Climate Responsive Urbanism

This thesis investigates how the semantic content of urban climate policy can be computationally coupled with high-resolution geospatial data to anticipate the climate consequences those policies set in motion. The work is situated in the metropolitan area of Barcelona, and the central proposition is that policy text far from being inert prescriptive language is itself … Read more

Facade Energy Optimization

This research explores the use of Wallacei X to optimize a parametric facade for a site in Dubai, UAE. The study evaluates facade performance based on four objectives: maximizing sun hours, minimizing solar radiation, minimizing material consumption, and maximizing views. Through evolutionary optimization, hundreds of design variations were generated and assessed, revealing the trade-offs between … Read more

NoiseXcape: Can Open Data Help Us Predict Urban Noise?

Introduction Noise is one of the most pervasive environmental stressors in cities. Long-term exposure has been linked to sleep disturbance, cardiovascular disease, reduced cognitive performance, and lower overall quality of life. Yet despite its importance, detailed noise maps are surprisingly difficult to obtain. Producing official noise maps requires measurements, traffic models, and considerable technical effort. … Read more

Urban Grid Transition: Mobility Strategies for Tourists and Locals’ Coexistence

Mobility when Tourism outgrows the City Barcelona is the 10th most visited city in the world. In 2024, it received approximately 15.6 million tourists – nearly nine times its resident population of 1.7 million. The issue is not tourism itself. Barcelona’s economy depends on it, and the city’s cultural richness is inseparable from its global … Read more

Ciutat Nova Franca

Barcelona is a city that faces many physical limitations to it’s expansion as a metropolis-the mountains contain development within them and the sea borders its other side. For the past 15 years, it has been struggling with an immense wave of tourism that has displaced locals from affordable housing in popular areas and historic neighborhoods … Read more

Reconnecting the Port

Satellite imagery of Barcelona with words in black "Reconnecting the Port"

Re-envisioning Container City One of Barcelona’s most strategically located waterfront areas, the container port south of Montjuïc, remains largely disconnected from the inner city. As the city explores the possibility of relocating portions of its container operations in this speculative project and transforming this industrial landscape into a mixed-use district, mobility becomes a more pertinent … Read more

Enterprise Architecture: A conversation with Col Ashwin

Col Ashwin – SITA (left) and Taisuke Minagawa (right) Col Ashwin – SITA Col Ashwin is a Senior Lead Enterprise Architect for the Barcelona SITA office and is originally from Kernow (Cornwall, UK). He has worked across the industry as an expert in Robotics, Open Source development, ROS development, Cybersecurity, Systems Engineering, and company compliance. … Read more

Ecosystem Services in Lisbon

– Reimagining the Northern Green Corridor of Lisbon – Location The project site in Lisbon is strategically located within a dynamic urban fabric characterized by a mix of historic layers and contemporary development. Positioned between key mobility corridors and densely populated neighborhoods, the area experiences a high level of pedestrian and vehicular activity throughout the … Read more

Beyond Construction: BIM as a World-Building Tool for Real-Time Game Engines

Abstract This research investigates how Building Information Modeling (BIM) can be leveraged to generate structured and meaningful architectural environments for architectural visualization, video games, and animated films. It explores workflows between BIM tools and real-time game engines, focusing on the transfer and preservation of spatial logic and metadata. The study aims to demonstrate how BIM-based … Read more

From One Model to One Million Homes: Automating Social Housing with BIM

Rule-Based BIM Systems for Multi-Storey Residential Blocks in Vietnam   Using rule-based BIM master models to automate repetitive social housing design in Vietnam, while addressing real-world challenges of coordination, adoption, and collaboration across large-scale public projects. //CONTEXT Vietnam currently has an ambitious national target to build one million social housing units by 2030. However, progress … Read more

Design Beyond the Project: Reframing Practice Through Scalable Digital Services

A conversation with Jesper Wallgren Introduction In recent years, computational design and BIM workflows have become common tools in architectural practice. However, most of these tools remain confined to individual projects, often developed as internal scripts or one-off automation solutions to solve immediate design problems. While effective in improving efficiency within a project, these tools … Read more

Community Connections

Trinitat Nova and Trinitat Vella Scavenger Hunt   Moving between the neighborhoods of Trinitat Nova and Trinitat Vella in Barcelona, and reaching natural landscapes nearby, like the Collserola hillside or the Besòs River, can already feel a bit like a scavenger hunt. Large highway infrastructures carve through the area, creating barriers that make simple trips … Read more

En la calle

En La Calle is a board game for 2–4 players aged 8 and above, set in the streets of Bosa-Apogeo, Bogotá — a neighbourhood home to some of the highest school density in the city and the largest school in Bogotá by enrolled students, yet streets that were never designed with children in mind. En … Read more

THE SWALE – Water, Soil & Life

Dhikwani, Rajasthan Dhikwani is a Village in Shahbad Tehsil in Baran District of Rajasthan State, India. It belongs to Kota Division . It is located 67 KM towards East from District head quarters Baran. 16 KM from Shahbad. 279 KM from State capital Jaipur. Dhikwani lies in the semi arid region – high solar radiation, … Read more