McKenzie Wark, during the chapter “Adventures in Third Nature” of the book “New Geographies #9” uses her own family vacation as a sociological observation study to address the distantiation between humanity and nature. Everything built that shapes the natural environment and promotes comfort for mankind is part of the so-called “second nature”, like the own … Read more
Could bio-based materials be the key to transforming the building sector and reducing its impact on climate change? The articles described present a compelling set of arguments on timber industry, sustainable forestrynonconventional materials and innovative technologies. TIMBER Timber is highlighted as the biggest widespread potential of low-carbon alternative to steel and concreteespecially referred to in … Read more
In our seminar with Michael Salka and Mariano Gomez Luque, we explored the meaning of ecology and the multifaceted challenges of sustainability, materiality and humanity’s relationship with the planet. Over eight weeks, we delved into two distinct but deeply connected approaches to build with ecological thinking and addressing climate change as well as envisioning a … Read more
MICRO-ESSAY BY REUBEN DIAMOND “ A new conceptual lexicon must be created for identifying the wide variety of urbanisation processes that are currently reshaping the urban world” (“Planetary Urbanization,” Brenner, N., & Schmid, C., p. 13) BOUNDARIES DISSOLVED As planetary urbanization reconfigures social, economic, and spatial relations, the traditional frameworks of urban studies encounter profound … Read more
Concept Chromo Sense is an interactive lighting system designed in park like spaces , where there is an interaction between humans and non-humans, in which there is efficient amount of lighting that doesn’t disturb the wildlife but also to respond to human presence. Motion sensors are incorporated into the project to activate lights as people approach … Read more
Introduction The course was an intensive, five-day workshop dedicated to calculating the carbon impact and exploring innovative solutions for the upcoming IAAC building. The goal was to present a proposal that could reduce the emissions in 40%. Location The design for the new IAAC building has already been approved and is now awaiting construction. Located … Read more
In an era of accelerating change, digital cultures weave together a mosaic of materiality, temporality, and social impact, redefining the very essence of culture itself. The interplay between these dimensions raises compelling questions about the way we live, create, and envision futures. From solutionism in the face of a polycrisis to the extractivist underpinnings of … Read more
The course of Digital Cultures, tutored by Andres Colmenares, took an investigative approach on the relations between the present and the future through the lens of art, journalism, urbanism, technology, human networks and global market. Course was structured in a “non-linear” way, what makes our tutor’s pride, yet consistent in terms of narrating through scale … Read more
This course examined the interplay of ecological, cultural, and digital transformations amidst a climate emergency, emphasizing the need to prioritize cultural over economic value. It explored how language shapes perceptions of technology, the hidden environmental costs of digital infrastructures, and the biases embedded in AI systems. Addressing the prevalence of misinformation, it highlighted the role … Read more
How we interact with the digital world and with the digital tools that we have today? That is the question I asked myself at the beginning of this course. Digital cultures came to me as an experience to question the use of technology in the design and development of cities and societies, in the time … Read more
Carbon Based Design | Designing Circularity in the Built Environment SITE EXISITING WAREHOUSE POINT CLOUD MODEL Material Flow Analysis PROPOSAL
Team member(s): Govind Chithrath, Santosh Shenbagamoorthy, Krystyn Kontos , Aleksandra Kraeva and Lauren DemingModified by Lauren Deming on November 24, 2024 Ultimately, the goal is to develop more efficient means for harvesting and utilizing low-carbon footprint alternatives for construction. Course Objective Project Abstract Autonomous Weaving with Raw Materials explores the intersection between weaving automation and the use of raw materials. After analyzing … Read more
What could it mean to be An Activist in a Post Anthropocene Planet? Abstract Set at Reggio School, Madrid, on Earth Day, this play critically evaluates the differing approaches to environmental activism in an Anthropocene planet. The narrative begins with a guest lecture by Margherita, a visiting environmental thinker, who introduces the concept of a-human … Read more
Research Questions: Can climate sensitive facade interventions reduce the intensity of the Urban Heat Island effect within urban blocks in arid climates?“ Research Goal: The goal is to propose simplified, climate-sensitive facade interventions in highly urbanized cities that reduce energy loads by mitigating Urban Heat Island (UHI) effects, while complying with climate-resilient regulations. These interventions … Read more
Bringing Producers, Consumers and Nature Together This project aims to connect local food producers, consumers, and nature in a symbolic way. The metaphor of a “table” represents unity and sustenance, gathering people across different genders, ages, and social classes. This installation, built from waste materials and invasive plants like Pontederia Crassipes, doubles as an ecosystem, … Read more
City-Oriented Modeling for Observational Radiative Thermal comfort CONCEPT The idea behind C.O.M.F.O.R.T is to provide an effective tool for architects and urban planners to design cooler and more sustainable cities, leveraging the power of machine learning and AI technologies. FACTORS OF IMPACT To create COMFORT we had to study the different factors of impact which … Read more
Infraestructuras resilientes para el saneamiento y recarga de acuíferos: El caso de Valle de las Palmas El voraz crecimiento de las ciudades ha generado una degradación del medio natural. En este proceso, la participación de actores locales, tales como grupos sociales, asociaciones civiles, institutos y órdenes de gobierno, crea plataformas para la toma de acciones … Read more
La formulación de la paz es imposible para el consenso de las masas actuales. Esta misma perspectiva es igualmente negativa en el país que inició el desarme de sus tropas después de la dolorosa II Guerra Mundial y una sangrienta Guerra Civil en 1948, esta es Costa Rica. Una utopía en las américas, una deformada … Read more
Las ciudades se encuentran experimentando un vertiginoso crecimiento demográfico y se espera que hacia 2050 el 90% de la población de LATAM viva en ciudades. En Argentina, ya lo hace el 92%, posicionando a la Ciudad de Buenos Aires como una de las ciudades más populosas del mundo. Esta densificación supone un impacto directo en … Read more
La motivación de esta tesis surgió al observar la desigualdad ambiental presente en la ciudad de São Paulo. Para la vasta y diversa población que alberga esta metrópolis, se destaca un contraste revelador: gran parte de la población, residente en las periferias, sufre la escasez de espacios públicos que integren la naturaleza, lo que se … Read more
Thermal Insight would be a standalone app that optimizes indoor environments by predicting thermal comfort. With simulations from trained models to help enhance occupant comfort and energy efficiency, evaluating metrics like PMV, PPD, and MRT. This tool would help improve well-being and productivity while achieving efficiency goals. Abstract Methodology Use Case Data Analysis Results and … Read more
Wind Wave is a secondary facade system engineered in response to the escalating environmental demands faced by our planet. Climate change is resulting in an increase in heat waves, with some reaching lethal intensities. As global temperatures rise, reliance on air conditioning systems has surged. However, these systems exacerbate external environmental heating by expelling hot … Read more
Skin Sense is a project that aims to help users optimize the thermal comfort of their interior spaces by applying skin shaders. Why implement this? What can skin sense help the user with? Once the designer designs the skin for the building facade it has to be analyzed for indoor comfort. To analyze indoor comfort … Read more
DF Predictor aims to revolutionize daylight prediction in architectural design by implementing the conditional generative adversarial network (cGAN) Pix2Pix to predict daylight factors, motivated by the need to improve efficiency and accuracy in daylight analysis. Daylight factor analysis, an integral part of the early design stages and mandated by building codes, is typically lengthy due … Read more
