The Master Programme in Robotics and Advanced Construction is an innovative educational format that offers interdisciplinary skills and understanding through a series of class seminars that are put into practice through hands-on workshops. IAAC gives students the opportunity to create individual studio agendas and develop Pilot Thesis Projects based on the knowledge acquired during the seminars and workshops split into 3 Modules. In this way, IAAC puts together an experimental learning environment for the training of professionals with both theoretical and practical responses to the increasing complexity of the construction sector.
The lecture was conducted by Valentino Tagliaboschi, architect and building engineer whose career is situated at the intersection of computational design, digital fabrication, and robotics applied to architecture. Trained at the University of Pisa, his approach to the field is characterized by a methodology based on constant experimentation, iterative prototyping, and the intensive use of … Read more
Rethinking Robotics Through Experience Reflections on a lecture by Madeline Gannon Introduction “Somehow, someway, I have built a career out of misusing technology.” Madeline Gannon has spent over a decade working at the intersection of industrial robotics, art, and human interaction. This text presents a thematic synthesis of her lecture for the MRAC, followed by … Read more
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
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
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
WHAT_IS_G.R.A.S.S.? G.R.A.S.S. is a hands-free design installation that lets anyone compose an urban park layout using only mid-air hand gestures and voice commands. The goal is to make spatial design accessible to non-specialists, if you can point and grab, you can design a park. No CAD skills required. Projects like MIT inFORM physically render 3D … Read more
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
The massage chair is an experiment in digital fabrication and hybrid workflows, using computational design, CNC milling, 6-axis robotic milling, and human assembly and finishing, to understand how different subtractive manufacturing processes can be combined to balance speed, precision, and material expression in digital fabrication. Materials Tools Used Early Designs Early explorations of designs in … Read more
