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.
Reviving Bab Al-Luq
Reviving Bab Al-Luq is a project of IAAC, Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia developed in the MACAD 2025/26 by Zeynep Sezen Dursun and Faculty: Hesham Shawqy and Angeliki Maragakis. Inspiration & Design Decisions This project aims to explore light and computational architectural design concerning the illumination, ventilation, and attraction in the design of the … Read more
EGITTO SKIN
Team member(s):MAHMOUD MOHAMED Modified by MAHMOUD MOHAMED on December 12, 2025 SITE AND EXISTING BUILDING Egypt, often reverently hailed as the “Mother of All Lands,” stands as one of the oldest and most influential civilizations in the vast chronicle of human history. Its legacy is not merely a collection of ruins or artifacts; it is a … Read more
BENEATH THE GROVE
COMPUTATIONAL DESIGN SEMINAR ABSTRACT This project explores the intersection of natural morphology and computational design to create an architecturally expressive pavilion. Inspired by the organic forms of mushroom caps and the branching behavior of biological growth systems, the pavilion is composed of a lightweight, cloud-like canopy supported by a network of columns generated using differential … Read more
Computational Design Seminar: Castell Pavilion
This project presents the design of a parametric pavilion for Plaça de Sant Jaume in Barcelona, inspired by the human towers of the castellers. A pattern of ellipses and circles was used as an allusion to the supportive hands and shoulders that form the tower. The pavilion’s base geometry responds to the plaça’s shape, entrances, … Read more
The Timber Wave
This pavilion explores the dialogue between wood and waves through a parametric system of assembled timber elements shaped by coastal forces. Inspired by the rhythm of tides and the grain of wood, its fluid geometry oscillates between structure and motion, shelter and openness. The project merges digital design with natural material intelligence, creating a lightweight … Read more
Phi-villion (Φ)
Site Map of Plaça Espanya zooming into the specific corner (Gran Via). Design Reference – Architectural Precedent Project: The Core (Education Centre), Eden Project.Architect: Grimshaw ArchitectsLogic: The roof geometry is derived from the phyllotaxis found in plants. It utilizes two opposing sets of spirals to define a grid of structural nodes.This pattern allows for an … Read more
Escates de Peix
Concept Inspiration Creating a dynamic facade using can ran atelier’s three dimensional ‘kinetic tile’ approach. Rotation to be determined by controllable attractor curve Colourful tile/mosaic facades are often found in Barcelona design contexts. Early Iterations Pseudo Code High Quality Video: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BpDajnOIM52dp8Mcx5DFvEiamOlLwxH_/view?usp=sharing
TriActive
This Grasshopper based design reinterprets the kinetic panel system of the Media-TIC façade by Enric Ruiz Geli. Inspired by its triangulated geometry and responsive membrane logic, the proposed system explores a dynamic, articulated surface capable of adapting to light, shade, and visibility needs. The parametric model defines a modular kinetic unit, driven by user inputs … Read more
The Crown Loop
Abstract – This project introduces a crown-shaped stepped pavilion on the periphery of Plaça de Catalunya, serving as both an event gateway and an everyday public platform. Inspired by the geometry of a crown, the looping form rises in stepped layers to create vantage points, circulation, and sculptural presence. Developed through a parametric Grasshopper workflow, … Read more
Crystalline Aperture
Computational Design Seminar Crystalline Aperture Project Description The Crystalline Aperture Concept: A parametric infill design that reimagines the flat curtain wall as a volumetric “deep skin.” Logic: The form is generated through a vertex displacement algorithm, where a 2D grid is tessellated into 3D pyramidal modules. Impact: This folded geometry functions as a structural double-skin system. … Read more
Computational Design Seminar | The Kring Facade
Referential work’s logics Our referential framework is the Kring Kumho Culture Complex in Seoul by Unsangdong Architects, a building defined by large circular recesses that function as urban windows. The design exploits these spaces to break the flat exterior, as ‘Kring’ means ‘Circle’ in Dutch. We developed a concentric propagation approach to translate this logic … Read more
Bending Lights
Computational Design Seminar Level 1 Faculty: Shrey Kapur, Akshay Madapura This assignment aims to investigate how architecture and technology overlap by designing a façade that includes at least one entrance opening using computational methods. We engaged through the full design workflow, from initial concept to final outcome, using digital tools and algorithms to produce innovative, … Read more
Liquid Masonry
Computational Design Seminar This façade explores the concept of ‘Digital Masonry.’ It takes the most traditional element of Catalan architecture—the ceramic brick—and reinterprets it through a digital algorithm. The ‘IAAC’ logo is not a sign painted on top; it is encoded into the rotation and position of the bricks themselves. It represents the institute’s mission: … Read more
LA CORTINA
PROJECT BRIEF Site Location: Placa del Sol, Gracia, Barcelona La Cortina introduces a nonstandard, dynamic geometry from the Fiesta Mayor de Gracia.. Conceptually, La Cortina translates the ephemeral dynamics of textile drapery into a permanent, structural shell. Its form is defined by computationally derived continuous surfaces that generate a recursive, flowing spatial volume. The exterior … Read more
