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.

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Digital tools for Structural Optimization 

Project Overview This structural analysis and optimization focuses on a studio project designed as an office and industrial hybrid typology housing creative industries, such as architecture studios and robotics fabrication labs. The building is generated through an aggregation process, resulting in variable building heights that generally fall within high-rise parameters. The structural system consists of … Read more

Analysis of Generative Glulam and Steel Beam Structure

Our generative building is a mixed-use typology with height ranging from 4 to 12 stories. The primary design focus is to create a transformable and adaptable structure that can respond seamlessly to changing functional needs. To achieve this, the building incorporates lightweight, recyclable, and circular materials, paired with modular connection elements that allow for easy … Read more

New York City Environmental Analysis

Spring Summer Autumn Winter Figure 1.1: New York Seasonal Change New York City experiences distinct seasonal changes that shape its environment and urban character. In spring, the city transitions to milder conditions, with unpredictable weather patterns and renewed greenery. Summer brings intense heat and humidity, influencing activity patterns and urban energy demands. Fall is marked … Read more

Digital Tools for Environmental Analysis | Rome

Rome has a Mediterranean climate characterized by hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters. Average temperatures range from around 8.5°C in winter to about 31°C in summer​. The city experiences moderate rainfall, with the wettest months typically being October and November. Climate Analysis In Rome, the bulb temperature, which reflects the combined effect of air … Read more

Environmental Analysis – Austin, Texas

Austin has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification: Cfa), characterized by hot summers and mild winters.  The city experiences long, hot summers and short, mild winters, with brief transitions in spring and fall. The climate data used in this analysis was obtained from: – Location: Austin-Mueller Municipal Airport, Texas, USA – Weather Station ID: 722540 … Read more

Richmond, VA, USA Climate Analysis

This analysis focuses on Richmond, Virginia in the United States of America. Weather conditions in Richmond are typical of a mid-latitude location. We’ve explored the environmental conditions that shape building design and urban planning in this mid-latitude location. Our focus is on a vacant lot at 701 East Canal Street, in downtown Richmond. This property … Read more

Digital Tools for Environmental Analysis | Porto

When it comes to designing sustainable urban spaces, understanding the local climate and environmental factors is crucial. This analysis on environmental conditions for Porto focuses on climate, thermal comfort, solar radiation, wind analysis, and urban heat mitigation. Here are the key takeaways from this comprehensive research. Climate Analysis: Understanding Porto’s Unique Conditions Porto’s climate is … Read more

Climate-driven Design – Solar Architecture

LOCATION General Characteristics of this climate Stockholm’s climate falls under the humid continental climate (Dfb) category according to the Köppen-Geiger classification. This means it experiences cold, snowy winters and mild to warm summers.  Precipitation is distributed fairly evenly throughout the year, though summers tend to have more rainfall. Winter temperatures in Stockholm can drop below freezing, while … Read more

Climate Sensitive Facade Intervention for Urban Heat Island Mitigation

Research Questions: Can climate sensitive facade interventions reduce the intensity of the Urban Heat Island effect within urban blocks in arid climates?“ Research Goal: The goal is to propose simplified, climate-sensitive facade interventions in highly urbanized cities that reduce energy loads by mitigating Urban Heat Island (UHI) effects, while complying with climate-resilient regulations. These interventions … Read more

FloodTech: Mitigating Urban Floods

Unpacking the flood crisis By exploring the whys why:floods? now? Asia? India? Urban India? Mumbai? Floods: From 1920 to 2020, out of a total of 15,406 natural disasters, hydrological disasters have been the highest accounting for 42%, amongst which floods have the highest percentage of 34.8%.Now: In the last two decades the rate of increase … Read more

Design as Grammar – Utilizing Graph ML for Modular determination

In a world driven by digital transformation, the realm of architecture and design faces new challenges in achieving flexibility, scalability, and efficiency. One of the most pressing issues is modular determination—how do we ensure that modular structures fit together seamlessly, across various design patterns? Design as Grammar addresses this by leveraging Graph Machine Learning (Graph … Read more

