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Master in Advanced Computation for Architecture and Design

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


MaCAD 2025-2026 by
MaCAD 2025-2026

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 that support more efficient design, engineering, and facility management. As … Read more

Bridging the Gap: What Two Computational Industrial Designers Taught Me About Getting In


MaCAD 2025-2026 by
MaCAD 2025-2026

Computational design can feel like a field you need permission to enter, a space guarded by complex software, specialized knowledge, and a career path that isn’t clearly written anywhere. But after sitting down separately with Aaron Porterfield, developer of the open-source Grasshopper plugin Crystallon, and Aman Agrawal, founder of Cademy and computational design specialist at … Read more

AI in AEC: Accelerating Decisions, Not Replacing Designers


MaCAD 2025-2026 by
MaCAD 2025-2026

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

Repositioning Intelligence: Artificial Intelligence and Decision-Making in AEC


MaCAD 2025-2026 by
MaCAD 2025-2026

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

Rethinking AI’s Role in the AEC Industry


MaCAD 2025-2026 by
MaCAD 2025-2026

From automation to infrastructure Before starting this course, I primarily understood Artificial Intelligence in the AEC industry as a productivity tool—something used to automate repetitive tasks, accelerate modeling, or optimize isolated steps within the design workflow. AI was, in my mind, an add-on: powerful, useful, but largely standalone. Over the duration of the course and … Read more

Beyond Efficiency


MaCAD 2025-2026 by
MaCAD 2025-2026

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

The Future of AI in the AEC Industry


MaCAD 2025-2026 by
MaCAD 2025-2026

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry in ways we’re only beginning to understand. As computational design and software advances and is tasked to handle more complex and data-intensive forms, AI offers real potential to optimize workflows and improve design team collaboration from initial concepts on Schematic Design (SD) to … Read more

AI in AEC: Decision Support Across the Lifecycle


MaCAD 2025-2026 by
MaCAD 2025-2026

AI in AEC is often pitched as a design generator or a shortcut to faster output. We pushed a more real definition: AI’s purpose is decision support, helping teams see risk earlier and choose better options, while humans remain accountable. AEC is a chain of high-stakes decisions made under pressure: feasibility, coordination, procurement, construction risk, … Read more

Bab al-Luq Market: A Shell That Finds Light and Guides People


MaCAD 2025-2026 by
MaCAD 2025-2026

Bab al-Luq Market in Cairo was designed to be bright, legible, and hygienic—then decades of add-ons and wear turned it into a dim, confusing interior. This proposal makes one clear move: a parametric double-skin roof that diffuses daylight and defines a readable circulation spine. Location: Cairo, Egypt Climate: Hot, dry, sunny Typology: Historic market hall … Read more

MERIHAUS – Sea Urban Escapes for Seasonal Living


MaCAD 2025-2026 by
MaCAD 2025-2026

The project explores a contemporary reinterpretation of Finnish cabins, combining seasonal water living, public wellness, and boating storage. The core idea is that small modular units — cabins, saunas and workspaces — can aggregate into larger urban and social systems. Helsinki has a harsh Nordic climate, with long winters ranging from –10°C to +25°C, high … Read more

AI and the future of intelligent architecture


MaCAD 2025-2026 by
MaCAD 2025-2026

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

WHEN DESIGN~MEETS DATA


MaCAD 2025-2026 by
MaCAD 2025-2026

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

Floating Grounds-Rethinking Resilience in Jakarta


MaCAD 2025-2026 by
MaCAD 2025-2026

Introduction Floating Grounds proposes a flood-resilient urban model for Jakarta that merges housing, public programs, and a stadium into a single floating system. Instead of resisting water, the project accepts it as a permanent condition and uses it as an organizing element. The work explores how large-scale infrastructure can support community life while addressing land … Read more

Beyond Speed: Redefining the Purpose of AI in the AEC Industry


MaCAD 2025-2026 by
MaCAD 2025-2026

Initial Perspective: AI as an Efficiency Tool At the beginning of the course, I viewed AI primarily as a means to enhance productivity. It appeared to be a practical instrument for automating routine tasks, such as refining designs or performing structural calculations. By minimizing errors, reducing time requirements, and lowering costs, AI could expedite project … Read more