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.
Glass fibre 3D printed temporary pavilion A structural and topological investigation into voxelised lattice systems, combining catenary form-finding with performance-driven optimisation to explore emergent spatial order and material efficiency. The Idea This project explores how a rigid, modular voxel system can define and enclose a pavilion, while an internally generated catenary geometry shapes circulation and … Read more
From Dense Lattice to Optimized 3D-Printed Structure 1. Project Overview This project explores the design and structural optimization of a temporary pavilion using computational design tools and lattice-based construction logic. The pavilion is conceived as a porous, walkable structure designed for large-scale 3D printing using glass-fiber reinforced recycled PET. The main objective is to investigate … Read more
This technical report details the computational workflow developed for our final structural optimization assignment. The project methodology follows a rigorous sequence: initial form-finding, stress-line analysis, lattice topology selection, and cross-section optimization, culminating in a robotic fabrication strategy. General Workflow Overview The design process is structured around a linear algorithmic pipeline. It begins with form-finding utilizing … Read more
Introduction Intentions The pavilion was conceived as a flowing spiral, a path where visitors enter without seeing the exit, guided like a wave through the form — much like a shell in the ocean. Our aim was to create a geometry that is neat yet non‑banal: generated by simply rotating a curve, but enriched with … Read more
Abstract Architecture is often defined by mass, weight, and permanence. But what happens when we design for the memory of a building rather than the building itself? Materia Assente explores the intersection of poetic parametric design and rigorous structural integrity. The project seeks to answer a complex question: How can we create a structure that … Read more
This project focuses on the reviving of the Bab Al-Lug market in Cairo, through the topics of Light, Path and Structure. Design idea: Established in 1912, the Bab Al-Lug market offered a state-of-the-art modern design inspired by the Halles in Paris The market’s metal structure is a typical example of tectonic architecture with its lightweight, … Read more
I am excited to share The Veil of Bab Al-Luq, an architectural intervention designed by Sushmitha Ravi that reimagines the historic Bab Al-Luq Market in Downtown Cairo. The project seeks to restore the vibrancy of this iconic urban space by actively addressing its most urgent environmental challenge—the intense heat of Cairo’s hot, dry climate—through integrated … Read more
Verdant evokes lush greenery and vitality, capturing the essence of this parametric roof redesign that transforms a mundane urban building into an organic canopy. Inspired by the delicate structure of bamboo leaves, the project employs randomly oriented gold-anodized louvres to create a dynamic interplay of light and shadow, mimicking sunlight filtering through foliage. This modern … Read more
Introduction The name Bisat-al-Nur—carpet of light—embodies both poetry and precision: a modern design rooted in tradition, echoing Cairo’s historic markets while reinterpreting them with contemporary materials and climate-responsive strategies. Ingredients The project is built on four ingredients: Design Process Layers The design unfolds across four layers: The strategy was to leave the existing market mostly … Read more
Introduction This project, developed by Group D (Giovanni Carlo Volpe, Nihan Malkoç, Sushmitha Ravi, Zeynep Sezen Dursun) as part of the Master in Advanced Computation for Architecture & Design at IAAC, explores a computationally driven strategy for creating environmentally responsive architecture in the challenging climate of Ahmedabad, India. Through a rigorous process utilizing Digital Tools … Read more
Inspirations The Earthen Curtains project is rooted in a deep reflection on vernacular architecture and passive sustainability. The primary formal and conceptual inspiration is derived from the work of Hassan Fathy and the tradition of the Nubian Vaults. This architectural heritage, celebrated for the use of local materials (raw earth) and intrinsic climatic strategies, is … Read more
Introduction Group Async A, comprised of Charles Abi Chahine, Emilie El Chidiac, María Sánchez, and Lakzhmy Zaro, conducted an environmental analysis of a redevelopment project in Tokyo, Japan. We focused on a 19-hectare plot that was historically the site of the Tsukiji fish market. The Challenge of Dressing for TokyoAnyone who has visited Tokyo’s famous … Read more
Solid vs. Soft How can an object low in inherent solidity still be structurally present and define architectural space? This question lies at the heart of The Pneumatical Incrustation. Developed for the Complex Forming Seminar, this project explores the fundamental contrast between the solid and the soft. The goal was to investigate how “soft” forms … Read more
Turning Natural Language into Architecture Designing a house is never just about walls and windows—it’s about translating human stories into spaces that feel alive. Clients describe routines, aspirations, and cultural practices. Architects then face the challenge of turning those narratives into coherent layouts that also respond to site, climate, and context. Most computational tools fall … Read more
Andromeda is a Rhino-native copilot that turns briefs, context, and massing into a single, interpretable graph so designers can enrich masterplans, evaluate KPIs, and bake results back to Rhino, without leaving their workflow. Built for early-stage masterplanning, it aims to raise social value, connectivity, accessibility, and overall urban quality by unifying data, guiding program allocation, … Read more
At the nexus of competing demands architecture has always existed. Every design endeavor aims to balance materialsity with ecological awareness economy with spatial generosity permanence with adaptability and structure with aesthetics. It is uncommon for these multifaceted pressures—structural physical socioeconomic and sustainable—to allow for a one-size-fits-all solution. Rather traditional architectural design frequently necessitates major concessions … Read more
