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Bending Lights

Team member(s): and
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Computational Design Seminar Level 1

Faculty: Shrey Kapur, Akshay Madapura

Figure 1. Render of the facade generated by the author using Nano Banana Pro on Gemini (2025).

This assignment aims to investigate how architecture and technology overlap by designing a façade that includes at least one entrance opening using computational methods. We engaged through the full design workflow, from initial concept to final outcome, using digital tools and algorithms to produce innovative, dynamic forms on chosen building fronts within a specific Barcelona city block, and to communicate the form-finding logic through sets of diagrams and animations.

Reference Projects

Figure 2. Golden façade of The Imprint 
Architect: MVRDV, 2018. Photograph by Ossip van Duivenbode. 
Source: MVRDV, The Imprint project page, accessed December 2025
Figure 3. Media Library St Paul, Saint-Paul, Réunion.
Architect: Périphériques Architectes.  Source: ArchDaily, “Media Library St Paul / Peripheriques Architectes,” accessed December 2025.

Combining Inspirations

Figure 4. Precedent façades and derived parametric strategy.
Top-left: The Imprint, Paradise City, Incheon, South Korea, MVRDV, 2015–2018 – photograph and section diagram adapted from MVRDV project page; analytical diagrams redrawn by the author using Nano Banana Pro. 
Top-right: Media Library Saint-Paul, Réunion, Périphériques Architectes, 2015 – photograph and axonometric adapted from ArchDaily; analytical diagrams redrawn by the author using Nano Banana Pro. 
Bottom: author’s parametric façade diagrams for the Barcelona retail project, developed from the two precedents.

Design Process & Parametrization


Figure 5. Design process diagrams by Author

Pseudo Code

Figure 6. Pseudo code diagram by Author

Figure 7. Pseudo code animation diagram by Author

Form Finding


Figure 8. Various Iterations Diagram by Author

Facade Structure

Figure 9. Exploded Diagram and Section by Author

Animation

Figure 10. Animation Video by Author

3D Visualization

Figure 11. Render of the facade generated by the author using Nano Banana Pro on Gemini (2025).
Figure 12. Render of the facade generated by the author using Nano Banana Pro on Gemini (2025).

Bending Lights is a project of IAAC, Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia developed in the Master in Advanced Architecture - 2025-2026 by the student(s) and during the course MAA01 25/26 Computational Design Seminar I (Level 1) with Akshay Madapura and Shrey Kapur.