The Master in City & Technology’s academic structure is based on IAAC’s innovative, learn-by-doing and design-through-research methodology which focuses on the development of interdisciplinary skills. During the Master in City & Technology students will have the opportunity to be part of a highly international group, including faculty members, researchers, and lecturers, in which they are encouraged to develop collective decision-making processes and materialize their project ideas.
The exploratory analysis performed by Josefina Ovalle, Maja Mawusi and Michał Modelski We present you an exploratory analysis on the New York City’s Citi Bike network in New Jersey. We chose the latest dataset, from October 2024, that gives us data on bike stations, bike types, bike users, and bike usage over time. The choice … Read more
01 Reading as Urban InsightIn a rapidly urbanizing world, the ability to read critically across diverse mediums—both digital and print—serves as an indispensable tool for interpreting the complexities of urban theory. Techniques like HYPERREADING, which facilitates navigation through vast digital information, and CLOSE READING, which emphasizes deep textual analysis, are crucial for decoding the nuanced … 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
Introduction In the past centuries, Milan used to be perceived as a water-city, with an economy propelled by canals that extended throughout it. However, as the city evolved, those waterways were gradually buried beneath roads, and the aquatic arteries that once defined Milan are now relegated to the periphery of the urban fabric. This covering … Read more
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
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
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
Critical urbanists are empowered by theory, constrained by history, and valued by their ability and will to negotiate opportunities. The powers of theory are defined by Brenner and Roy as that of critical imagination and rejection of definition; contexualized as historically urban and increasingly planetary by Harvey, Brenner, and Schmid; and actualized by Kaika and … Read more
Investigating the Impact of Open Green Spaces on Airbnb Rates with Python 1. Introduction The industry of tourism in Barcelona has seen a major hike in the past couple years. Post-covid Barcelona has also become an educational hub for students from across the globe. The increase in Inflow of people has also made platform urbanism … Read more
Enlarging the great… Emanuel Ginobili is one of the most -if not the most- accomplished Argentinian basketball players. During his 16 season basketball career in the NBA, that went on from 2002 to 2018, he won 4 championships as one of the San Antonio Spurs “Big Three”, was named an All-Star twice, was selected for … Read more
1. Introduction In the exploration of urban design and its impact on community well-being, “An Encounter with a Passage” delves into the heart of participatory design. This project revolves around the central question of integrating green spaces in urban settings, not just as an aesthetic feature but as a core element of community identity and … Read more
Visualizing dataframes using Geopandas and Plotly in Python introduction Python is a versatile and easy-to-learn programming language. GeoPandas extends the data manipulation capabilities of pandas to spatial data, providing a familiar and convenient environment for working with both tabular and geographical data. GeoPandas makes it easy to load, explore, and analyze geographical data. You can … Read more
Using python as a digital tool to visualize and arrange datasets; trying to view household costs by accumulating various costs per week. Using the dataset and visualizing the various indices and topics of concern and further pointing out the accumulated average cost of all expenses in a household. Further visualizing the desired data as plotting … Read more
“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
1.Geospatial Mapping using GeoPandas in Python In Python, GeoPandas plays a crucial role in facilitating geospatial analysis through its powerful functions. I will illustrate the concise process of leveraging GeoPandas to create maps of Barcelona. This involves a systematic application of GeoPandas’ functions for effective geospatial data synthesis and mapping. Step 1: Loading GeoDataFrame from … Read more
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
Understanding Surface Water Dynamics : Analysing Besos River Runoff, Accumulation, and Water Levels. The Besos River, flowing through Catalonia, Spain, is a significant water body supporting both ecosystems and human activities. Its hydrology plays a pivotal role in the regional environment and socioeconomic landscape. The dynamics of surface water runoff, accumulation, and water levels in … Read more
Barcelona is home for more than 1.6 million inhabitants and is one of the most densely populated cities in Europe. It also owns the title of being the city of Europe with more cars per inhabitant. Given that around 30% of the people use private vehicle to move around the city, the air pollution is … Read more
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
Introduction Water-related disasters, such as floods and droughts, have become increasingly frequent and severe due to climate change, representing significant global challenges. Urbanization and land use changes are contributing factors, with settlements in high flood-risk areas growing. In studying Milan and the Lambro river basin in Northern Italy, we observe increasing frequencies of floods, highlighting … Read more
This project aimed to visually narrate the EndSars protest movement that unfolded in Nigeria from October 8th to 20th, 2020. This movement emerged as a powerful response to the acts of violence perpetrated by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, a specialized unit of the Nigerian Police Force established in 1992 to combat crime (Amnesty International, 2020). … Read more
Paris, often hailed as the world’s most popular tourist destination, beckons millions of visitors each year with its unparalleled blend of history, culture, gastronomy, and romance. At its heart stands the iconic Eiffel Tower, symbolizing the city’s architectural finesse and innovative spirit. The Louvre Museum, home to countless masterpieces, invites art aficionados to meander through … Read more
Since its launch in 2007, Airbnb has revolutionized the hosting industry: By providing a simple and intuitive online platform, it connects millions of hosts and visitors worldwide. Born in The Bay, the app has changed the dynamics of the whole area, impacting sectors that extend from tourism to the housing market. Through the analysis of … Read more
