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.
VENUS is a 3D printable bio-composite made from clay and mycelium. It merges natural building materials with bio-based growth to create modular, biodegradable, and regenerative architectural components. Design The voids in the geometry enhance ventilation, critical for mycelium growth. Simultaneously, the organic content in the bricks regulates mycelium-colonized surfaces, particularly in shaded and moist environments. … Read more
So, how can material innovation bridge the gap between reducing energy use in buildings and designing circular insulation systems for carbon-conscious retrofits?
Carbon Envelopes Toward Carbon-Sequestering Architectural Systems through Biochar-Concrete and Hybrid Fabrication
SecondMatter upcycles 85% construction and demolition waste into low-impact building units using a hybrid ramming-jamming technique. With 9 MPa strength and 7% lower carbon emissions, it forms walls, panels, and columns. Integrated into municipal waste systems, its compaction method adapts to unpredictable debris, turning urban waste into resilient, structural architecture within existing material cycles. What if … 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
Raw | Refined | Revolutionary Rinova aims to look at something often thrown away, “agricultural waste,” and see the future of construction. With our planet facing so many challenges, and traditional construction methods often having a major impact, we are excited to introduce a fresh, sustainable approach.We’re taking rice husk and transforming it into incredible, … Read more
SecondMatter challenges architecture’s extractive processes and wasteful material cycles by upcycling Construction Demolition Renovation Waste (CDRW) into structural and non-structural applications. It blends ramming, which compacts granular materials into high-strength forms, with jamming-inspired interlocking of irregular aggregates. Large concrete waste pieces form a reinforced core, wrapped in a rammed mix of fine brick and concrete … Read more
RICE PRODUCTION AROUND THE WORLD METABOLIC DIAGRAM OF RICE HUSK IMPLICATIONS IN SEVERAL INDUSTRIES STATISTICS OF RICE HUSK PRODUCTION PROPOSAL RICECRETE Rice Husk has good thermal insulation and is lightweight, and due to its high silica content, it is water resistant. Rice Crete is a natural building material from rice husks and natural binders. This … Read more
KINXA aims to bring vernacular construction back into contemporary architecture by systemizing traditional “quincha”. At the same time, through a redesigned material system, KINXA seeks to take advantage of local resources and lower even more its precedent carbon footprint. Quincha is a technique prevalent in Latin America which consists of the use of a wood … Read more
