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.


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Confronting Forms of Erasure

History is not always written in neat paragraphs and grand monuments. Sometimes, the most important stories are the ones left untold. The ones silenced, forgotten, or deliberately erased. In 1994, over a period of 100 days, the Rwandan genocide took place. Hutu extremists; fueled by ethnic hatred and political manipulation, sought to eradicate the Tutsi … Read more

Darien: Closing the data Gap

Imagine a massive highway stretching from Alaska all the way down to the tip of Argentina. That’s almost possible through the Pan-American Highway, except for one crucial interruption: the Darien Gap. The Darien Gap is a sprawling, dense jungle separating Panama and Colombia, an obstacle that breaks the otherwise continuous highway. But the Gap isn’t … Read more

Rethinking the Mekedatu Dam Project

The Cauvery basin is not just a river; it’s an intricate ecosystem that supports diverse flora and fauna and sustains the livelihoods of farmers in both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Our hypothesis posits that the proposed Mekedatu dam, far from being a panacea, is an unnecessary venture that could further destabilize this delicate balance. The … Read more

Greece’s Wildfires: Nature’s Fury or Human Ignition?

Introduction Greece’s scorching summers and dry climate create a perfect storm for wildfires. These fires cause widespread devastation, burning homes and harming ecosystems, with tragic consequences like loss of life. While the climate undoubtedly sets the stage, many in Greece believe human activity is the real culprit. Accidental fires from carelessness or deliberate acts of … Read more

Music_Mental Health

Undertaken by: Avi Sharma Hypothesis : Exposure to Music correlates with variations in Mental Health among people. We all know that listening to music can evoke various emotions, depending on the song. What I am exploring is the idea that exposure to music, in general, can play a role in shaping your overall mental health … Read more

‘Too Hot to Handle’

Miami cannot pay for its affordable housing without additional funding. Since 2020, the market has been scorching hot – with average rent rising at quadruple the pace of median income (Zillow, U.S. Census). New opportunities at the federal, state, and local levels will open budget to spend. But, conflicting federal and state geographies of interest … Read more

Pykémon: Gotta catch ’em all!

Introduction Pokémon GO, the groundbreaking augmented reality mobile game developed by Niantic, has revolutionized the gaming industry since its launch in 2016. With millions of players worldwide, the game transcends traditional gaming boundaries by integrating virtual creatures known as Pokémon into real-world environments. As players explore their surroundings, they encounter Pokémon spawns in various locations, … Read more

45 Years of Piracy: Strengthening Global Maritime Security through Non-Military Approaches

Our project embarked on a mission to tackle global shipping piracy without resorting to military action. We faced a major challenge: finding and using publicly available information to craft a proposal that countries and international organizations would support. 1. WHY SHIPPING PIRACY? Within the context of Networked Flows, our directive was to pinpoint potential disruptions … Read more

WILDLIFE PATHWAYS

The “WILDLIFE PATHWAYS” is based on the “GREEN ALLY” project, that was developed at IAAC in the framework of the Master in City & Technology program, during the Internet of Cities Studio directed by Mathilde Marengo, Eduardo Rico, and Iacopo Neri. It provides a data informed approach that helps to integrate ecological needs within the … Read more

Art on air

Introduction Air quality is a problem in many cities around the world, yet it remains largely invisible to the naked eye. This reality struck us deeply when the four of us, having lived in Barcelona, Lagos, Bangkok, and Medellin – our four cities of origin – came together. Amidst our diverse backgrounds and experiences, we … Read more

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

The Arteries of Lombardy

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

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

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

Arbitration of the Arbitrary

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

Coding Nature

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

The CourtForge

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

An Encounter with a Passage

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 GeoSpatial Data in Python – Going from Csv to Graph

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

Visualizing data using Python

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