Democratizing Design

Abstract As we advance into the 21st century, addressing the global housing crisis becomes imperative. By 2025, approximately 1.6 billion people will lack adequate housing, necessitating the construction of 96,000 affordable homes daily to meet the demand of 3 billion people by 2030 (Masterson, 2022). Urban areas, which now host over 50% of the world’s … Read more

Thermal Insight: Optimizing Indoor Analysis

Thermal Insight would be a standalone app that optimizes indoor environments by predicting thermal comfort. With simulations from trained models to help enhance occupant comfort and energy efficiency, evaluating metrics like PMV, PPD, and MRT. This tool would help improve well-being and productivity while achieving efficiency goals. Abstract Methodology Use Case Data Analysis Results and … Read more

Predicting optimal layout configurations for sustainable heritage shophouses

Our project aims to determine suitable workstation arrangement for office typology in a conservation shophouse in Singapore through maximise daylight on the worksurface to achieve 300 lux (to a maximum of 3000 lux) for good lighting condition. In a conservation shophouse, where the building envelope and facade cannot be altered. There are two daylight sources … Read more

Skin Sense

Skin Sense is a project that aims to help users optimize the thermal comfort of their interior spaces by applying skin shaders. Why implement this? What can skin sense help the user with? Once the designer designs the skin for the building facade it has to be analyzed for indoor comfort. To analyze indoor comfort … Read more

FacAid + Chatbot

In a world where urban areas are predominantly developed and the heat island effect is intensifying, the construction industry significantly contributes to environmental challenges. Instead of focusing on tools that promote new construction, our goal is to provide a tool that analyzes existing buildings and suggests improvements. This approach aims to enhance sustainability and mitigate … Read more

Subterranean Eden: Martian Harvest Halls

“An innovative way for agriculture on Mars, pushing boundaries of space exploration ensuring future interplanetary habitation.” Mars—the Red Planet—is getting closer. According to the experts, human settlements on Mars might be visible in ten years, allowing for more space exploration. Keeping that in mind, this semester’s goal is to create a 300-person Mars colony. The … Read more

MarSensate: Integrative Modelling

Marsensate is a project based on our Studio course where we explore designing on Mars in order to habit a Marsian colony. The primary goal of our colony was based around Sprituality, to provide a more human environment that appeal to everyone, regardless of their beliefs, genders, preferences, and we focused on the aspect that … Read more

MarSensate: Feeling Human in Space

Project Concept In Marsensate we explore designing on Mars in order to habit a Marsian colony. The primary goal of our colony was based around Sprituality, to provide a more human environment that appeal to everyone, regardless of their beliefs, genders, preferences, and we focused on the aspect that we all have in common, which … Read more

Ant Hill Colony – Collaborative Workflow

Our collaborative workflow started through identifying our site location on the federate model which at the beginning, to align with our supporting program “Spiritual,” we chose our site at the top of the hill, where we can explore both elevation and subtractive models. Here is our early collaborative process workplan where we envision that our … Read more

Cosmos Cultivated

Building Agricultural Abundance on Mars The Mars underground sanctuary residential complex envelops vertical farming beneath its protective skin and 3D-printed wall system, where sunlight delicately filters through, embracing the celestial surroundings and meticulously crafting a breathtaking habitat on the Martian surface. 01_design concept & reference The initial endeavor aimed to pioneer the voxel settlement concept, … Read more

Collaborative Workflows – Solis Centrum

Solis Centrum Overview Solis Centrum is a project for the BIMSC Studio class within the 2023/24 MaCAD program. This project aims to represent the solar center of the Aleph City community, a conceptual community on Mars located on the Valles Marines. Location Solis Centrum is located along the northern mountain top of the Aleph City … Read more

Integrative Ant Hill Colony

Our group project is Ant Hill Colony on Mars, which has both above/below ground elements and underground heart, tunnels and pods. The project concept derived from “learning from ant colony,” therefore, the geometry shapes were more organic and natural. Originally, we recreated this by starting with LiDAR technology to identify the soil characteristics, then applying … Read more

Aquamines

Inhabiting Ice Cavities under the Martian Surface Introduction – The Idea For the first settlers on Mars, we have envisioned a colony of Aqua-Miners with the primary task of harvesting water as a resource from the ice beneath Mars’ surface, storing it and recycling it for sustainable use. Our approach to this problem has been … Read more