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.
GET TO KNOW MYCELIUM Mycelium is an eco-friendly, self-growing, and versatile material with significant potential in construction, packaging, and sustainable design. Its lightweight strength, fire resistance, and biodegradability make it a key player in the transition to circular economy solutions and biodegradable materials. However, moisture sensitivity and scalability remain challenges that require ongoing innovation and … Read more
AR/VR enhances the connection between architecture and clients by visualizing rooftop pod safety, insulation, and climate adaptability. It provides immersive experiences, making designs more tangible, understandable, and acceptable for real-world living solutions. AR/VR allows clients to explore how rooftop pods are made, the materials used, and required tools. It offers immersive mockups, enhancing understanding, trust, … Read more
This research explores the optimization of glulam in architectural design by aligning material grading and grain orientation with force trajectories. Combining glulam offcuts and higher-grade timber, the study minimizes waste while maximizing structural efficiency. Computational workflows and generative algorithms are used to design force-aligned components for scalable applications. Prototypes demonstrate enhanced performance and sustainability, offering … Read more
Context How? Where? Workflow Outputs
“Floor Zero” is a new methodology for evaluating and optimizing retail property investments. Instead of simply comparing one property’s data to another’s, it looks at how each factor influences overall value for different property types based on the price tag people put on those factor. A concept inspired by the Moneyball approach, where a team … Read more
Abstract Parametric design tools like Grasshopper empower architects to create adaptive and efficient spatial layouts, but their complexity presents a barrier for non-experts. This research proposes a community-driven design tool that leverages Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) and Large Language Models (LLMs) to learn from expert-authored Grasshopper scripts, enabling prompt-based parametric layout design. By encoding design … Read more
ABSTRACT; Decoding Urban Mobility: This project evaluates the impact of AI-driven traffic management versus conventional fixed-timing methods on urban congestion. It analyzes real-time and historical data—including traffic patterns, weather, demographics, and incident reports—from cities like London, Barcelona, and Los Angeles and compares machine learning models (e.g., LSTM, GRU, XGBoost) with traditional techniques. The study identifies … Read more
Introduction Urban areas are increasingly becoming impermeable, exacerbating environmental challenges such as elevated temperatures, flooding, and pollution. EcoNodes is designed to empower policymakers with a sophisticated tool for dynamically assessing and adapting urban environments towards increased sustainability by pinpointing and prioritizing areas for green interventions. Impervious Surfaces and Urban Heat Islands Cities today face the … Read more
Neo-textura A metamorphosis From textile waste to modular furnishing systems Neo-Textura is a thesis project that explores the transformation of textile waste into modular furnishing systems in collaboration with industrial companies. This way it is addressing the massive issues of textile waste accumulation. The project takes advantage of the self-binding process of cellulose to create … Read more
