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.
Wildlife Integrating Landscape Design Artificial Intelligence – WILD.AI — Term_II
Context How? Where? Workflow Outputs
Advanced Manufacturing Cluster – T01
Research Question Context Why Natural Fibers? Possible Impact Typologies State of Art Material Research Methodology Design Workflow
ROOTED ECO-SCAPES
An exploration of Root Architecture and Material Study By uniting Ecological Restoration techniques with an adaptable architectural system, this project envisions a scalable, self-sustaining model that harmonises with natural ecosystems. Although the approach is contextualised within specific urban challenges, it offers a flexible framework adaptable to various environmental conditions and site-specific needs, ensuring its broader … Read more
Reconnecting Urban Fragments
“Reimagining Urban Corridors: From Rigid Infrastructure to Inclusive Green Networks” “Urban environments today face critical challenges—population growth, rapid urbanization, and the fragmentation of ecological systems. As cities evolve, their rigid infrastructure often alienates natural systems and creates barriers to inclusivity and sustainability. This thesis focuses on reconceptualizing rigid urban environments by integrating transportation and ecological … Read more
FLOOD RESILIENCE TOOLBOX
FLOOD RESILIENCE TOOLBOX FOR ADAPTIVE URBAN DESIGN IN COASTAL CITIES Flooding is the most frequent natural disaster worldwide. By the report from The OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development), floods cause more than 38 billion euro in damages worldwide per year. Due to climate change, floods are becoming more extreme and frequent. Coastal areas … 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
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
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
Beyond Corals
The world’s coral reefs face significant threats due to rising ocean temperatures. They play a critical role in supporting biodiversity, providing habitats for marine species, and acting as natural barriers against storms and erosion. However, coral bleaching caused by the rising ocean temperatures are causing substantial risks to their survival. Efforts to address these challenges … Read more
MODERN MODERNISME
Posidonia Oceanica: The Aquatic Seagrass Species Posidonia oceanica is a species of aquatic seagrass that belongs to the Posidoniaceae family. It possesses roots, a rhizomatous stem, and ribbon-like leaves, resembling those of terrestrial plants. These features allow it to anchor itself to the seabed and spread horizontally, forming extensive meadows in the Mediterranean Sea. These … Read more
CORTEZA
As the world continues to develop rapidly, the problem of noise pollution, especially in metropolitan cities, cannot be eliminated. Not only outside but also inside the old houses. “Corteza” is an experimental design proposal to tackle the noise pollution problem inside Barcelona’s buildings with 3d printed natural cork furniture. What is noise pollution? And what … Read more