FORMAS.AI today unveiled a preview of CARTESIAN by FORMAS, an AI-assisted platform for early-stage architecture, interiors, furniture, and product design. CARTESIAN connects 3D creation with design problem-solving at the stage when spatial requirements, materials, environmental conditions, and design intent can be considered together.
Designers can begin with photographs, sketches, written briefs, or existing models, then use conversation to develop their individual components with precision as ideas take shape. AI can produce a compelling image of a building or object, but developing that idea into a model brings further questions: how parts fit together, which constraints matter, and what should change as the design develops.
CARTESIAN gives designers an editable project in which to investigate those questions, carrying requirements and references into each revision.
“The technology behind it can be incredibly complex. The experience should not be”
Yiping Goh, co-founder and CEO of FORMAS.AI.
CARTESIAN is designed to make 3D creation more accessible while giving experienced designers greater scope to explore ideas, exercise judgment, and develop proposals with clients and collaborators. At its core is CARTESIAN’s own CAD kernel layer and geometric toolkit, built for AI agents. Agents can discover supported tools, construct solids and freeform surfaces, and inspect and revise geometry through programmatic operations.
Models can be organized into named components, layers, and assemblies, with relationships that help describe how parts belong together. This supports progressive development from overall form to individual elements and connections.
“These relationships give geometry meaning and help preserve design intent as the model changes”
Carlos Bañón, co-founder of FORMAS.AI.
CARTESIAN’s orchestration system coordinates multiple AI models such as OpenAI’s GPT-6 Astra and Claude Opus 5.5, and other specialist agents across reference interpretation, brief development, geometric authoring and review. Independent improvements can be developed in parallel, then combined through geometry checks within the shared model. Rhino and Blender integrations complement this system with additional CAD and mesh workflows.
Project requirements and source references carry context between modelling activities. Environmental studies feed into this agentic loop. Agents can request targeted inspections, measurements or studies, then use the returned information to inform subsequent modelling decisions.
Sunlight, shadows, and realtime wind analysis help designers investigate how form, orientation and spatial organisation respond to their surroundings. Mechanical modules for motion and articulated assemblies are being integrated to broaden these possibilities.
CARTESIAN by Formas supports concept development for furniture, products and layered structural assemblies, including studies of joints and connections. Designers can explore material thicknesses, dimensions, spacing and assembly relationships as design constraints, preparing ideas for real-life prototyping and further development in digital manufacturing workflows. These studies help investigate feasibility.
Live connections with Rhinoceros and SketchUp are natively integrated, supporting model updates and controlled transfers between applications. File exchange includes DXF import and export for AutoCAD workflows and IFC import and export for BIM workflows, alongside STEP export for supported solid models and STL export for mesh-based prototyping. Availability and fidelity depend on the model and installed integrations.
CARTESIAN’s desktop rollout is planned in phases for macOS and Windows, with expanded access planned from 31 October 2026. The preview waitlist is open at formas.ai/cartesian/waitlist, with priority for FORMAS Founding Circle and Studio members and strategic partners.
Studios interested in early-access collaborations can contact cartesian@formas.ai. FORMAS.AI develops an AI-native design workspace for architects, interior designers and product designers. The company raised an oversubscribed US$3.98 million pre-seed round led by Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia & India, won first prize at SuperAI Genesis 2026 and TOP10 in Trimble 0-60 Challenge.
Design with CARTESIAN, Compete for $120,000+ in Prizes
Alongside the preview of CARTESIAN, FORMAS.AI has launched CartesianForms: Architecture Reimagined, a global AI design competition organized with PAACADEMY and Parametric Architecture and sponsored by OpenAI.
The competition invites participants to choose a 50 × 50-meter site anywhere in the world and rethink an existing building, structure, or site across three generations: 2030 — Inherit, 2055 — Alter, and 2080 — Pass On. Rather than focusing only on a final image, the competition asks designers to demonstrate the architectural thinking behind their proposal through experimentation, iteration, editable 3D development, and decision-making.
Participants will work within a shared design environment using FORMAS.AI, CARTESIAN by FORMAS, and OpenAI, making the competition an opportunity to explore CARTESIAN as part of an actual architectural design process.
Open worldwide to students and professionals, the competition offers more than US$120,000 in total prizes and participant benefits. Registration closes on December 6, 2026, with final submissions due on December 13, and winners announced on December 23, 2026.
Inherit what matters. Alter what needs to change. Pass something meaningful on.
