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.
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.
Life cycle Assessment Synonyms: Life cycle analysis Noun Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a tool to evaluate possible environmental effects at every stage of a product’s (which can be commodities, technologies, or services) life cycle, from acquiring natural resources through production and consumption to waste management (including disposal and recycling). Four Components of Life-cycle Analysis … Read more
In the process of creating this blog post dedicated to defining a Biocity, I played a crucial role in conducting comprehensive research and contributing to the compilation of a specialized dictionary. As part of a collaborative effort involving students from the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC), and under the guidance of mentors Honorata … Read more
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
Introduction Carbon Dioxide is the main contributor to global warming and climate crisis. CO2 traps the heat that is re-radiated from the Earth, thus, increasing the Earth’s surface temperature. The main causes of CO2 emissions are:1. 40% emissions made by burning fossil fuels for energy production. 2. 42% emissions made by the built environment. 3. … Read more
BUSINESS INNOVATION WORKSHOP 2023 Introduction: Nepal, nestled in the heart of South Asia, boasts a rich cultural heritage and breathtaking natural landscapes. However, the surge in urbanization, a global phenomenon, is transforming Nepalese cities into concrete landscapes, eroding their unique identity. Recognizing the environmental impact of such urban development, the global construction sector is increasingly … Read more
2023: Barcelona is navigating a dynamic landscape of construction and deconstruction, thus enhancing its appeal as a global tourist destination, provide quality educational opportunities, and create diverse job prospects. The city’s commitment to sustainability and the careful management of its growth underscore its dedication to fostering a harmonious relationship between development and heritage preservation. 2030: … Read more
A frame where our buildings tell us a story of care, not just for the structures themselves, but for the world around us. Welcome to Lumber Legacy, where construction is more than a business – A heartfelt endeavour to create a legacy that resonates with sustainability and compassion. In the heart of Lumber Legacy, we’re … Read more
The main aim is to provide an insight as to what the students were experiencing and actively trying to achieve through every step of the process. This goal is to focus on practical visual storytelling strategies and skills through the work of the MAEBB Students. CLT PANELS MAKING OFThe media production team began with an … Read more
The brief for the MAEBB batch of 2022-23 was to design and construct an advanced ecological prototype mobile home. The home was to be designed for two individuals and basic domestic amenities of a tiny home. The mobility element of the brief started an interesting journey that brought forth discussions on nomadism and collective sustenance. … Read more
This years Material Production started after the final design for the prototype was chosen and ran parallel to the further development of the design. The main goals were: – to monitor the amount, humidity and density of the locally sourced aleppo pine wood – to simulate production flows in the workshop (tools and time needed, … Read more
MO.CA construction sequence Thinking about the sequence of events was vital to a successful construction. With this cascading of events we were able to balance completing design details with progressing towards completion. Proper time management and scheduling was important to maintain momentum. The sequence informed our work in all stages: processing, assembly, and installation. Final … Read more
‘Corkoon’ is a design proposal by a group of six students from MAEBB 2022-23 for the final thesis design of a Mobile home. The project aims to cater to the materiality aspects of a mobile home which we try to achieve by bio-mimicking the principles of a caterpillar in its chrysalis where it goes on … Read more
The Site chosen is Paro, Bhutan is a place of rich culture, high environmental values, and beautiful nature. For the design of a place to learn and exchange traditional handicraft techniques and knowledge, our building follows design values to enhance the space by efficient, environmentally-sound choices. In the first layer of design, we studied and … Read more
The Dawn of Everything” is a book that challenges the conventional narratives of human history and proposes an alternative way of seeing society development through a different perspective. Based on archeologic research as testimony, the authors present evidence of alternative complex and egalitarian societies that existed prior to the emergence of states and markets. Through … Read more
Development as Freedom is a book written by Nobel prize winner and philosopher Amartya Sen, which argues that development should be measured in terms of people’s freedom to choose the lives they value. Some of the main concepts addressed by Sen in the book are: Sen also explores various aspects of freedom, such as: Overall, … 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
The Total energy consumption and the required powers in different zones of the housing project are calculated meticulously in order to find the best approximate numbers for designing a good scheme of PV panels design.
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
