#536 AI, AR & the Built World: Brian Corcodilos on Building Tomorrow’s Real Estate

In this episode, Mehmet sits down with Brian Corcodilos, CEO of Designblendz, to explore how technology is transforming the built environment — from 3D visualization and digital twins to the future of AR-powered real estate. Brian shares his journey from pro-gamer to architect-founder, scaling a design studio from a college dorm room to a 30-person innovation-driven firm. We dive deep into the intersection of architecture, virtual worlds, AI, AR, and how emerging technologies are reshaping how we design, sell, and experience real estate. If you care about AI, real estate, and the future of human-centric design, this episode is a must-listen. ⸻ About Brian Corcodilos Brian Corcodilos is the Founder & CEO of Designblendz, a Philadelphia-based architecture and visualization studio specializing in BIM, photorealistic 3D, drone-based digital environments, and immersive design. A former competitive gamer turned architect-operator, Brian combines technical skill with creative vision to help developers, municipalities, and brands design smarter and sell faster in a virtual-first world. ⸻ ✅ Key Takeaways • The connection between gaming, virtual worlds, and architecture • Why AR — not VR — will win mass adoption • How AI is reshaping architecture & 3D visualization workflows • The future of virtual real estate and augmented built spaces • Why blockchain will matter again — and where • Scaling a service business through culture, delegation, and trust • What traditional industries get wrong about tech adoption Episode Highlights 00:00 Intro 01:20 From pro-gamer to architect-founder 04:15 When 3D visualization became a business advantage 08:32 How AI is upending the design pipeline 12:40 The real value behind photoreal rendering 17:45 AR vs. VR — why VR flopped and AR will dominate 23:18 AI assistants, workflows, and replacing admin work 29:10 Deepfakes, blockchain, and proof-of-reality 33:40 The future of virtual real estate & urban space 42:10 Founder lessons — scaling, culture, letting go 49:15 M&A as a growth strategy in architecture 53:40 Closing thoughts + where to follow Brian Resources Mentioned • Designblendz — www.designblendz.com • Brian’s LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/bcorcodilos/