The MAA is a visionary master program with an innovative and open structure, mixing diverse disciplines, shaping professionals capable of producing theoretical & practical solutions towards responsive cities, architecture & technology.


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Optoppen (City above the city )

AIM The housing crisis in Spain stems from rising prices, stagnant construction, and growing demand, leaving many unable to afford housing, highlighting the need for urgent, sustainable solutions. Spain Time line of the Housing crisis Long Term trend Housing crisis AFFORDABLE HOUSING by 2035 Material comparison Homeless people Data Site documentation Typology – I Joint … Read more

BUSINESS INNOVATION

Introduction The global housing crisis highlights the urgent need for affordable, sustainable, and inclusive housing solutions worldwide, Rapid urbanization, rising costs, and unequal access to resources have left millions without adequate housing. A lack of affordable housing options is deepening social inequality in cities across the globe. How Global Housing prices have changed since 2010 … Read more

Carbon Based Design

Introduction The course was an intensive, five-day workshop dedicated to calculating the carbon impact and exploring innovative solutions for the upcoming IAAC building. The goal was to present a proposal that could reduce the emissions in 40%. Location The design for the new IAAC building has already been approved and is now awaiting construction. Located … Read more

ROTATIONAL COLUMN – CIRCULAR WOOD DESIGN

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

CATALUNYA’s ‘TABLE’

Bringing Producers, Consumers and Nature Together This project aims to connect local food producers, consumers, and nature in a symbolic way. The metaphor of a “table” represents unity and sustenance, gathering people across different genders, ages, and social classes. This installation, built from waste materials and invasive plants like Pontederia Crassipes, doubles as an ecosystem, … Read more

Changing Landscapes

ReCitying is a Workshop hosted by IAAC and Parc Agrari del Baix Llobregat to explore sustainable design and creative recycling in rural spaces. The first phase of the Workshop, in October 2024, focused on developing proposals for an installation using waste from Parc Agrari and planting crops to integrate into the project. We explored initial … Read more

Customizing comfort

From parts to purpose – embracing circularity by redefining furniture composition Problem In contemporary furniture markets there is a problem of the environmental impact caused by inefficient design, excessive waste generation, and unsustainable consumption. Results are overproduction, resource depletion, and high carbon emissions during production processes. Additionally, limited design solutions don’t fully meet user needs, … Read more

TREE WISE

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

Decharbonization

From exterior soil remediation to interior acoustics enhancement The goal of this project is to create a non-cementitious geopolymer, using as the main component biochar, an worldwide abundant material, and amplify its qualities to sequester carbon in order to make carbon sink architecture. Through the process of material engineering and testing, it was possible to … Read more

WOODEN MOSAIC

Wooden Mosaic tries to tackle the increasing global demand for timber by using waste branches from Timber industries. These waste branches are transformed into modular blocks with conventional tools, offering a sustainable supplement to the current timber industry. Using the waste wood, the aim IS to decrease the environmental impact associated with logging and wood … Read more

A FISHERMAN’S TALE 渔夫的故事

Harmonising Coastal Futures, Restoring Balance in China’s Maritime , A Speculation of Communal Synergy in the context of Houtouwan THE PROBLEM // RESOURCE EXPLOITATION | OVER FISHING China’s over fishing crisis looms large, statistics revealing a stark reality of declining marine resources. With the majority of the worlds fishing resources coming from China, the country has … Read more

ARBOREALITY | Advancing sustainable urban development through mass timber and vernacular root

Keywords: Mass timber city, Sustainable forest management, smart cities, Vernacular, Local species wood ABSTRACT: The capital city of Nepal- Kathmandu, like many urban cities globally, is undergoing uncontrolled urban expansion, neglecting its natural-based construction heritage, particularly timber. This research advocates for a paradigm shift towards mass timber, particularly multispecies Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT), to address environmental … Read more

Decharbonization

The goal of this project is to create a non-cementitious geopolymer, using as the main component the biochar, to create a sustainable, durable material system that minimizes the carbon footprint of construction processes. Biochar is commonly used in the agriculture field for soil management and enhancement, consequently storing the sequestered carbon on the ground. To … Read more

CORK.CATENATION

Non planar 3D printing cork based biomaterial CORK.CATENATION employs the novel methodology of non-planar 3d printing using Cork as the bio-material. The final outcome is a connection of interconnected lattice structures- broken down into modules that can be assembled to form a building skin that can morph according to the surface topology and solar radiation results.

Living Parts: Architectural Members for the Age of Biology

Transforming Conventional Architectural Element Compositions for CO2 Sequestration/ecological interactions Living Parts is a project that tries to bridge the gap between anthropocentric and nature-centric design. As we already know that that the building industry, in the past couple of centuries has caused major harm to the environment with things like producing toxic waste, waste energy, … Read more

Synergy Station

”Turning waste Into communal wealth”. About the site Sant Adria de Besos Power Station is currently working as a combined cycle thermoelectric plant located in Sant Adrià de Besòs, suburb of Barcelona. Today, the plant burns a significant part of Barcelona and Badalona’s waste, and 85% of which is recyclable. Moreover the gases released when … Read more

Not a Waste: Landfill mine tale

The excessive waste produced in countries worldwide is a grave and unignorable concern. Urbanization contributes to enhanced municipal solid waste generation, harming health and the environment. Landfills, globally emit thousands of tons of methane gas into the air, 30 times more harmful than CO2. Waste is not waste but a resource if managed judiciously. The … Read more

Shingles

This project repurposes live-edge wood waste for shingle facade elements, enabling diverse spatial configurations. The goal is a flexible system accommodating varied thickness, length, and geometry of live-edge wood waste. Advanced robotic fabrication and scanning ensure adaptability in design. The focus is on an easily constructed, flexible system utilizing scanning to match live-edge wood, resulting … Read more