The Master in Advanced Ecological Buildings and Biocities (MAEBB) postgraduate program is an 11-month immersive academic program focused on learning how to design and build a new generation of buildings and cities to respond to the planet’s emerging climate challenges. The program is carried out in Valldaura Labs, in Barcelona, a 135 He property located in the Collserola forest. Here, students will live and work surrounded by nature while using the most advanced technologies and design techniques in the pursuit of what is also IAAC’s long term initiative, to create self-sufficient and ecological environments.
Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) is a tabletop role-playing game where players create characters and embark on adventures guided by a Dungeon Master. Through storytelling, strategy, and dice rolls, players explore worlds, battle foes, and solve challenges in an open-ended, cooperative experience. The game is played using polyhedral dices, character sheets, and often miniatures on gridded … Read more
In the shadowed canyons of our cities, where steel and glass rise like silent titans, the air hangs heavy—each breath a subtle pact with progress. Urban heat islands amplify this weight, pushing temperatures 5-10°C higher than surrounding areas, choking the atmosphere with invisible heat (McDonald et al. 2016, 48). Yet, amid this urban monochrome, a … Read more
Among the topics explored in this course, Multispecies Design stood out as the most transformative and thought-provoking. It challenges the core assumption that humans are the sole users—or beneficiaries—of designed environments. Instead, it calls for recognizing other species as co-inhabitants and co-participants in shared spaces. This approach not only widens the ethical scope of design, … Read more
“The vernacular has always embodied a kind of instinctive ecological intelligence — evolving over time with a sensitivity to resources, energy, and context.” – Dr. Ahmet Eyüce As architecture continues to scale upward, streamline processes, and globalize its language, I find myself drawn to the quiet wisdom of vernacular architecture — the kind that emerges … Read more
Among the various topics explored during our mapping activity, I found myself drawn most powerfully to vernacular architecture. Not only as a stylistic or historical lens, but as a living, breathing practice—a philosophy that pulses beneath the surface of modern architectural dilemmas. It speaks quietly, yet persistently, about rootedness, slowness, community, and the dignity of … Read more
In today’s climate-conscious world, industries and governments alike are actively aligning their strategies toward climate adaptation and mitigation. The urgency of the climate crisis has unified efforts across disciplines, yet many responses tend to focus on highly specific, niche areas of research and intervention. While such targeted approaches are undoubtedly valuable, they often risk overlooking … Read more
Multispecies design as we know it is designing human dominated spaces to be occupied by more species than just humans in an effort to mitigate the biodiversity losses due to human development and territorial expansion. However, multispecies design as it is often practiced, through building facade systems and interventions in the built landscape, can have … Read more
Learning Ecological Design is the very reason I applied for this master’s program at Valldaura Labs. We constantly talk about ecology, yet I feel that many—including myself—haven’t truly explored what it means beyond surface-level choices like buying “eco-friendly” products or taking shorter showers. Studying ecological design has pushed me to reconsider my role within ecological … Read more
The Gaia theory suggests that Earth functions as a self-regulating organism. Whether we consider humans an integral part of this system or a disruptive force, we must acknowledge that our actions have caused significant harm to the planet. As architect Tadao Ando stated, “We borrow from nature the land upon which we build.” This idea underscores … Read more
The exigency of the Anthropocene compels a fundamental reassessment of design paradigms. Traditional anthropocentric approaches, which prioritize human needs often to the detriment of ecological integrity, have precipitated a confluence of environmental crises. This discourse will explore the concept of Ecological Intelligence, a framework that necessitates a departure from human-centered design, advocating for a holistic … Read more
Biomaterial is a concept that is already late to be implemented. In the article “Principles of biological design as a model for biodesign and biofabrication in architecture,” the ideas around the use of biomaterials in the construction sector are carefully explored and evaluated. It is stated that they are a great replacement for conventional standardized … Read more
For the class exercise, the topic that caught my attention the most and felt the most important was mitigation vs. adaptation. It stood out because it shows two different ways of tackling climate change: one that aims to prevent it from worsening (mitigation) and one that helps us adjust to its effects (adaptation). This is … Read more
Vernacular architecture, with its deep roots in local contexts and traditional building practices, offers a compelling avenue for exploring sustainable design principles. I’ve always been drawn to the potential of simpler, ingenious solutions in architecture, especially as a counterpoint to the often over-engineered approaches prevalent today. From ingenious ventilation strategies to daylighting techniques, vernacular buildings, … Read more
As the urgency of the climate crisis pushes designers to reimagine their roles and tools, biodesign steps in as a frontier? More than just drawing inspiration from nature, biodesign involves working with living systems—fungi, algae, bacteria, roots—to grow materials and shape forms in ways that align with ecological processes. It reflects a deepening desire to … Read more
ADAPTING AND MITIGATING: THE FOUNDATIONS OF ECOLOGICAL DESIGN For my ecological intelligence mapping activity, I chose to focus on the theme of Adaptation vs. Mitigation. I was drawn to this topic because it feels like the backbone of all ecological thinking. Before we can dive into innovative materials, multispecies interactions, or green cities, we first need … Read more
For this exercise, I found vernacular architecture to be the most interesting topic to dive further into. This predominantly came from the concept that whatever other newer forms of design are trying to achieve, vernacular architecture did it first, and sometimes better. Whether it be bio-design, multi-species design, etc., vernacular architecture always holds the characteristics … Read more
