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.
Within the Advanced Digital Tools course, we embarked on an exploration of parametric design using Grasshopper, exploring the possibilities it allows. This overview will showcase some of the projects I worked on and culminates in a presentation of the final assignment. This journey underscores Grasshopper’s dual nature—as a controllable tool and a gateway to innovative … Read more
Project AbstractThe Pine Table is a four-and-a-half-long table made out of solid wood that was locally harvested in the Parc Natural de Collserola. The central concept of the table is that of the ‘Harvesting table’ where the products of farming come together to be enjoyed together. Another main driver that has steered the design decision … Read more
Prototype and Final Production The Umbraculo bench was designed in three main stages. The first being the design phase, this phase underwent many design iterations until a final design was settled upon. Next came the the prototype phase where we utilised the 3D printer and the CNC machine to better understand our design as well … Read more
This post shows the different products that I produced and the fabrication methods and machines that were applied during the first semester, using the machines of the carpentry and the Green Fablab at Valldaura Labs. Table saw jigs The table saw jigs serve the purpose of making angled or elevated cuts on the table saw … Read more
Project AbstractThe programming of the definition for these adaptive stairs serves the purpose of investigating parametric design as a type of proceduralmodelling by using Rhino Grasshopper comprising of parameters, algorithms and their outcomes. The Grasshopper definition uses an extensive set of parameters, published to Rhino’s remote control panel to adapt the design in real-time. The … Read more
Tree search. Pinus halepensis |Sustainable Forest management Sustainable forest management classes took place at Valldaura labs located in Barcelona’s Collserola Park. Trough different guest lectures, we where introduced to the parks history and biodiversity, focusing on the conservation of the forest and its diverse species. Cutting down some Pinus halepensis commonly known as Aleppo pine, … Read more
The Advanced Digital Tools course on the MAEBB program focuses on emergent parametric design rooted in algorithmic design principles. Throughout history, architects and designers have deployed tools and technologies to create, represent and communicate ideas relating to design of physical 3D space. As new technologies emerge – perspective, drawing utensils, for-finding techniques, the invention of … Read more
The purpose of this blog post is to showcase a selection of exercises conducted during the Advanced Computational Class of the first term of MAEBB. My personal interest was initially focused on the algorithmic logic of Grasshopper and its manifestations in nature (Ex. 01 & Ex. 02). As we progressively explored more complex concepts of … Read more
During the course, I discovered for myself the whole new world of scripting, 3D modelling and animation using Grasshopper. Scripting at first was a bit confusing as the UI of the program is not very user-friendly, but with time and help of our course curators I even started enjoying the process. The possibility of making … Read more
What is code art? In the world of architecture and design it could be hypothesised as the use of code to generate the creative ideologies one has into a more visible format. One of the tools that can be used to generate said thoughts and ideas is grasshopper, a computational design software. It is a visual … Read more
The worked developed for Design and Fabrication course focused on the construction and exploration of prototypes for the Shelves project, part of the Collaborative Design Studio discipline. Two different approaches The design process commenced with various ideas and structural concepts, eventually narrowing down to two options: double columns and double beams. To investigate strength, assembly … Read more
Embark on a transformative journey into the realm of digital design with our “Advanced Digital Tools” course, where innovation meets precision. Central to this exploration is Grasshopper, a visual programming language seamlessly integrated into Rhino 3D modeling software. This course propels students beyond conventional design boundaries, offering a hands-on experience in parametric design, algorithmic workflows, … Read more
In the context of technology, Grasshopper refers to a visual programming language and environment. Unlike traditional coding languages, Grasshopper employs a graphical interface, allowing users to create and manipulate algorithms through a visual representation of code elements. Originally designed as a plugin for the 3D modeling software Rhinoceros, Grasshopper enables architects, designers, and engineers to … Read more
Accidental Sustainability [Noun] In the mid-1990s, Cuba experienced economic depression and a collective food crisis after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. In this ‘Special Period’ , the lack of capital and resources necessitated preserving and maximizing the island’s natural resources. It led to the introduction of organic agriculture. The citizens also started sharing and … Read more
Defining Biocities explores the concept of Biocities, urban environments designed in harmony with natural systems to enhance life, To simplify comprehension, we were introduced to key authors, delving into the terminologies they discussed. Through research and exploration, we enhanced our personal understanding of the words and concepts, making the intricate topic more accessible. “Design for … Read more
How long do you need to go to your school and office? I do 10 mins usually, but when I live in Japan, I need a commute time, over 1 hour. After modernization, The larger the city becomes, the longer our commute time is.Various urbanists and researchers have developed plans that match the scale of their … Read more
Abstract In response to urgent carbon mitigation challenges and biodiversity loss, a paradigm shift toward manufacturing symbiosis and circular bio-economy is crucial for ecologically sensitive design in urban ecosystems. This study explores the transformative potential of a 3D-printed urban Bionook, incorporating layers of Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) with a natural-locally sourced soil admixture, to enhance strength, … Read more
MARC PALAHI Circular Bioeconomy: Circular economy is the economic framework that focuses on minimizing waste and creating a cycle of disassembly, reuse. Bioeconomy is the concept that focuses on the use of bio-resources as a substitute for fossil-based, non-renewable and non-biodegradable material. Circular Bioeconomy is a fusion of the two concepts and can be defined … Read more
Defining Biocities seminar aims to explore the concept of Biocities – cities that follow the rules of natural system in order to promote life and engage students in the creation of a publication in the form of book.
The ‘Defining biocities’ class revolves around studying different concepts of design for a ‘Bio-city’ at various scales and in a multi-disciplinary approach. The following words are identified by the author because there is potential in these words to be associated with designing Biocities. Food-sensitive planning and Urban design This is most likely one of the … Read more
During the first term of the Master’s program, we took a class called “Advanced Digital Tools,” which focused on exploring all the functions and potentials of the software “Grasshopper.” This blog post aims to showcase some of the works developed during the course, illustrating both the processes and results. Same code, variations of parameters The … Read more
Welcome to the world of advanced computational tools, where we delve into the intricacies of Grasshopper, a graphical algorithm editor tightly integrated with Rhino’s 3-D modeling tools. This blog post will guide you through the learning process, focusing on the fundamental aspects of Grasshopper and logical representations. Grasshopper Fundamentals Grasshopper is a powerful tool that … Read more
Deconstruction involves the systematic dismantling of buildings to recover valuable materials such as wood, metal, glass, and concrete. This approach prioritizes the preservation of materials for reuse, recycling, or upcycling, diverting a substantial amount of waste from landfills. The extracted materials form the basis of material banks, which act as repositories for salvaged construction elements. … Read more
