BIOGENESIS

TRANSFORMING WASTE INTO SUSTAINABLE MATERIAL RESOURCES The goal is to convert various types of waste into sustainable resources, establishing a circular economy that enhances environmental benefits by repurposing waste, promoting renewable energy, and encouraging innovation in bioproducts. This site, like many others around the world, holds the memories of a different time. What happens when … Read more

TerraFlux: The Cloud that Rains

Narrative TerraFlux[the cloud that rains]: humanity’s rehearsal for the future, a transhuman data driven system TerraFlux as a Singularity ThresholdThe Technological Singularity marks the moment when artificial intelligence surpasses human cognition, triggering a cascade of rapid, uncontrollable innovation. At this threshold, AI will evolve autonomously, improving itself at an accelerating pace. This transformative leap will … Read more

Aqua Horta

Aqua Horta aims to establish a sustainable aquaponic farm in Vallcarca, focusing on producing fresh, chemical-free, local produce while creating an engaging therapy garden for patients of the neighbouring hospital complex. This controlled ecosystem combines aquaculture and hydroponics to create a closed-loop system that minimizes water wastage and incorporates rainwater harvesting to enhance resilience against … Read more

The Living Loop

ABSTRACT This project seeks to transform a plot in Poblenou’s 22@ district into a pioneering model of metabolic co-living and circular urbanism. By leveraging the district’s technological ecosystem and repurposing e-waste from nearby Green Points, the project integrates a localized recycling and up-cycling facility with innovative prefabrication techniques. Modular co-living units, structural frames, and facades … Read more

SYSTEM ON A CHIP

DATA CENTER: A BOTTOM-UP APPROACH WITH MODULAR AGGREGATION Data creation is exploding. With all the selfies and useless files people refuse to delete on the cloud, by the year 2025, there will be 200+ zettabytes of data in cloud storage. This explosion of data triggers the industry to streamline data management, security and storage, raising … Read more

The Perch – A Generative Building Typology

Introduction In our studio project, we use a combined bottom up and top down approach to develop a mixed use building; designed to integrate multiple functions, including residential, recreational, and commercial, within a single structure. Our goal is to feature a flexible layout, using modular construction techniques and clear circulation patterns, with well-designed junctions. Programmatic … Read more

Heat Archipelagos

Rising heat is an increasingly critical global condition driven by climate change, urbanization, and deforestation. Average global temperatures have climbed due to greenhouse gas emissions, leading to more frequent and intense heatwaves that threaten ecosystems, economies, and public health. Urban areas, in particular, experience exacerbated effects due to the urban heat island phenomenon, where concrete, … Read more

Roots & Routes

BIODIVERSE PUBLIC SPACECollaborative Design with Humans and Non-humans The Besòs River in northeastern Spain flows through Catalonia from the Montseny mountains to the Mediterranean Sea near Barcelona, covering about 17 kilometers. Once heavily polluted by industrial waste and urban runoff, it has undergone significant environmental restoration, improving its water quality and accessibility for wildlife and … Read more

MakerHub – A Discrete Aggregation Recipe for Creative Industry Spaces

Strategy // Bottom-up Industrial High-rise 4. Adaptability to Change evolving needs or technological advancements, and allows for easy upgrading or replacement of capsules 3. Prefabrication & Mass Production Prefabrication and standardization. 2. Central Core Structure The capsules are connected to a central core  the building can grow or contract in response to societal changes 1. Modular … Read more

ROOTED ECO-SCAPES

An exploration of Root Architecture and Material Study By uniting Ecological Restoration techniques with an adaptable architectural system, this project envisions a scalable, self-sustaining model that harmonises with natural ecosystems. Although the approach is contextualised within specific urban challenges, it offers a flexible framework adaptable to various environmental conditions and site-specific needs, ensuring its broader … Read more

Evolving Nakagin Tower: parametric structural model

Concept Our project reimagines the modular design of the Nakagin Capsule Tower for modern sustainable architecture. We’ve created a parametric adaptable building system featuring: This design allows for easy customization and future updates, extending the building’s lifespan while minimizing environmental impact. Our approach combines the visionary ideas of Metabolist architecture with contemporary sustainable building practices. … Read more

Extending Habitats: Biotic Hut

Our studio project is focused on reinventing this site near the Bésos Rivermouth as a biodiverse public space. To approach this project, we started by studying the site through the lens of multiple species, both human and non-human. In understanding what the flora and fauna of this area look like we began posing specific questions … Read more

Collaborative Design Studio: Colegi Mare de Déu dels Angels Primary School

LIANA – a nature-inspired play structure that reimagines traditional playground design for primary school children. Drawing from the organic forms, LIANA blends architectural innovation with playfulness to encourage exploration, creativity, and physical activity. Introduction Located in La Sagrera, Barcelona, nestled within the dense urban fabric, is the Colegi Mare De Deu dels Angels primary school … Read more

Collective imagination in a crisis scenario

In order to overcome the current climate emergency and polycrisis a critical approach needs to be explored. This implies analyzing the impacts and trends of the contemporary (inter)relationships between society, culture and digital technologies.     However, the nature of those phenomena is multiclausal. There is not a single factor who produces it. Although capitalism and its … Read more

Data Conscious Environment

This blog post is a reflection of the course and lectures given by Andres Colmenares. The course is an intersection of data/digital driven world and realization of the impacts due to it. It gives you an environment, social and cultural consciousness of using the data which emphasizes on knowing the power and importance of the … Read more

Poly-Exploration with Digital Cultures

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

Research: Thermal Transmittance

Introduction – Hypothesis How can we optimize the geometry of different sections of a 3D-printed wall to adapt to varying levels of solar radiation and insulation requirements, while also reducing material usage and printing time? By deforming the infill patterns of 3D-printed earth walls, it is possible to optimize the thermal transmittance of the walls, … Read more

Research : Optimizing Self-Shading in Clay 3D-Printed Geometries

Hypothesis Optimizing Self-Shading in Clay 3D-Printed Geometries Methodology Incidence vector analysis:Using the position of the sun in Barcelona to simulate realistic shading.Evaluation of different vectors and orientations to identify optimal shading configurations.Geometric modification:Create geometric modifications according to vectors at a precise hour, 14:00 on 21 June and then at different hours 13:00, 14:00, 15:00, 16:00.Adjusting … Read more

Innovative Urban Planning in Singapore: The Urban Playground Project

In the rapidly urbanizing landscape of Singapore, the demand for innovative urban planning solutions is paramount to accommodating the growing population while preserving the city-state’s unique cultural and environmental heritage. This project proposes an exploration of a playful design methodology to devise novel urban block typologies tailored to Singapore’s specific needs and constraints. This research … Read more

FLOWPRESS – Creating Patterns with Parameters

Introduction This seminar invites students to explore making custom made spillers controlled by Arduino and a 6-axes robotic arm in order to paint spills on canvas with black acrylic paint. Context   Recently we have clearly observed immense changes in production, prototyping, and innovation that has been influenced by open source software, firmware and hardware. Human … Read more

Urban Wind Flow Modeling with PINNs

Overview PaperLink WIP – This study specifically explores Physics-Informed Neural Networks (PINNs) and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to analyze pedestrian wind comfort. It aims to integrate these neural network models into a web application using Three.js and other tools. By utilizing data from OpenWeatherMap, and OpenStreetMap, the project aims to support real-time simulations and visualizations … Read more