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.
In the article ‘Coral Reefs of the Land’ Madhusudan Katti suggests we reimagine our cities as coral reefs. Coral reefs correlate with tropical rainforests concerning their biological productivity. These dynamic marine metropolises accommodate diverse species. Conversely, our cities offer limited spaces for species to build habitats. Could cities embrace coexistence and invite more species to … Read more
This blog describes and showcases the second-term research and prototyping for Bionook. Research Topic: Investigating the Synergistic Potential Between Additive Manufacturing Methods and Engineered Timber in Reshaping Urban Design Paradigms. This research delves into precisely integrating sawdust and orange peels as industrial by-product additives for Soil Additive Manufacturing and locally sourced Engineered Timber, synergizing them … Read more
RESEARCH QUESTIONHow can the inherency of materials found in a specific region facilitate the construction of a building element designed and made uniquely for the climate it is being used in and subsequently reduce carbon emissions? Introduction “Everything we design is a response to the specific climate and the culture of a particular place.” -Norman … Read more
In the face of the climate crisis, the role of energy systems in building design has come under increasingly scrutiny. Buildings are not only significant energy consumers but also major contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. As we grapple with rising global temperatures and rising urbanization, the focus on creating energy efficient buildings which rely on clean, … Read more
Starting with my master’s thesis, my primary objective was to delve into the realm of sustainable materials. Throughout my first year, I immersed myself in the study of timber assemblies, intrigued by their potential contribution to environmentally conscious construction practices. Researching concepts such as the circular economy and cradle-to-grave analysis, I gained a deeper appreciation … Read more
Plot 2 – Proximity Food combines food production & residencies. Greenhouses split residential buildings, providing residents with access to growing spaces to be used for food self-sufficiency throughout the year. The industrial level includes a variety of food industries – including hydroponic farming, food R&D labs and urban food forests. Water is a crucial part of … Read more
Incorporating the principles of Industry 4.0, our architectural project redefines urban living by seamlessly integrating sustainable design strategies with advanced manufacturing techniques. With a focus on promoting bicycle culture and health, our industry manufactures bikes. In this module, we synthesised the previous modules into a holistic design. The design principles from thermodynamics, exosystemic structures, metabolic … Read more
An important tool for illustrating a project’s potential is visualization. Architectural visualization clearly conveys the project’s design concept through intricate 3D renderings and animations, enabling stakeholders to understand the development’s potential and vision. Through the use of sophisticated rendering techniques, visualization offers viewers accurate representations of architectural elements, materials, and lighting conditions, allowing them to … Read more
GAIA Plot 1. About. Urban Synthesis | Resilient Envelopes This course explores the design and construction of modern and sustainable building envelopes. These envelopes must be strong yet adaptable, capable of being disassembled, transported, and reused with minimal energy consumption. They should also withstand various environmental elements like air, wind, sun, water, and temperature changes. … Read more
This module focused on developing an envelope for the building, enhancing its functional as well as aesthetic qualities. The building envelope is pivotal in enhancing a structure’s functionality and performance. A well-designed envelope minimizes heat transfer, reducing energy consumption for heating and cooling. Effective insulation and air sealing maintain consistent indoor temperatures, ensuring occupants’ comfort … Read more
This module emphasized understanding and optimizing water consumption by building and utilizing various strategies to improve it. Firstly, we calculated the water consumption of the building. After accounting for the intensive housing system’s average, we arrived at a daily total of 54,051 L used by the building in its entirety. We calculated the consumption for … Read more
This module emphasized understanding and optimizing energy consumption and generation by building and utilizing various strategies. Calculating energy and power consumption per function per unit area for our projects was the first task of the course. In accordance with this mandate, we submitted suggestions on Sunny Design to assist in designing rooftop solar panels in … Read more
This module focused on tackling the structural aspect of the design. The main objective was to devise a straightforward structural approach that could be standardized. The first step in the process was deciding on the grid sizes: 4 m × 4 m for the residential program and 8 m × 8 m for the industrial … Read more
GAIA Plot 1. About. Urban Synthesis | Metabolic Systems: Energy In this module, you’ll delve into the fundamentals of energy and power systems within buildings, exploring the various components involved. You’ll gain insight into user energy consumption patterns and have the opportunity to develop a personalized energy use case for your projects. A significant focus … Read more
In these workshop, we’re diving deep into the world of resilient building envelopes, showcasing how contemporary design can intertwine with sustainability. Our project is a testament to this, blending innovative materials like corrugated hemp panels, ceramic pots for plant growth and rainwater filtration, wood for balcony structures, and compressed earth blocks for thermal mass. Through … Read more
Incorporating the principles of Industry 4.0, our architectural project redefines urban living by seamlessly integrating sustainable design strategies with advanced manufacturing techniques. With a focus on promoting bicycle culture and health, our industry manufactures bikes. We present a visionary housing project that integrates thermodynamic principles to ensure the comfort and well-being of its residents while … Read more
At the project media class, we were introduced to the various ways of presenting any project by means of different types of storytelling. We were shown that videomaking alone offers countless pathways to telling one’s story. To name just a few, this may be done by documenting the whole design process by videoing it, by … Read more
The idea of synthesizing a timber furniture manufacturing facility with a residential property to create a dynamic relationship between the building’s dwellers, factory workers and the city of Barcelona as a whole is at the core of this project. To better navigate the challenges of creating a sustainability-driven structure in Barcelona’s Verneda district, we took … Read more
This blog summarizes section 2 (Power) of the book State of Climate Action 2023 with an illustration. The graphic illustrates the energy transitions required to achieve the immense task of preventing global warming beyond the 1.5-degree mark as called for in the Paris Agreement. We have represented the imaginary city of 2050, having reached the … Read more
The “Urban Alliance” is a mixed-use architectural design seamlessly integrating Industry 4.0 principles, featuring advanced photovoltaic production units. This visionary space harmoniously combines sustainable energy practices with residential and commercial areas, embodying a forward-thinking urban landscape that fosters eco-friendly living and innovative business practices. It exemplifies a holistic and tech-driven approach to urban planning. The project is … Read more
Striving to expand our understanding of sustainable use of energy, we participated in the Metabolic Building Systems: Water workshop. We learned about the core concepts of how to handle water consumption management and how to repurpose waste water. One of the ideas that we applied to our Urban Synthesis project is the reuse of grey … Read more
Continuing from the Thermodynamic Fabrications workshop we move on to the Ecosystemic Structures to further improve our Urban Synthesis project and refine the form of our building, according to the building materials of our choosing and the methods of construction we’d want to employ. This structural design further empowers the idea of dynamic adaptability and … Read more
As a complement to deep and rapid emission reductions, all pathways that limit global warming to 1.5°C also rely on carbon dioxide removal, including nature-based approaches and technological carbon removal methods. These approaches are needed to remove excess CO2 in the atmosphere to stay within the carbon budget available for limiting the temperature rise to … Read more
About. The Ecological Intelligence course focuses on teaching students about various aspects of designing the built environment in response to global climate change and the imperative to promote carbon neutrality, resource security, biodiversity, and ecological resilience, while also prioritizing human health and well-being. The Masters in Advanced Ecological Buildings and Biocities aims to cultivate a … Read more
