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.
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
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
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
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 understood the different parts of the building, focusing on how their structures work and are interconnected. … 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
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
The team is introducing a self-sufficient residential and industrial plot designed to revolutionize urban living while addressing pressing environmental concerns and celebrating Barcelona’s rich food heritage. In architectural design, structural organization plays a critical role in shaping the form and function of buildings. The adoption of innovative structural systems not only enhances structural efficiency, but … 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
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
The book, ‘Architecture without architects’, illustrates the vernacular architecture from different parts of the world and strives to acknowledge the ‘not so primitive’ techniques from various areas. Architecture history is not given as much acknowledgement as art history and the book is an attempt in the 1960s America to show the potential and the scope … Read more
Aswan, Egypt being a desert city shows diurnal aspects of climate on a daily basis. The same also affects the day to day activity pattern of the community that adapts to the climate at any given time. This analysis indicates at a close relation between climate, people & their clothing & eventually it traces ahead … Read more
The design began with the process of understanding the culture, the climate and the people of Accra, Ghana. The design is based in a tropical climate where the temperatures and the humidity are high. This design was then set in a Metaversal city that was a culmination of 6 sites from different regions of the … Read more
Our case study is located in Tabriz, the coldest region in Iran, with an average temperature between 1.1 C and 6.6 C during winter, and an average between 30.4 C and 17.9 C during summer. The climate widely corresponds to Central European weather conditions. With the following study, we have designed a our building Tabrizian … Read more
We believe in creating structures that not only meet functional requirements, but also celebrate and pay homage to local architectural traditions. With this in mind, we have taken inspiration from the iconic domes of Iran and integrated them into our design. Our building incorporates a unique bazaar on the ground floor, featuring a series of … Read more
This blog is a review of the book, Buildings without Architects: A Global Guide to Everyday Architecture by John May. The book is a culmination of 60+ different styles of vernacular architecture ranging from different materials and different regions of the world. “Architecture should speak of its time and place, but yearn for timelessness.” – … Read more
This blog is a review of the book “Delirious New York” written by Rem Koolhaas. “The future is no longer about power, but about bandwidth.” Rem Koolhas Rem Koolhaas wrote a novel titled “Delirious New York” that outlines the evolution and background of Manhattan’s design and urbanism. Koolhaas wrote this book because he desired to … Read more
This blog is a review of Michael Pawlyn’s book, Biomimicry in Architecture. “Biomimicry is a powerful innovation tool that allows architects to go beyond conventional approaches to sustainable design and deliver transformative solutions we need.”-Michael Pawlyn The book “Biomimicry in Architecture” by Michael Pawlyn introduces the term biomimicry and how it can impact architecture. The … Read more
The Nest is a project designed for the city of Accra, Ghana. The Site is located in close proximity to the lagoon and the sea. The design caters to public interventions like open markets, observatories, and residential units for the fishermen’s community. The goal with the design is to highlight the traditional techniques and materials used … Read more
The design of the envelope plays a vital role in the design. The roof and the facade are part of the metabolic systems to aid with generating solar energy and collecting rainwater. The envelope is also efficiently designed keeping the thermodynamic analysis in mind. FACADE DESIGN: The facade is designed using a cane facade. The … Read more
The region of Accra, Ghana receives heavy rainfall and has two wet seasons. As a result, through the design, the goal is to trap as much rainwater as possible and utilise it in an optimum manner. The Site is also located in close proximity to a natural lagoon. Hence, ground water and stormwater treatment become … Read more
We don’t wantWe don’t want to FEEL LONELY We don’t want to WASTE RESOURCES We don’t want to DEMOLISH structures We don’t want to EMIT Carbon Dioxide into the atmosphere We don’t want UNIVERSAL and HOMOGENEOUS structures We don’t want to LOSE CONNECTION to our environment We wantWe want to LIVE in COMMUNAL settings We … Read more
01. Introduction Venice is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands separated by canals and linked by over 400 bridges.According to the Köppen climate classification, Venice has a mid-latitude four-season humid subtropical climate, with cool, damp winters and warm, humid … Read more
