multiple awards, including the National College Digital Art & Design Awards, Asia Pacific Design Awards, and the China Decoration Design Award. His expertise spans both traditional and cutting-edge practices, integrating generative AI and digital tools into architectural pedagogy and design processes.