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.
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
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
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
Carbon Based Design | Designing Circularity in the Built Environment SITE EXISITING WAREHOUSE POINT CLOUD MODEL Material Flow Analysis PROPOSAL
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
MASTER IN ADVANCED ARCHITECTURE ROBOTIC WOODCRAFT FACULTY: Alexandre Dubor, Marielena Papandreou, Huanyu Li STUDENT: Praneeth Aashwinay Basavraju, Anish Hatekar, Bora Cobanoglu, Sunny Manish Chopda
Shining Rebirth is a project about the circular lives of float glass, aluminium frame and polycarbonate roofing. Related materials are taken from IAAC atelier, with numbers, dimensions and conditions properly analysed. Carbon footprint as each stage of life is calculated, with deconstruction steps properly considered. In order to propose a new life for these materials, … Read more
THESIS STATEMENT The objective of this thesis is to investigate the use of sawdust based biocomposite materials in the additive manufacturing of interlocking bricks. EcoBrickscape aims to develop a workflow that facilitates the generation of customizable shapes and infill designs that are optimal for interlocking and aggregating, enabling efficient fabrication and assembly. The study also … Read more
Ovolo – Eggshell Tiles Food waste is a massive problem, contributing to approximately 4.4 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions annually, as per the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.Greenhouse gas emissions from food waste in landfills exacerbate this issue. In egg food production, eggshells account for a significant portion of food waste. … Read more
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
Second Slice Giving bread waste a second chance START-UP Second Slice is a start-up dedicated to transforming the sustainability landscape through the upcycling of bread waste into vegan leather using bread and mycelium. Our mission is to provide an eco-friendly alternative to traditional leather production while simultaneously reducing food waste. By harnessing the power of … Read more
Causal loop diagrams is tool that is used to tell stories about the complex issues within the fast fashion industry. By identifying the interrelationships within the system’s structure, these diagrams helps to understand the impacts and trade-offs associated with different factors. The resulting visual representation then is used to effectively communicate this understanding and facilitate … Read more
