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.


Data Visualization Using GeoPandas in Python

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

Sprouting Habitats

Introduction The project “Sprouting Habitats” investigates the impact of ecological conservation sites, particularly in the context of waterbirds. As most living organisms on earth, birds heavily rely on water and its associated habitats, such as wetlands, to support crucial phases of their life cycle, including migration, breeding, and wintering. Unfortunately, human activities like intensive agriculture, … 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

Valor del Districte Platform

Catalyzing Innovation in 22@Nord Barcelona’s 22@Nord district, often referred to as the former “Catalan Manchester,” is poised to become the epicenter of digital knowledge and innovation. This transformation aligns with Barcelona’s commitment to technology, engagement, and education, setting the stage for the implementation of the Valor del Districte Platform to support resident and public investment … Read more

SWIFT

“Your new ally in Public Transportation” – Problem – Today, urban commuters who rely on public transportation are faced with four principal challenges: – Solution – A multi[modal-city] transport application that enhances passenger’s experience and improves public transport system’s efficiency across different cities, at the country level. – Why now? – The covid-19 pandemic has … Read more

Exploring the Hydrography of the Besos River

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

Green Trails: Paving the Way for Comfortable Cycling

In the bustling streets of Barcelona, a city that effortlessly weaves together history, culture, and modernity, uncovering a comfortable path becomes a journey in itself. Navigating Barcelona isn’t just about finding the quickest route; it’s about immersing oneself in the rhythm of the city and embracing its unique character. Conclusion Barcelona’s enchanting cycling paths, seamlessly … 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

FloodZone Analytics

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

EndSARS in Brief: A Snapshot of the Movement

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

Travelling Paris

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

Mapping Airbnb data in San Francisco

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

Understanding the City through Data, Maps & Code

Finding the ratio of natural Green spaces to the Educational institutions in Barcelona city, Spain. TOOLS USED INTRODUCTION Barcelona, like many modern cities, has been actively working on providing open datasets to the public. Open datasets are valuable resources that foster transparency, innovation, and engagement within communities. Barcelona’s open datasets cover a wide range of topics, including urban … 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

Roving the Red Planet

Roving the Red Planet - Animated Infographic

A rich and ongoing history… Mars exploration missions started in the second half of the 20th century, with the first successful one being NASA’s flyby mission Mariner-Mars in 1964. Since then there has been a steady influx of many other missions throughout the years, from NASA as well as from other space agencies from around … Read more

Promised Land

Mesh representation of MIDI

Mapping America’s Genrescape Promised Land, Chuck Berry’s early representation of modern rock and roll, blurs racialized difference in genre origin, fueling the hybridization of genre categorizes, resulting in America’s current rich music tapestry. MIDI data correlated to synaesthetic representations of color is crystalized and in a dense three-dimensional mesh and place qualities are correlated to … Read more

Counting and displaying geographical information

Introduction Grasshopper, renowned for its prowess in visualization, presents a unique landscape of opportunities for those eager to dive deep into the realm of geographical information. This blog post presents the start of my journey with Grasshopper, highlighting its potential as well as the challenges and learning curves it presents. Objective: Gaining Confidence with Grasshopper … Read more

Visualization of Complex Innovation Data using Python

Innovation is a buzzword these days, and everyone seems to be talking about it. However, truly understanding it is a different ball game. Take the Global Innovation Index by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), for example. It’s a massive framework that pulls data from top-tier organizations worldwide, scoring countries on 100+ indicators. It’s a … 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

Can inequality of opportunity be mapped?

An exercise in visually corelating data. Introduction The Swedish educational system is based on merit. Students have to compete for places by means of their average grades. The competition is fierce, especially in large cities such as Stockholm. This project forms an attempt to showcase a possible correlation between the median acceptance grades of schools … Read more