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.
In modern residential architecture, acoustic comfort is as vital as daylighting or thermal performance. In our latest studio research at the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia, Group 09 tackled the challenge of mapping and optimizing sound behavior in homes using graph-based machine-learning workflows. Over the next five minutes, you’ll discover how we combined city-scale … Read more
A STORY OF SYNTHETIC LIFE FORM HAVE YOU EVER DREAMT OF A BETTER VERSION OF YOURSELF? The Substance, directed by Coralie Fargeat (Universal Pictures, 2024) This project simulates a linear evolutionary process in which a synthetic organism progressively transforms to become more human-like. The evolution is guided entirely by language models, with no human intervention … Read more
Research reveals a profound transformation in human-AI relationships, where anthropomorphism (the projection of human qualities onto artificial entities) has evolved from a psychological curiosity into a fundamental force reshaping human cognition, identity, and social behavior. This comprehensive analysis exposes critical tensions between AI as cognitive enhancement versus cognitive dependency, challenging celebratory narratives of human-AI collaboration … Read more
What if body becomes the carrier of code? Information derived from human-body; it’s movement, expressions, how it sounds as a dataset for AI interpretation and use. What are the different dimensions of these interactions & interpretations? Biological Dimension AI Dimension Informational Dimension Different Modalities Study of Amazon’s AI systems Visualisation of the Back-End Process Follow … Read more
Introduction From the moment a baby grasps a finger, human learning is messy, sensory-rich, and rooted in lived experience. Neurons re-wire through curiosity, emotion, and social feedback, slowly weaving meaning from sparse data. By contrast, modern AI models absorb terabytes of text and images in silence, tuning billions of weights to predict what comes next. … 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
A Critical Analysis of AI-Driven Emotional Computing and Mechanization of Human Affect 1. Abstract This critical analysis examines the theoretical implications of “Automating Scientists,” a project that explores the intersection of artificial intelligence and human emotional recognition. Through the lens of affective computing, this study interrogates the fundamental question: “Can a machine sense us deeply … Read more
Mas Profundo is a pipeline that allows designers to generate interesting architectural images from simple models using a live camera feed. Architectural models tend to portray a reduced colorway and detail is limited by workmanship and time. Mas Profundo allows each model ideation to be visualized more realistically than a simple foam model. Mas Profundo … Read more
Abstract In this project, we explore how graph-based thinking can reshape construction planning by bridging design data and scheduling logic. Drawing inspiration from modular architecture and network theory, we investigate new ways to visualize, analyze, and optimize the sequencing of building elements. By combining insights from BIM, parametric modeling, and graph analysis, the work aims … Read more
Our Solution: The Co-creator App We’ve developed a Copilot App – a local AI system that lives in your building and speaks your language. Literally. You make natural language requests, and it translates them into real architectural actions by understanding the complex relationships between spaces and residents through graph databases and GDS algorithms. Here’s how … Read more
Are conversations with ghosts a thing of the past?….. or perhaps a break-through of the future? Reconstructing Lost Worldviews Generative artificial intelligence is often touted for its futuristic promise, but a growing cadre of researchers is turning AI’s gaze to the distant past. What if we Generative artificial intelligence is often touted for its futuristic … Read more
Introduction We are Aleyna and Francesco, and in this post, we present FG Sketches—a generative tool developed as part of the Artificial Intelligence in Architecture (AIA) module within the MaCAD Generative AI program. The objective of this project was to design a system capable of learning from the sketching language of Frank Gehry and translating … Read more
ISOGEN — Isometric Building Generation with AI By Joaquín Broquedis & Marco DurandFinal project for Generative AI Introduction This project explores the use of generative AI to produce isometric visualizations of architectural typologies. We developed ISOGEN, a small-scale prototype aimed at testing whether a custom-trained image-to-image LoRA (Low-Rank Adaptation) model could learn to generate building … Read more
Outline: Depth and canny of an object by Jose Lazokafatty and Paul Suarez Introduction The Machine, as a creative AI-powered image generator that turns your sketches and prompts into richly detailed visions. Born from curiosity—how does a machine interpret an abstract outline of a doodle? or the depth of an image? this project is as … Read more
In this project, we leverage Graph Machine Learning to enhance fire safety analysis by predicting fire spread risk in building units using enriched IFC models and advanced graph algorithms. Idea & Goal Our workflow begins in Grasshopper, where we configure building units and enrich the IFC model with custom fire-related attributes such as Material combustibility, … Read more
Thermal Comfort Index Prediction // Definition OBJECTIVE: predicting thermal comfort in air-conditioned residential buildings using machine learning algorithms. What is indoor thermal comfort? Thermal comfort is “That condition of mind that expresses satisfaction with the thermal environment” (ISO 7730) People may feel that their surroundings are warm, cold or simply comfortable depending on the thermal state … Read more
