The MaCAD is a unique online programme training a new generation of architects, engineers and designers ready to develop skills into the latest softwares, computational tools, BIM technologies and AI towards innovation for the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry.
Abstract Construction is responsible for a substantial share of global material waste and carbon emissions, and one of the reasons is structural: design, fabrication, and assembly are still treated as separate phases with fragmented handoffs between them. This podcast episode explores what changes when those phases are linked into a single, feedback-driven workflow where parametric … Read more
Program Voxels is a web-based parametric tool that automates building massing studies using cellular automata algorithms. Designed for architects and urban planners, the application intelligently distributes multiple building programmes within a user-defined boundary while respecting complex adjacency relationships. Built with Vue 3, Three.js, and Rhino Compute, the tool bridges visual programming with an intuitive web … Read more
Roof design has long been constrained by the limitations of traditional BIM applications. While architects envision expressive, non-planar geometries, they often default to repetitive planar forms due to technological barriers. Beyond aesthetics, these planar designs leave critical questions unanswered: How many panels are needed? What custom tile sizes must be fabricated? How do design decisions impact material costs and constructability? Problem Statement Most BIM applications limit roof design to planar forms, creating a significant gap between architectural vision and what’s … Read more
How intentional pauses in digital workflows improve accountability, decision-making, and collaboration in BIM practice. There’s a particular kind of confidence that comes with a smooth workflow. Files transfer without errors, models update on schedule, clash reports run automatically, information moves. That feeling is satisfying. It can also be exactly what should make you pause This … Read more
In the Cloud-Based Data Management seminar, our final project explored how parametric design tools can move beyond the desktop and become accessible through the web. The course focused on transforming Grasshopper definitions into web-based applications using Rhino.Compute, Vue, and web visualization workflows, with the goal of making computational design more accessible to end users. This … Read more
Program Team Hyperbuilding 02 proposes a program-integrated transit hub that reorganizes fragmented mobility networks, shortens commute times, and anchors a high-density mixed-use urban core to improve accessibility and urban performance. The design concept for Hyperbuilding 02 begins with a problem: fragmented mobility networks that create inefficiency, congestion, and poor urban accessibility in high-density environments. Rather … Read more
Team member(s): Hani KarimeModified by Hani Karime on April 12, 2026 Concept Less Wheels, More Walks is a parametric web-based urban simulation tool that explores how shading strategies can shift street space from cars to pedestrians. The idea started from living in Qatar, where the lack of shaded sidewalks discourages walking. Even short distances are often traveled by car. … Read more
Preliminary Study: Demography as Design Driver In Hyperbuilding 3, our focus was to understand how demographic data can actively inform architectural decisions. We started by analysing the Chilean census portal, which provides detailed information for the entire metropolitan region and specifically for the Providencia district. From this dataset, we looked at age distribution, household composition, … Read more
Introduction The smart city stands at a conceptual crossroads. On one side, we encounter an optimistic narrative: Building Information Modelling (BIM), digital twins, and integrated urban dashboards promise unprecedented visibility into city systems, enabling data-driven governance, resource optimization, and responsive urban management. On the other side, a more sobering reality: these sophisticated technical infrastructures often … Read more
(BIM) is driving a major shift toward automated design and fabrication by providing precise, data-rich digital models that machines can directly interpret. Automated systems use BIM data to generate toolpaths, robotic motions, and fabrication instructions with minimal human input. This integration accelerates prefabrication, improves accuracy, reduces waste, and supports modular construction. As automation grows, BIM … Read more
Built on Vue.js + Grasshopper + Rhino Compute This documentation presents the design, development, and technical implementation of a browser-based G-code slicer built as part of the Digital Tools for Cloud-based Data Management course at the IAAC Problem Statement Commercial 3D printing slicers, such as PrusaSlicer, Bambu Studio, and Ultimaker Cura, are designed as general-purpose … Read more
Explore HB03, a hyperbuilding developed through parametric design, structural engineering, and adaptive façade optimization. Discover a data-driven approach to sustainable vertical urbanism, daylight performance, and human-centric high-rise design. Introduction: Engineering the Skeleton of Vertical Urbanism In the Vertical Machine studio, architecture is treated as a dynamic urban organism rather than a static object. Within this … Read more
From Jakarta to Data: Automating the Perfect View with VenueAnalyst What started as a design studio project for a floating, flood-resistant stadium in Jakarta quickly evolved into a computational challenge: How do we prove a stadium actually works for the fans? While many architects focus on generating new forms from scratch, the reality of the … Read more
HB02: The Heart of the Vertical Machine 1. Project Overview 1.1 HB02 within the Vertical Machine In the pursuit of reimagining high-density urban living, our collaborative team developed Hyperbuilding 02 (HB02), also known as “The Heart”. As part of a larger 3-million-square-meter urban organism, HB02 serves as the vital circulatory engine, pumping life, data, and … Read more
Hyperbuilding One is a data-driven ecosystem that achieves seamless connectivity between Static and Kinetic spaces through an optimized large-scale integrated environment. Architecture is No Longer Static: How Hyper Building One Turns Geometry into Code The traditional architectural blueprint is a corpse. It is a static snapshot of an idea that begins to age the moment … Read more
