Go Back

Master in Robotics & Advanced Construction

The Master in Robotics and Advanced Construction (MRAC) seeks to train a new generation of interdisciplinary professionals who are capable of facing our growing need for a more sustainable and optimised construction ecosystem. The Master is focused on the emerging design and market opportunities arising from novel robotic and advanced manufacturing systems.

Through a mixture of seminars, workshops, and studio projects, the master programme challenges the traditional processes in the Construction Sector. It investigates how advances in robotics and digital fabrication tools change the way we build and develop processes and design tools for such new production methods.


Filtered (108)
Filters
Years
Term
Course
Tag
Show (108)
Cancel

Mathilde Marengo from External References: Designing Experience through Technology


MRAC-01 2025-2026 by
MRAC-01 2025-2026

The lecture by Mathilde Marengo, Head of Studio Operations at External References, offered an in-depth overview of how contemporary architectural practice operates at the intersection of computation, fabrication, storytelling, and experiential design. Rather than presenting technology as an isolated tool, Mathilde framed it as an integral part of design thinking. Digital tools, parametric workflows, and … Read more

Workshop 1.2 Data to Motion – DRYING RIVERS


MRAC-01 2025-2026 by
MRAC-01 2025-2026

This article presents my Workshop 1.2 individual assignment, which focuses on analyzing data and translating it into robotic movements to control an ABB IRB 6700-150/3.20 industrial robot equipped with a plastic pellet extruder for additive manufacturing. The core concept of the project involved studying the drying and shrinkage of the Aral Sea over time, extracting … Read more

WORKSHOP 2.2_Disassembly & Reassembly


MRAC-01 2025-2026 by
MRAC-01 2025-2026

Robotic Disassembly& Reassembly with Spatial AI In this blog post, we’re presenting the project developed during IAAC 2026 Workshop 2.2 in collaboration with the Augmented Fabrication Lab. Our focus was to step beyond purely digital design and engage directly with physical processes, using robotic systems and sensor-based feedback. Through hands-on experimentation with robotic fabrication and … Read more

AEGIS – Autonomous Emergency Geostructural Inspection System


MRAC-01 2025-2026 by
MRAC-01 2025-2026

Solutions for Rapid Data Acquisition in Disaster Scenarios This project explores a robotic perception pipeline designed to support post-disaster assessment and early response scenarios. The core objective is to detect and map cracks in damaged buildings using vision-based data, assisting rescue teams by providing spatial information about potentially unsafe areas. Rather than aiming for full … Read more

From Design to Construction: A Conversation With Oriol Carrasco


MRAC-01 2025-2026 by
MRAC-01 2025-2026

Oriol Carrasco – Anomaly.Build Oriol Carrasco is a PhD architect from Barcelona. He is a senior fabrication expert at IAAC with extensive expertise in composite manufacturing. Oriol currently teaches in MAA and 3DpA programs. He has been co-leading the Design with Nature research line since 2013, teaching now in the metabolic introductory studio.  He has … Read more

Anatomy of a Machine: Shape


MRAC-01 2025-2026 by
MRAC-01 2025-2026

Context This exercise explores robotic fabrication processes through the direct manipulation of malleable materials. The assignment consisted of producing a 2.5D clay piece, measuring 40 × 40 cm with a maximum height of 5 cm, understood as a physical result of a robotically applied force on soft matter.Rather than designing a predefined form, the goal … Read more

Anatomy of a Machine: Spill


MRAC-01 2025-2026 by
MRAC-01 2025-2026

Introduction In Anatomy of a Machine: Spill, we designed and built our own paint-spilling tools and worked with large robotic arms to create expressive, A0-scale paintings. Over the weeks, we tested movements with our hands, translated them into robotic trajectories, and refined both the tools and the resulting spill patterns. Using Arduino and laser-cut acrylic … Read more

Anatomy of a Machine: Stroke


MRAC 2025-2026 by
MRAC 2025-2026

INTRODUCTION The first assignment of Anatomy of a Machine investigates how a robotic system can produce a brushstroke, an action typically associated with human intuition, variability, and continuous motion. Rather than beginning with predefined toolpaths or digital control, the project starts by reframing the human hand as a machine. Through a series of analog drawing … Read more

Software I non planar 3d printing


MRAC-01 2025-2026 by
MRAC-01 2025-2026

Advanced toolpath design for FDM process Students will design and simulate a toolpath for a small object intended for interior or product design. The focus is on exploring creative toolpath strategies, especially non-planar slicing, where the toolpath height changes across the object. Students must design a non-planar path and use attractors to locally deform the … Read more

Digital Design and Production of Complex Timber Structures


MRAC-01 2025-2026 by
MRAC-01 2025-2026

Evy Slabbinck – D2P – Design to Production How do you build a complex timber structure with zero errors in record time? Evy Slabbinck from Design-to-Production reveals the answer: merging computational precision with material intelligence. In this interview, we explored bending-active design, digital fabrication workflows, and the philosophy behind projects that push timber to new … Read more

SYNFORM – Pitch Deck


MRAC-02 2025-2026 by
MRAC-02 2025-2026

SYNFORM is a design-to-fabrication studio that fabricates luxury scenography and architectural surfaces that are parametric, modular and reconfigurable through large-scale 3D printing using recyclable plastics. Market Context According to Precedence Research, the global 3D printing market is estimated at around USD 29.29 billion in 2025 and is projected to grow to USD 134.58 billion by … Read more

Anatomy of a Machine: Stroke


MRAC-01 2025-2026 by
MRAC-01 2025-2026

Introduction This project investigates the dialogue between human gesture and robotic motion through painting. Over three weeks, students study brush behavior, paint flow, and stroke dynamics, beginning manually and progressively translating gestures into robotic trajectories. The final outcome is an A2 robot-made painting, accompanied by a vectorial drawing and a 60-second video, reflecting the anatomy … Read more

Soul and System | A Conversation with Aldo Sollazzo


MRAC-01 2025-2026 by
MRAC-01 2025-2026

Guest Lecture at IAAC (14 October 2025) – Exploring how La Máquina merges design, robotics, and the human element. During one of our sessions at IAAC, we had the opportunity to meet Aldo Sollazzo, co-founder of La Máquina, Noumena, and Pure.Tech, as well as a former IAAC faculty member in the field of robotic fabrication.Invited through the coordination of … Read more

Motion  Control of Robotic Arms Through Grasshopper and Sketching Devices


MRAC-01 2025-2026 by
MRAC-01 2025-2026

Introduction This project orients around robotic drawing system that uses a brush to create adaptive visual results. It focuses on turning basic painting actions; such as dipping, stroking, and rotating—into clear, programmable steps. By combining digital design tools with robotic movement, the work explores how changes in brush angle, paint material, and surface conditions shape … Read more