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

CORVERD

MANIFESTO CorVerd – Meaning “Green Heart” in Catalan, this name reflects both the agricultural focus and a commitment to sustaining the city’s green spaces and historical beauty.This project is a vibrant intervention near Montjuïc, blending sustainable hydroponic farming with green corridors to foster community and enhance biodiversity. The Hydroponic Treehouse concept reimagines urban farming as … 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, adaptable spirit of the Nakagin Capsule Tower for contemporary sustainable architecture. Drawing inspiration from Kisho Kurokawa’s Metabolist vision—where buildings function as dynamic systems composed of interchangeable units—we developed a parametric and highly flexible building system. The core concept centers on a central concrete core, providing stability and integrated infrastructure. … 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

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