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.
Urban Quant is a data‑driven urban design tool delivering area and massing analyses for buildings and open spaces. It calculates Built‑Up Area (BUA), Gross Floor Area (GFA), service/core areas and building levels, integrating solar exposure and sun‑hour simulations. The platform converts regulatory, programmatic, contextual inputs into comparable scenarios, visualizations, and reports for architects. Area distribution … Read more
WeaveLamp Configurator WeaveLamp Configurator is a web-based application that brings a Grasshopper workflow into an accessible browser-based experience. The project explores how a craft-inspired lamp system can be translated into a clear digital tool for customization, spatial visualization, and fabrication-oriented output. Concept Origin The project started from a manual exploration of ring proportions, textile density, … Read more
An automated pipeline that transforms raw 3D model metadata into structured cloud spreadsheets. This makes complex geometric data easily accessible and adaptable for various end-uses, from simple data reading to feeding live web platforms. Problem Statement Streamlining Complex Metadata Communication Communication across large design teams presents a significant challenge due to the massive volume of … Read more
Automated Workflow for KPI Extraction from Versioned Models in Speckle Why KPI Tracking Breaks Down During Iterative Design In the current studio workflow, KPI extraction and performance evaluation depend on repeated manual operations across design iterations. This slows down feedback, introduces version mismatch risks, and disconnects analytical outputs from the model itself. This tool was … Read more
Abstract This research investigates how Building Information Modeling (BIM) can be leveraged to generate structured and meaningful architectural environments for architectural visualization, video games, and animated films. It explores workflows between BIM tools and real-time game engines, focusing on the transfer and preservation of spatial logic and metadata. The study aims to demonstrate how BIM-based … Read more
Topic brief In the AEC industry, building analysis workflows often operate in isolated software environments, causing structural data to lose meaning once it leaves its original authoring tool. This study argues that the value of structural analysis depends not only on computational accuracy, but on the ability of its outputs to remain consistent as they … Read more
How architectural neuroimmunology is redefining the relationship between design and human health. The AEC industry optimizes for physical efficiency but neglects the neuro-physiological impact of built environments. This research investigates how Generative AI and Game Engine simulations, integrated into BIM workflows, can enable predictive cognitive performance analysis, transitioning the discipline from Building Information Modeling to … Read more
From Point Clouds to Digital Twins: Inside the Cloud2BIM Workflow The Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry is currently undergoing a major technological shift. We are witnessing a definitive transition from manual, labor-intensive site measurements to AI-driven scan-to-BIM workflows. The goal is clear: to unlock the digital potential of existing buildings by creating high-fidelity records … Read more
Artificial Intelligence is often discussed in the AEC industry through extreme narratives, either as fully automated architecture or algorithms replacing designers altogether. But in reality, AI’s impact is much quieter and much more practical. Today, AI is not designing buildings for us. Instead, it is supporting the many process-heavy tasks that surround design. AEC workflows … Read more
MACAD 25-26 Theory Seminar Reflection This essay reflects on my evolving understanding of the purpose of Artificial Intelligence in architecture, engineering, and construction following the Theory seminar at MACAD. Rather than attempting a comprehensive overview, it centres on a specific experience that crystallised broader implications about how these tools are restructuring design practice. My initial … Read more
The Purpose of AI in the Age of Resource Scarcity Introduction: Redefining the Question The question “What is the purpose of AI in AEC?” often elicits a predictable response focused on speed. For years the industry has viewed Artificial Intelligence primarily as a mechanism for automation. It is seen as a faster way to produce … Read more
AI in intelligent architecture enhances design efficiency, sustainability, and user‑centric spaces. Key benefits include automation, data‑driven insights, and optimized building performance. Challenges involve data privacy, high implementation costs, and skill gaps. The future promises adaptive buildings, predictive systems, and seamless human‑AI collaboration shaping more resilient, responsive, and sustainable built environments. 1. AI-Driven Design Innovation Generative … Read more
Introduction: More Than a Robot in a Hard Hat The buzz around Artificial Intelligence in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry is impossible to ignore. Every conference seems to feature a new tool promising to revolutionize everything from design to demolition. You might be forgiven for picturing an AI as a robot in a … Read more
In the early stages of learning, artificial intelligence was perceived primarily as a digital aid tools created to improve efficiency, accuracy, and coordination across different stages of a project. AI was largely understood as a decision-support system, particularly valuable during the early design phases, yet always positioned as secondary to human expertise and judgment. However, … Read more
What Is the Purpose of AI in the AEC Industry? Artificial intelligence is not only a technology aimed at automating tasks; insights shared during this course demonstrate that AI plays a far broader and more strategic role in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry. Through real-world applications and practical case studies, AI emerges as … Read more
Design via Experimentation with the Black Box When I started my MaCAD program this semester, AI felt like a threat. As an industrial designer, I saw it as this incomprehensible pattern-finding machine that could somehow analyze thousands of products simultaneously, finding relationships I’d spend years trying to notice. The black-box nature terrified me—I couldn’t trace … Read more
