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.
vo:id
atlas of vacant spaces Urban vacant land in dense, post-industrial cities remains spatially invisible: absent from open datasets despite its potential to address chronic green space deficits. This thesis “vo:id” is a pipeline detecting, classifying, and prioritizing urban voids using only globally covered open data. Combining OSM-based negative masking, vision-language model classification, and human-in-the-loop validation, … Read more
Facade Energy Optimization
This research explores the use of Wallacei X to optimize a parametric facade for a site in Dubai, UAE. The study evaluates facade performance based on four objectives: maximizing sun hours, minimizing solar radiation, minimizing material consumption, and maximizing views. Through evolutionary optimization, hundreds of design variations were generated and assessed, revealing the trade-offs between … Read more
BIO FLOW
“ An AR-Driven Biomimetic Pavilion Generated Through Environmental Field Behavior “ Architectural pavilion design and fabrication often require complex digital workflows, technical expertise, and multiple visualization tools, making the process difficult for rapid concept development and real-world understanding. Designers also face challenges in translating organic, nature-inspired forms into fabrication-friendly structures. BIOMIMICRY PAVILIONS Organic Geometry Biomimicry … Read more
VenustaMeter
Quantifying the Opposite of Boredom For decades, architectural design has relied on intuition. Client feedback and peer reviews are inherently subjective, and by the time you can gather real human response data on a facade, the building is already standing. But what if we could predict whether a building will be visually engaging before a … Read more
Osteomorphic optimization
A TerraFormed production CONTEXT TerraFormed is an ongoing project developed within Digital Matter Studio 2026 that implements osteomorphic blocks as a standardizable and industry-compatible approach for producing a novel geopolymer material within a sustainable construction framework. DESIGN OBJECTIVES Osteomorphic blocks are primarily governed by the parameters of the sine curve that defines their geometry. This … Read more
Sunburn
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
TerraFORMED Optimization
Abstract This project uses parametric design and multi-objective optimization to develop an interlocking masonry brick. A Grasshopper workflow generated brick geometries by varying sinusoidal width, depth, and cavity parameters. The designs were evaluated using structural and geometric performance criteria, including load transfer, web thickness, horizontal area, volume, and interlocking capacity. An evolutionary optimization process identified … Read more
Optimized Reciprocal
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
Galapogos Mold Designer
We identified the main problems while producing the roof of our Digital Matter studio, where we are making a system of bendable cork panels with jute and caesin, for that we needed molds to bend the panel according to curvature, To optimise the mold and reduce waste we used galapogos to define the bounding box … Read more
MORPHOLOGIES OF SHADE: A Computationally Optimized Pavilion for the IAAC Rooftop.
Abstract Morphologies of Shade explores the design of a computationally optimized pavilion for the rooftop of the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC) in Barcelona. The project responds to the environmental challenges of excessive solar exposure and strong wind conditions that limit the usability of the rooftop throughout the day. Inspired by natural canopy … Read more
Project Michigan
Using climate clustering, vernacular precedent research, and evolutionary optimisation to create climate-responsive design typologies when no established local precedent exists Overview Lovingly named after the very first test location, Project Michigan is a tool that provides climate-responsive design guidelines when no local vernacular precedent exists. Through scraping climate data and global vernacular information, it helps … Read more
TRACE
An AR guidance system for pottery creation TRACE transforms pottery learning into an interactive guided experience. Instead of interrupting the making process with videos or tutorials, instructions are overlaid directly onto the clay in real time through AR guidance. Rather than replacing the craftsperson, TRACE acts as an apprenticeship layer: making expert knowledge visible, immediate, … Read more
Timber Reuse Stacking Typologies
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