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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IsleVibe

Mediterranean islands are crushed by tourism in July and August, and almost empty the rest of the year. So we asked what if generative AI could show people the ten months that already exist beyond those two? The goal was to make the off-season feel desirable, not as data, but as images you’d actually want … Read more

lEgoarCh: Behind the Sets

How a sentence becomes a buildable LEGO set, and the engineering that makes it stand up. We named the project lEgoarCh. The capital E and C are us, Emilie and Charles, smuggled into the wordmark like a hidden stud. The demo is the fun part: you type a building, and a minute later a real LEGO set is sitting on a shelf. … Read more

NoiseXcape: Can Open Data Help Us Predict Urban Noise?

Introduction Noise is one of the most pervasive environmental stressors in cities. Long-term exposure has been linked to sleep disturbance, cardiovascular disease, reduced cognitive performance, and lower overall quality of life. Yet despite its importance, detailed noise maps are surprisingly difficult to obtain. Producing official noise maps requires measurements, traffic models, and considerable technical effort. … Read more

BioSpatial-Intelligence:

ML-Driven Plant Placement for Adaptive Architecture BioSpatial Intelligence explores how machine learning can support planting decisions in architectural spaces. The project starts from a simple design question: when we design a building, how can we decide which plants belong to which environmental conditions? Instead of relying only on intuition, we developed a workflow that reads … Read more

FloodPrint

Objective Traditional flood risk maps take months to produce, are updated only every few years, and are too coarse, they might say a whole district is at risk without telling you which specific street or field will actually be underwater. “We are going to predict whether any given location in Thessaly, Greece is Flood-Prone or … Read more

Augmented Robotic Production Systems for Adaptive and Resilient Architecture

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

Urban Quant Tool

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: From Craft Logic to a Web-Based Parametric Tool

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

Automated Cloud-Based Metadata Extraction: HB01 – Program Team

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 to extract KPIs from versioned models in Speckle

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

Beyond Construction: BIM as a World-Building Tool for Real-Time Game Engines

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

Parametric Engineering: Collaborate with Structural Data on the Cloud

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

Optimizing For The Mind: Integrating Generative AI and Game Engines into BIM

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

Automated Scan-to-BIM workflows through artificial intelligence: A Conversation with Václav Nežerka

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

AI in AEC: Accelerating Decisions, Not Replacing Designers

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