Within the current global context of rapid change, integrated with the potentials of digital technologies, IAAC’s Master in Advanced Architecture (MAA) is committed to the generation of new ideas and applications for Urban Design, Self Sufficiency, Digital Manufacturing Techniques and Advanced Interaction.
In this context IAAC works with a multidisciplinary approach, facing the challenges posed by our environment and the future development of cities, architecture and buildings, through a virtuous combination of technology, biology, computational design, digital and robotic fabrication, pushing innovation beyond the boundaries of a more traditional architectural approach.
Sunburn is a computationally designed urban shading pavilion for Plaça Universitat in Barcelona. The project explores how lightweight canopy structures can improve comfort in public space while creating an inviting social environment. Using parametric column placement, Kangaroo surface generation, Ladybug solar analysis, and Galapagos optimization, the canopy geometry is tested across different sun-hour periods to … Read more
Reciprocal Frames Reciprocal frames are self-supporting 3D structures. They consist of three or more sloping beams arranged in a closed circuit. Each beam rests on the preceding one and supports the next, creating a completely interdependent grid. This design eliminates the need for a central pillar or column. Traditionally these frames were made of wood, … Read more
Using AI scripting in grasshopper to create and analyse reused timber stacked systems Two methods of creating panels made from an existing stocklist of reclaimed Timber using AI scripting integrated into Grasshopper. The first method explores the simple end to end stacking, by taking a random piece from the stock and placing it in a … Read more
Introduction This project explores a double landscape approach, bridging a student accommodation in the city with an ecological extraction site in the Collserola foothills. It establishes a material and climatic dialogue between the two contexts: one as a site of inhabitation, the other as a site of making. At its core is a breathing terracotta … Read more
Vernacular architecture has steadily lost relevance in contemporary practice. Industrialized construction methods, aesthetic shifts, and the pursuit of perceived reliability in materials like concrete and steel have overshadowed traditional techniques. However, these modern materials often come at a high environmental cost. Among the overlooked methods is quincha, a construction technique common in Latin America. It … Read more
Project by Saad Khan , Sai Mohan Satwik and Baran Koc INTRODUCTION Our group was assigned to study the TMDC building, focusing on its material composition, spatial qualities, and potential for on-site material reuse. The goal is to explore how the existing structure can become a source for recycled construction materials, which we would then … Read more
Our goal for this Computational Design assignment was using Karamba along with Wallacei to optimize the mass and deformation of the timber frames of our construction system called KINXA. It is a modernized version of the vernacular technique used in Latin America called “Quincha” which consists of the use of a wood or cane frame, … Read more
After spending some time learning about timber joinery last term, this term was all about implementing these logics onto a larger and more complex system: a small chunk of a bird observatory. We designed and made all of the beams that comprised the chunk, which were all unique to one another. Some were straight, others … Read more
a harmonious integration of natural processes, technological design, and human (dis)comfort. The Location
TIMBER SENSING TECHNOLOGY A material system combining timber and graphene, replacing traditional sensors through graphene’s sensing capabilities. This innovative approach allows first, real-time tracking of deformations inside the wood. Second, creating a digital twin that improves maintenance efficiency in the operational phase. Third, providing a detailed service life passport, this system supports reuse and reduces … Read more
ChromaEnergon represents an innovative approach to student housing architecture that transcends conventional design paradigms tapping the potentials of climatic energy and thermochromic pigments. This concept leverages verticality, slenderness, and dispersed tower structures to create dynamic living environments. By strategically mapping energy into various spaces through the skin which the facade, ChromaEnergon aims to generate unique … Read more
Site The city of Porto Alegre in Brazil has faced recently the largest flood in the recorded history. The 2nd place happened 80 years ago across the span of 22 days. This year, this record was broken in 4 hours. As for now, only for the city of Porto Alegre, more than 242 thousand homes … Read more
This square building was designed by Elies Regent in neo-Gothic style. From thi lodge the reservoir keeper controlled water levels and managed the opening and closing of the dam gates. This building has been restored as ,faithfully as possible to the original. At present the ground floor hosts an exhibition of the reservoir’s history and … Read more
Design References Design Simulations Cladding Composition The Sandwich Panel is a combination of a top 6mm Polycarbonate Sheet with Dry Insulation and Cork forming our inner layers and to finish it off with a 6mm thk Polycarbonate Sheet at the bottom. Fabrication Process Using plywood as a base for dowels, which would serve as lateral … Read more
