IAAC’s Master in City & Technology (1 or 2-year program) is a unique program oriented towards redefining the analysis, planning, and design of twenty-first-century cities and beyond. The program offers expertise in the design of digitally enhanced, ecological and human-centered urban environments by intersecting the disciplines of urbanism and data science. Taking place in Barcelona, the capital of urbanism, the Master in City & Technology is training the professionals that city administrations, governments, industries, and communities need, to transform the urban environment in the era of big data.
La Dreta de l’Eixample, a vibrant neighborhood in Barcelona, begins at the renowned Plaça de Catalunya. This area is famous for its luxurious Passeig de Gràcia, lined with high-end boutiques and modernist architecture. The neighborhood not only showcases the grandeur of the Catalan textile bourgeoisie from the early 20th century but also stands out for … Read more
Our research on the El Raval neighborhood explored the tensions and opportunities between residents and tourists, two populations who travel from all over the world to be in El Raval. While tourists and residents can have conflicting priorities and demands of their environment, the two are also dependent on each other and we came upon … Read more
As part of the Master in City & Technology Introductory Workshop, our team was tasked with studying La Barceloneta, a district characterized by its complex layers of social, economic, architectural, and administrative systems. This project aims to explore these dimensions, highlighting the interactions between tourism and the local community in one of Barcelona’s most iconic … Read more
The urban transformation of the Poblenou neighborhood has reached a critical juncture, where the local and global spheres coexist in a contested struggle over territory. The revitalization of old industrial buildings into a technological and creative hub has spurred significant economic growth, attracting a wave of companies, start-ups, investors, and, more recently, digital nomads, displacing … Read more
Exploring the vibrant neighborhood of Sant Antoni, a lively corner of Barcelona’s Eixample district, we set out to uncover its rich history, pinpoint its challenges, and evaluate relevant data. Our journey began with online research, laying the groundwork for our field observations. Once we arrived on-site, we captured the essence of the area through photographs, … Read more
Fields at Play identifies the value of gender inequality in Olympic infrastructure and proposes to leverage the derived $12.6B Olympic gender gap in sports facilities to fund the revitalization and ongoing program of reliable, safe, and comfortable spaces for women at risk of gender-based violence. Understanding the purpose and outcomes of Olympic infrastructure strategies in … Read more
“WHAT IS THE FIRST THING THAT YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU HEAR THE WORDS: GENDER & BANGKOK? “ 1. BANGKOK’S SPECTRUM OF GENDER (INTRODUCTION) Historically, Thai society has grappled with rigid gender roles, which often saw Thai women facing significant challenges and being relegated to positions within the entertainment and sex industries. However, as Thai society … Read more
This project examines gender dynamics in Lagos’ public spaces, particularly within markets. It investigates the historical and contemporary influence of market women, particularly through the Iyaloja’s role. Through analysis of market layout and structure, the project seeks to identify how these features might limit women’s agency. To address these limitations, the project seeks collaborative strategies … Read more
Introduction Medellin, known as the ‘City of Eternal Spring,’ is a Colombian city located between mountains around the Aburra River Valley. According to the National Census, it is inhabited predominantly by women, as 53.3% of the population is composed of women, and a large portion of them perform in areas such as education, healthcare and … Read more
The Case of Tourism in Barcelona The “Guidebook on Urban Degrowth” explores applying degrowth principles in urban planning to promote social well-being and ecological equity in cities. This thesis develops guidelines to shift from high-consumption economic models to those that emphasize environmental balance and social equity. Focusing on Barcelona, it addresses the challenges of over-tourism, … Read more
The intensification of human activities has transformed river basins, characterized by the loss of natural floodplains, an increase in impermeable surfaces, and the escalation of surface runoff. This thesis explores the importance of tailoring flood prevention strategies to upstream conditions to aid in flood risk management for downstream urban areas. Specifically, it presents an incentive-based, … Read more
Frist Research Mebolsim What is Metabolism? Building of Metabolsim Masterplan of Metabolism Comaprison, Masterplan Tokyo by Kenzo Tange vs Comptemporary Tokyo Comaprison1 Theory Comaprison2 City Plan Comparison3 Area plan Comparison4Building Comaprison Conclusion
Tourism has been leading the economic development and urbanization process in Mallorca since 1970s, Despite the tourists dominating the coastlines in the latest four decades, the vast inland area has been long for agriculture. The rapid expansion of the tourism industry has resulted in significant environmental impact. On the other hand, the agriculture sector is … Read more
A multidimensional and multiscalar exploration of the emerging Vertical Urban Transportation landscape. [A] INTRODUCTION “Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) is a rapidly-emerging, new sector of the aerospace industry which aims to safely and efficiently integrate highly automated aircraft into the NAS. AAM is not a single technology, but rather a collection of new and emerging technologies … Read more
Introducing a methodology for Autonomous Intervention at the neighborhood level Identifying a problem; In the Eixample district of Barcelona, the daily scene often includes numerous small vans and trucks loading and unloading goods on the streets. This common activity significantly impacts the city by contributing to increased traffic congestion and higher levels of pollution. The … Read more
The motorway was the symbol of progress during the modern age. The car was the central element of the American dream, and then expanded across the globe, transforming the way we live. Over the years, it has become clear that individual conventional cars are not only good for cities: urban motorways often create physical and … Read more
1. Introduction 1.1. Abstract Autonomous Vehicles are vehicles that employ driver assistance technologies to remove the need for a human operator within the vehicle. These new technologies into automation have been researched in contexts like the United States of America, Middle-Eastern Countries and some European Countries. Planners and architects are designing for these cities including … Read more
Mobility Hubs for Edge Cities to Reduce Car Demand Ticket to Ride gamifies public transportation to reduce car trip demand with a single ticket for all rides at the mobility hub: the new heart of the conceptual Edge City. Why the Edge City? The Edge City is a global suburban spatial condition constructed in the … Read more
Can speculative science fiction ground us in reality? In an age where technology and urbanization shape the contours of our reality, the role of theory as a form of critique becomes ever more crucial. The consequences of centuries of colonization, globalization, and exploitation are evident in our sprawling cities and degraded environments. The 2017 sci-fi … Read more
“Blade Runner” is a poignant illustration of how urban landscapes could be transformed in a post-industrial world, shaped by technological dominance and environmental decay. Created within a society grappling with the implications of synthetic life and corporate control, the film vividly portrays a version of Los Angeles. Re-envisioned through the context of speculative theories about … Read more
The idea of a ‘car-free’ city is not as easy as just banning cars but about reducing car reliance. The private car has undeniably revolutionized mobility in the 21st century. It has offered convenience, job creation and an increased freedom of movement. While a world without cars might seem unimaginable, cities globally are strategically transitioning … Read more
Science Fiction is a literary genre known for creating future worlds that emerge as the consequence of today’s cultural and technological realities. It is in this worldbuilding -where societies, their functioning, and the dynamics that govern them are imagined- where Sci-Fi shows similarities to the disciplines of design and architecture. To explore the design possibilities … Read more
