What if you could help tenants right-size their space needs in minutes, test multiple layouts in hours, and riff on photorealistic finish schemes of your space in real time?  

With lightning-fast programming tools, AI-assisted planning platforms, and next-gen image generation paired with talented design professionals, that’s no longer hypothetical—it’s happening now. For landlords and leasing teams, could this finally mean faster decision-making, less friction in the client experience, and accelerated revenue for building stakeholders? 

The Leasing Bottleneck Everyone Gripes About

Even when a prospect loves your building, traditional space-planning can drag out the deal: 

  1. Broker requests a test-fit 
  2. The architect turns it in a week 
  3. Tenant iterates—again and again 
  4. Construction pricing follows weeks later 

In a market where small-to-mid tenants want to move yesterday, this process kills invaluable momentum.  

New Designer Tech You May Not Know About 

As timelines tighten and tenant expectations rise, space planning must move faster—without sacrificing quality. By combining data-driven tools with expert insight, it’s now possible to evaluate more options earlier in the process. 

NELSON designers use rule-based design engines to generate dozens of layout options in a fraction of the time. For one recent 28,000 SF program, we delivered four full-suite test-fits—complete with furniture blocks across different buildings—in just 48 hours (versus the typical two to three weeks). Before that, we validate space needs using nationally sourced NELSON data and planning ratios tailored to the tenant industry and location. Each plan auto-counts program elements, flags clearance and egress issues, and allows us to effortlessly toggle between layouts and adjacencies to better align with tenant goals. 

Outputs flow directly into highly detailed BIM models, producing 3D visuals that are clear and actionable for users, contractors, and building teams alike.

The Visual Sell: Image Gen and Rapid Mood Boards

Speed matters, but so does sizzle. Generative AI can create on-brand mood boards and hero shots fast. Our designers then fine-tune these assets into presentation-ready renderings that brokers can drop into Offering Memos the same afternoon.

  • Pick from one of our pre-defined schemes or give us your best inspiration. Swap style references instantly; final images can be delivered the same day. Our AI tools are designed to produce visuals at a range of price points, and we continually refine them to better meet project needs.
  • Tenants decide faster and with more confidence because they see exactly how their brand can live in the space, without overhyping and having to VE later.

People and AI: Why Designers Aren’t Going Anywhere 

While headlines often warn of AI replacing human jobs, the real story is how it can elevate the expertise of skilled professionals—not replace them. Our in-house designers act as “pilots,” steering AI and other automations, validating code nuances, and layering local market intelligence that AI models alone often lack—like what fintech tenants in Chicago prefer versus biotech tenants in Raleigh.

The result is creativity amplified, not automated away. The burden of managing your design team lightens up for clients, which translates to a better tailoring of design solutions to meet tenant culture demands. Our designers enjoy a deeper focus on experiential amenities for your space and less time on the technical execution, just to simply communicate intent.

Real-World Impact: Four Deals, 11 Weeks Saved

The results speak for themselves—when AI is applied strategically, it can dramatically accelerate timelines and reduce friction without compromising quality. 

Peak Performance – 400 k SF planned in 48 Hours 

  • A surprise vacancy needed traction fast. With our AI-driven planning engine, we delivered three tailored test-fits totaling almost 400K sq/ft in just 48 hours. One concept captured the prospect’s imagination so completely that they signed the lease with only minor tweaks. 

Smarter Spend Equals Better Experience 

  • Keeping the existing walls felt “efficient,” but the layout fell short. Our live AI blocking tool ran instant cost-vs-benefit scenarios, proving that a light demolition and rebuild would elevate the user experience. The tenant happily paid the higher fit-out cost—and the landlord secured the deal. 

From Plans to Pictures: The New Language of Design Intent 

Here’s the bigger shift: in a visual-first medium like interior design, we’re moving beyond the limitations of words and 2D drawings. Instead, design intent is communicated through rapidly iterated, high-impact 3D visuals and curated presentations that everyone, from asset managers to tenants, can instantly understand. 

This shift isn’t just aesthetic. It’s eliminating the back-and-forth that slows projects down, resulting in fewer misunderstandings, fewer revisions, and faster decision-making. 

What is the new measure of a designer’s value? They can deeply understand your goals and then use today’s powerful digital tools to translate vision into visuals—quickly, clearly, and compellingly.