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.

Real-time Daylighting Performance for Adaptive Reuse Planning

This project aimed to develop a daylight predictor to facilitate and generate well-informed adaptive reuse projects, with a specific focus on providing sustainable design solutions for low-income housing. Los Angeles (LA) was selected as a case study due to its proactive open data initiatives and commitment to adaptive reuse. This proposal provides a snapshot of … Read more

Materializer

Introduction Our project, Materializer, leverages the power of multiple self-trained machine learning models to predict material quantities based on an image uploaded by the user and the building coordinates. This innovative approach utilizes image segmentation to isolate buildings, image classification to read material pixels, and a height prediction model for buildings lacking height information in … Read more

DeCARB

Introducing DeCARB: An easy-to-use tool that calculates Embodied Carbon, End-of-Life Carbon, and Total Cost for any rectangular massing geometry. Quantifying emissions from material extraction to disposal can guide architects and engineers in selecting low-carbon materials and methods early in the design process. With a focus on reducing environmental impact and aligning with green building standards, … Read more

Minimal Surface Timber Gridshell – Studio

Building Typology Our project focuses on exploring the opportunities and limitations when designing a timber gridshell system with a minimal surface roof structure. Minimal surfaces have a long history in mathematics and architecture, most notably Frei Otto and the infamous soap film experiments. Inspired by Otto’s Munich Olympic Stadium, we were interested to understand how … Read more

Natural Materials and Digital Fabrication: A Radical Approach to Mass Utilisation and Standardisation

  Global technology evolves rapidly, unprecedented in human history. This progress significantly enhances lives but at a considerable cost, marked by escalating global temperatures and the looming threat of extinction. Ongoing research aims to mitigate these adverse effects through diverse strategies.The building sector contributes about 47% of global carbon emissions. Architects, integral to this industry, … Read more

Democratized design to combat climate catastrophe.

As we move further into the 21st century, our chances of averting climate change have all but disappeared. Analysis shows that global temperatures now sit 1.1? above pre-industrial levels and are set to rise to 1.5? by the early 2030s (Jotzo and Howden, 2023). This rapid increase in temperatures has led to loss of land … Read more

Reversing Ecosystem Degradation

MaCAD 23/24 // ACESD Theory Existing State of Urban Design In order to understand how to strive for successful ecological design practices, designers must first understand the problems that currently exist in the process of urban design. The current state of design tends to create distinct enclosures between both natural ecosystems and humans, with the … Read more

First step towards circular reconstruction. Damage assessment and material mapping of buildings in Ukraine through ground imagery processing.

An apartment building explodes after Russian army tank fire in Mariupol, Ukraine, March 11, 2022. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

Intro Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which started on 24.02.2022, is the biggest war in Europe since WWII. It took the lives of dozens of thousands of Ukrainians a brought massive destruction [1] and ecological catastrophes. Some cities are completely erased. A massive piece of land is still occupied. This war and its consequences are … Read more

Adappt

Challenge to solve The potential for a building to adapt to various uses is primarily determined during the initial stages of the design process. This feature is rarely considered by architects yet has a significant impact of a building’s sustainability. The intention is to provide an early-stage tool that architects can use to test adaptability … Read more

RE:EDU

Design a temporary school for emergencies with few clicks! RE:EDU for Re – Education. The idea of this project is to create a web platform for non-profit associations and municipalities to design an easy to assembly and low cost school structure. Several events, especially in this past year, have left children without a school’s infrastructure, … Read more

fumbrella

Harvesting water and sunlight Imagine if we could solve both a water and energy crisis using urban installations. Take a funnel to collect water and merge this with an umbrella. What do you get? A fumbrella of course! In this module we created a custom web app using JavaScript and Vue components. This web application … Read more

BIM towards life cycle assessment

Introduction Building Information Modeling (BIM) workflows can support Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) by providing a centralized digital repository of building data and design information. BIM can facilitate the collection and management of data related to material sourcing, energy use, and environmental impact throughout a building’s lifecycle. This set of information is relevant to perform LCA … Read more

RE:EDU: architecture for emergency

As a target country for  our project we selected Ukraine, the biggest European country that is located in the eastern part. Ukraine has 1000 years of history, during which it has been fighting for freedom and identity. In 2013 in Kyiv students started the protest, which evolved into the revolution of dignity, after the president … Read more

Climate Canopy

A new mobility hub for Green square station, Sydney, Australia Climate Canopy is a project about improving the qualities of Green Square station in Sydney, Australia. The Climate Canopy is an open-air timber grid shell creates an urban landmark by framing a new entrance to the station, without interfering with movement and wayfinding. The canopy … Read more

BREACHNG THE PARAMETER – STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS

INTRODUCTION Known as the capital of the North, Tripoli is Lebanon’s second largest city: from a regional trade capital for the past centuries, the city is nowadays the most impoverished of Lebanon and on the Mediterranean. The city has been scared by the violent clashes and conflict over the past 40 years and is confronted … Read more

Advancing Circularity

Some Statistics The global Construction & demolition waste market is estimated to be USD 26.6 billion in 2021 and is projected to reach USD 34.4 billion by 2026, at a CAGR of 5.3% from 2021 to 2026. Challenges Solutions The Shearing layers – A concept by Architect Frank Duffy, Which was elaborated by Steward Brand … Read more