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.
We have chosen this scene from Dune Part One as a partial illustration of some of the points raised in scholar Stephanie Wakefield’s essay ‘Critical urban theory in the Anthropocene’ and ‘Dreaming in the Back Loops’, where she unpacks resiliency as a multifaceted and reactive approach to surviving life in the urbicidal conditions of the … Read more
In our final presentation for the Theories of the Urban course, we explored the film Leave the World Behind (2023) as a speculative lens through which to interrogate contemporary urban conditions. Though the narrative unfolds in a seemingly remote, rural setting, its core tension emerges from the collapse of deeply urban and planetary systems [technological, … Read more
Guntur Panchayat, Trichy District Location: 10.7245103, 78.7281189Guntur lake was not maintained for years. After our restoration work the lake is now filled with water. Peravurani Taluk, Thanjavur district, Tamilnadu Area of the lake: 6 acresWater storage capacity: 40000000 litresLocation: 79.25 ,10.27 athalaikkundu Nochchi Kulam Area of the lake: 55 acresWater storage capacity:80 crore litresLocation10.289601, 79.22789Shrubs and invasive … Read more
We want to invite you to witness the city through a lens often overlooked, how people navigating urban spaces shaped by “intersectionalities”. This is a story about how people experience cities—specifically, the everyday places where we wait to catch a bus, hop on a train, or cross the street. These spots might seem ordinary, but … Read more
The Power of Community-Built Cities: Looking into a Bottom Up Approach Over 1.1 billion people live in what are often labeled as ‘informal settlements.’ Despite the vast scale and human impact of this issue, these communities remain largely overlooked in policy and investment decisions. This neglect may stem, in part, from the terminology itself: labels … Read more
Behind the scenes We began our story-making process using another research project as a jumping-off point. In another course, we explored the detection and analysis of informal settlements in Northern Chile through satellite imagery. We wanted to invert our perspective and work with the topic of informality from the perspective of experiencing life in camps … Read more
Petrópolis: Analysis & Strategic Responses for Flood-Vulnerable Contexts 1.1. History of the city Summary – 1.1. History of the City Petrópolis initially developed in valleys and along riverbeds, where construction was easier, but this laid the groundwork for future vulnerabilities. Located within the Atlantic Forest Biome, only 12.4% of its original forest remains due to … Read more
Understanding the complexity of urban flooding Across the globe, cities are facing the increasingly visible consequences of climate change, with floods and landslides ranking among the most destructive urban hazards. In Brazil, the city of Petrópolis offers a critical lens through which to study the layered vulnerabilities of urban settlements exposed to extreme rainfall, unstable … Read more
This project investigates the hydrological dynamics and climate vulnerability contributing to severe flooding in Petropolis, Brazil. Focusing on rain-runoff behavior, impervious surface expansion, and topographic influence, the study examines how urbanization has intensified flood risk. A detailed analysis of precipitation patterns and surface drainage inefficiencies highlights the city’s exposure to extreme weather events. Hydrological modeling … Read more
Problem statement: Understand how different media platforms and news (Reddit for now) perceive and portray cities, shaping their public image. Results
As part of a collaborative exploration into creative automation and human-AI interaction, our team developed an AI-powered weather assistant that integrates live data, generative visuals, and contextual language processing into a single, responsive system. The assistant operates via a Telegram bot and delivers three core outputs: current weather information, clothing recommendations, and an AI-generated image … Read more
When we locate Sants within Barcelona, it appears to be on the city’s edge. However, when considering the metropolitan area as a whole, Sants is actually closer to the center. Historically, Sants was one of the towns surrounding Barcelona until its annexation in 1897. Its agricultural and industrial roots contribute to a unique neighborhood identity—one … Read more
Introduction: Understanding Besòs Beyond the Surface The El Besòs i el Maresme area in Barcelona carries a complex history—one shaped by migration, exclusion, and resilience. Often perceived through the lenses of insecurity and economic struggle, the neighborhood is in fact a vibrant intersection of identities, cultures, and urban transformations. Layers of Besòs is a research-driven … Read more
A speculative approach to Design through data, literature, and participatory AI in Sant Antoni Our urban issue: The Lack of Narrative-Driven Urban Design in a Data-Driven City Contemporary urban design increasingly relies on AI and big data, often sidelining human stories, cultural narratives, and historical context in shaping urban spaces. While data-driven design optimizes efficiency, … Read more
An alternative ways of exploring the sounds that make up Gràcia This project investigates alternative ways of engaging with the sounds of Gràcia and how they can empower communities by fostering a deeper connection to place, memory, and identity. Sound functions as both a sensory experience and a cultural artifact, carrying layers of emotion, history, … Read more
El Poblenou is a neighborhood in Barcelona which is experiencing several degrees of transformation leading to urban niches unconsidered. Open City Poblenou envisions public spaces that respond to urban flux, creating environments that encourage interaction and a sense of belonging through co-designed, adaptive interventions by leveraging data-driven strategies and participatory design. INDEX 00_IntroductionExplanation of Poblenou’s … Read more
