Forma — Material Intelligence

Background

Architecture firms spend an average of 340 hours per project on material research and specification. Forma reduces this to under 40 hours while simultaneously improving sustainability outcomes and cost predictability.

Core Challenge

Material selection involves thousands of interdependent variables: structural performance, embodied carbon, cost trajectories, lead times, aesthetic coherence, and regulatory compliance. No single expert can hold all of this in their head. Forma makes it possible.

Intelligence Layer

The underlying model was trained on 2.3 million material specifications, 180,000 completed projects, and real-time pricing from 600 suppliers. It understands context — a coastal building faces different material constraints than an inland one, even if the programs are identical.

Interface Design

Rather than surfacing a list of options, Forma surfaces a field of possibilities — a spatial canvas where materials cluster by compatibility, sustainability profile, and cost band. Architects explore by zooming, filtering, and comparing, not by navigating menus.

Collaboration Features

A shared project space allows structural engineers, interior designers, and clients to annotate the material field together. Decisions are logged with reasoning, creating a searchable specification history that survives personnel changes.

Impact

Used by 340 architecture firms in 28 countries. Average embodied carbon reduction: 23% compared to traditional selection methods. Average specification time reduction: 88%.