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.
The Final Step in Timber Transformation chain: The Nest Timber Research Center is the last stage in the timber process, where materials are questioned, tested, and developed further. The building spans 8,142 sqm, housing public functions, workspaces and residential units. The nine-story building features a highly permeable ground floor, integrating public interfaces like sculpture gardens … Read more
boutique /buːˈtiːk/ small, sophisticated, or fashionable business or establishment. The CLT Factory is a part of the course that focuses on developing a comprehensive understanding of the Entire timber transformation chain, Through the design of five interconnected programs, students will address the principles of circular construction, sustainability, and innovation, while exploring the relationship between large-scale … Read more
Objective The goal of this module was to take the final decisions in order to match the building design to the integrated facilities that optimize the circular economy in timber production, balancing large-scale industrial processes with small-scale habitational solutions and an holistic urban system. Chain of production Timber V4ult is the fourth in a chain … Read more
Location SOLSONA, SPAIN Elevation: 700 m above sea levelClimate: Continental / highlands Manifesto From the Pyrenees to Barcelona, the journey wood takes can become a means to bridge the knowledge gap between forests and the timber industry. Solsona, located in the middle of this journey, housing our timber saw mill, can become a place of … Read more
Our CLT Factory embodies a boutique ethos: modest in scale yet purposeful in intent. Serving as a research and innovation hub for new CLT products, it represents a vision for sustainable work-life integration and thoughtful wood construction, with a commitment to sustainable design practices. In contrast to sprawling industrial complexes, this boutique factory seamlessly integrates … Read more
N.E.S.T. A Network for Ecological and Sustainable Timber Research Introduction The N.E.S.T. Research Center is a project within the MAEBB program, designed as the final step in the timber transformation chain. It is not merely a research hub but a living ecosystem of innovation, where the possibilities of timber construction are explored, tested, and refined. Situated in Sant Adrià del … Read more
As the fourth segment in a chain of production of CLT and Timber materials, our goal was to design a building responsible for the pre-fabrication and assembling of those materials. Location Map Concept Manifesto This project is an auto-replicating, self-sufficient, and carbon sequestering building; a prototype for the buildings of the future. It embodies a … Read more
The Site We worked with the Kindergarten at Colegi Mare de Déu dels Angels in La Sagrera neighborhood Barcelona. This historic school has educated generations of students over nearly the past one hundred years, this year the school decided to bring in IAAC to develop playground structures to improve the exposed brick terraces where the … Read more
LIANA – a nature-inspired play structure that reimagines traditional playground design for primary school children. Drawing from the organic forms, LIANA blends architectural innovation with playfulness to encourage exploration, creativity, and physical activity. Introduction Located in La Sagrera, Barcelona, nestled within the dense urban fabric, is the Colegi Mare De Deu dels Angels primary school … 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 Topic:How can a system of modular units embedded with the ability to connect through a combination of joineries achieve a wide range of reciprocal forms, flexibility in design, and a simplified construction process? Keywords: design flexibility, reciprocal structures, interlocking joineries, efficient construction, modularity.The tectonics of parametric architecture using timber primarily stem from two processes: … 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
