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.
A sun-chasing system is a mechanism that automatically tracks the movement of the sun across the sky to maintain the optimal angle for capturing sunlight. When applied to solar panels, this technology can increase energy efficiency by up to 30–40% compared to fixed panels, as it maximizes exposure throughout the day. Beyond energy generation, the … Read more
Concept This project features a dynamic façade that responds to joystick movements, allowing users to control the orientation of its panels toward the north, south, east, or west. Each direction activates a different sound and colored light, providing both auditory and visual feedback that complements the tactile control. For example, a high-pitched tone and red … Read more
A prototype for an interactive floor system that transforms human movement into light. The prototype consists of buttons representing movable floor tiles equipped with sensors that detect when someone steps on them.Each activated tile triggers an individual light source, creating a unique and dynamic composition that changes with every step.As people move across the surface, … Read more
Rainwater Harvester The project proposes a regenerative infrastructure for runoff water collection, treatment, and reuse within the built environment. Conceived as a responsive system embedded in architecture, it seeks to transform excess rainwater often perceived as waste into an active resource within a closed ecological loop. During episodes of heavy rainfall, the system captures surface … Read more
Carbon Envelopes Toward Carbon-Sequestering Architectural Systems through Biochar-Concrete and Hybrid Fabrication The construction industry is one of the biggest contributors to climate change.We’re facing a paradox: The materials we use and how the construction industry works today are destroying our chance of having a future. Besides the emissions, there are other problems that we need to … Read more
Self Sufficient Buildings The project investigates esparto grass as a natural humidity moderator within urban student housing. By analyzing its hygroscopic response and recording relative humidity variations, a passive air filtration system is developed. Anchored in a double landscape strategy, the design links material cultivation, extraction, and environmental performance across urban and ecological contexts. Carrer de … 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
a BIOCHAR BASED concrete WITH A negative carbon footprint BARA is an opportunity to build negative carbon constructionsystems by rethinking concrete and methods used in the buildingindustry. Using on-site 3D printing and casting, entire buildings can beconstructed with reduced cement while storing and capturing carbon. The focus is on optimizing and improvingstructural performance, enhancing carbon … Read more
Generating the Optimal Pavilion Design through Sunlight-Driven Evolutionary AlgorithmsLocation: Poblenou, Barcelona This project explores a generative design workflow applied to pavilion architecture in Poblenou, Barcelona, where sunlight is a critical environmental factor. Using evolutionary algorithms, we generate an optimized pavilion form that responds to solar exposure, ventilation, and material efficiency. Inspired by the natural selection principle from John Holland’s genetic … Read more
Located in Poblenou, this student housing project comprises 25 modular units organized through solar optimization. Using Galapagos, the massing evolved through iterative simulations based on incident radiation, calibrating orientation and spacing to maximize winter sunlight while mitigating summer heat gain. The result is a compact, climate-responsive structure where environmental logic shapes architectural form—balancing solar access, … Read more
GENETIC OPTIMIZATION OF THE STRUCTURAL WARDROBE ELEMENTS Project Abstract The structural wardrobe is reimagined as the primary vertical load-bearing core in a compact architectural system ( From the Data Informed Structures 2024-2025). Acting as both a partition and a support, this wardrobe spans between floor and ceiling, bearing compressive and tensile loads while housing essential … Read more
