During the second year of the Master in Advanced Architecture + Thesis Project (MAA02), students have the unique opportunity to work for a period of 1 year on an Individual Thesis Project, focused on the development of a research or pilot project based on the student’s interest, and the learnings of the first year. IAAC supports the student in selecting their Thesis Project topic in order to better orient them according to their future career interests and opportunities. Each student, according to their specific topic, is assigned one or more Thesis Advisors that follow the development of the work throughout the year.
In parallel to the development of the Individual Thesis Project, the second year of the MAA02 offers a series of seminars enhancing the theoretical, practical and computational skills of the students.
Upcycling Wood Through Digital Craftsmanship and Circular Design
view Syllabus & Faculty
This project investigates the reinterpretation of the traditional mosaic technique of Trencadís through contemporary methods of digital and robotic fabrication. The process began with manual explorations aimed at understanding the material and compositional logic underlying Trencadís—specifically, the principles governing the arrangement and fitting of irregular fragments to generate cohesive surfaces. These initial studies provided critical … Read more
STATE OF ART Part to Whole HG-A, South Korea – 2014 Building Traditions with Digital Research Rui Oliveira, Jose Pedro Sousa – 2016 Columns are analyzed as primary element of Ferreira’s designs. Columns, traditionally crafted through meticulous layering of bricks, are viewed both as structural and visual elements in his designs. RESEARCH QUESTION; “In what … Read more
The environmental impact of the construction industry is a pressing concern. As architects, it’s essential that we shift from a linear model of consumption and production to a circular economy. In recent years, there has been notable progress in upcycling various construction materials and replacing high-emission materials like concrete with more sustainable alternatives, such as … Read more
How can reclaimed timber waste from manufacturing be leveraged using robotic fabrication and computational design to develop sustainable, scalable and customizable urban installation? Process of Sorting & Splitting the Beams Geometry Distribution Workflow Assembly Robotic Setup for Processing Robotic Processing Concept Prototype AI-Generated Concept Renders
