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.


Tourism and social development, Balearic Island

INTRODUCTION The heavy working hours after the industrial revolution had put leisure to a more and more important role in contemporary life. People want to travel to ‘escape’ and compensate themselves from work and daily life. The practice of leveraging tourism for economy growth has been proved useful in Spain since the 1960s. And this … Read more

Coltura

Introduction Milan, Northern Italy’s epicenter, confronts economic and environmental challenges rooted in a shift from agriculture to manufacturing. To secure its future, Milan invests in knowledge, tourism, and place-based innovation, relying on revenue from high-income foreigners, students, and the European Union. Strategic efforts to transition to a green economy focus on renewable energy, waste reduction, … Read more

From Pollution To Pollination

1. Introduction Urban air quality is a pressing concern,  being the result of both natural elements and human-induced pollutants. The city of Barcelona grapples with local pollutants like NOx and PM10, primarily  caused by ground transport and industrial activities. While current policies focus on mobility solutions, the project questions the need for complementary approaches. The … Read more

Towards a multi-performative soil

Introduction The contemporary postcard city of Barcelona is supported by a world wide web of hidden urbanization. One of the closest and most prominent hidden pieces of urbanization of Barcelona is found in the Besós Valley. When going on site, we encountered a fragmented urban landscape of logistical infrastructure, urban wasteland, scattered agriculture and haphazard … Read more

GreenScape – Milan

Introduction Known for its fashion, history, and culture, Milan also faces a pressing environmental issue: it stands as one of the most polluted cities in the World. The challenge of mitigating air pollution in Milan is complex, as it is shaped by a mix of geographical, meteorological, socio-economic, and cultural factors. From the city’s dense … Read more

Besòs reviving: Harmonizing Urban Landscapes and River Health through Nature

The Besòs River, an integral water source for Barcelona, encapsulates a narrative marked by both significance and environmental challenges. Since the 1970s, its crucial role has been overshadowed by persistent contamination, exacerbated by the rapid urban and industrial developments along its course. This study delves into the intricate correlation between Besòs River pollution, evolving land … Read more

Navigating GeoPandas and the Digital Wilderness

“Start the machine” …was the first operation in mind when asked to perform a task with Python script. One of the motivations to learn Python as an urban designer is to organize geospatial data with accuracy and legibility. Before we dive into the digital wilderness, of data trees and data frames, it’s important to note … Read more

Slo-Mo-Go: Tourism in Slow Motion

A digital tool proposed to re-boost the economy of Ciutat Vella, Barcelona Overview Ciutat Vella being the oldest district of the city of Barcelona was founded in the 1500 BC. The Ciutat Vella district was a very important economic hub for Barcelona. But in the recent times, the district faces problems that are characterised by … Read more

La Zona Franca, Barcelona. A new centrality?

The Zona Franca in Barcelona is an area that receives thousands of workers everyday and, having The Port, is one of the main points of contact of the city with the rest of the world. Through a quick analysis based on an understanding of the site, questions and issues within Barcelona’s ‘Free-Trade’ zone are tackled … Read more

Sunlit Streets, Shaded Paths

Computational Tools for Thermally Comfortable Walks in Barcelona On one of the sunniest days in the city of Barcelona, you want to go for a walk and get some fresh air but the heat from the sun makes you uncomfortable. Can you go for the walk without the sun making you completely sick? The objective … Read more

Worldwide cityscapes spatial analysis using OpenStreetMap Data

Introduction OpenStreetMap (OSM) stands as a testament to the power of collaborative mapping, where a community of volunteers comes together to create a detailed and constantly updated geographic database. This free and open resource is not just a map; it’s a versatile tool used for everything from navigation and humanitarian aid to data visualization. OpenStreetMap … Read more

Cities in Motion

Bogota Public Transport from GTFS

The General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) is a standardized format designed for the distribution of public transport information globally. This format facilitates the integration of public transportation systems in cities worldwide with popular route planning platforms like Citymapper, Waze, or Moovit. By doing so, it enables users to access information on transport availability and plan … Read more

Navigating Inequality

Introduction Wealth disparity leads to social and economic challenges resulting in social exclusion. 21.6% of population in the EU are at risk of social exclusion. A study confirmed that 61.7% of socially excluded people tend to be segregated. Understanding the origin of the word Segregation – initially used to set sheep apart from the flock, … Read more

Decarbonization of Housing Stock in EU

Buildings are an intrinsic part of our lives, where we spend most of our time and unfold as human beings. However, through its different forms, the built environment is responsible for the majority of our energy consumption (around 40 %) and a primary source of greenhouse emissions GHG (around 36 %) (Anderson et al., 2015).  … Read more

The Green Ally

In Spain, there is an urban myth, according to which – The country was once so thickly forested that a squirrel could cross the peninsula hopping from tree to tree. -However, this condition has changed throughout the years, both in terms of the natural environment and the existence of squirrels in Spain. The case study … Read more

City of Proximities: Public Markets in Madrid

Madrid Public Markets SystemThe toolkit for municipalities, food delivery platforms and local residents 1/ Overall PerspectiveA first overview of the city of Madrid, throughout its administrative districts, their socio-demographics variables, the location of 46 municipal markets and the proximity patterns between them. 2/ Markets Around the Clock To allow citizens to engage with the markets … Read more

The Wild Deal

ABSTRACT Urban Rights is a term which has been coined by the philosopher Henri Lefebvre (Lefebvre, 1967)  and further explored by David Harvey (Harvey, 2003). It is a concept of a collective right to change the city and shape the process of urbanization. Thus, the right to the city does not merely address what the … Read more