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# Iterative Design

Algorithmic Optimization and Fabrication of a Lattice Coral Pavilion


MaCAD 2025-2026 by
MaCAD 2025-2026

This technical report details the computational workflow developed for our final structural optimization assignment. The project methodology follows a rigorous sequence: initial form-finding, stress-line analysis, lattice topology selection, and cross-section optimization, culminating in a robotic fabrication strategy. General Workflow Overview The design process is structured around a linear algorithmic pipeline. It begins with form-finding utilizing … Read more

Solar stereotomy 


MaCAD 2025-2026 by
MaCAD 2025-2026

This project focuses on the reviving of the Bab Al-Lug market in Cairo, through the topics of Light, Path and Structure. Design idea: Established in 1912, the Bab Al-Lug market offered a state-of-the-art modern design inspired by the Halles in Paris The market’s metal structure is a typical example of tectonic architecture with its lightweight, … Read more

THE VEIL OF BAB AL-LUQ: A NEW SHADED HEART FOR DOWNTOWN CAIRO


MaCAD 2025-2026 by
MaCAD 2025-2026

I am excited to share The Veil of Bab Al-Luq, an architectural intervention designed by Sushmitha Ravi that reimagines the historic Bab Al-Luq Market in Downtown Cairo. The project seeks to restore the vibrancy of this iconic urban space by actively addressing its most urgent environmental challenge—the intense heat of Cairo’s hot, dry climate—through integrated … Read more

EGITTO SKIN


MAA 2025-2026 by
MAA 2025-2026

Team member(s):MAHMOUD MOHAMED Modified by  MAHMOUD MOHAMED  on December 12, 2025 SITE AND EXISTING BUILDING Egypt, often reverently hailed as the “Mother of All Lands,” stands as one of the oldest and most influential civilizations in the vast chronicle of human history. Its legacy is not merely a collection of ruins or artifacts; it is a … Read more

Verdant – Bringing Nature to Urban Rooftops


MaCAD 2025-2026 by
MaCAD 2025-2026

Verdant evokes lush greenery and vitality, capturing the essence of this parametric roof redesign that transforms a mundane urban building into an organic canopy. Inspired by the delicate structure of bamboo leaves, the project employs randomly oriented gold-anodized louvres to create a dynamic interplay of light and shadow, mimicking sunlight filtering through foliage. This modern … Read more

Bisāt al-Nūr: Reviving Bab al-Luq Souk in Cairo


MaCAD 2025-2026 by
MaCAD 2025-2026

Introduction The name Bisat-al-Nur—carpet of light—embodies both poetry and precision: a modern design rooted in tradition, echoing Cairo’s historic markets while reinterpreting them with contemporary materials and climate-responsive strategies. Ingredients The project is built on four ingredients: Design Process Layers The design unfolds across four layers: The strategy was to leave the existing market mostly … Read more

Ahmedabad’s Extreme Climate: Environmental Performance Driven Design, from Data to Form


MaCAD 2025-2026 by
MaCAD 2025-2026

Introduction This project, developed by Group D (Giovanni Carlo Volpe, Nihan Malkoç, Sushmitha Ravi, Zeynep Sezen Dursun) as part of the Master in Advanced Computation for Architecture & Design at IAAC, explores a computationally driven strategy for creating environmentally responsive architecture in the challenging climate of Ahmedabad, India. Through a rigorous process utilizing Digital Tools … Read more

Earthen curtains


MaCAD 2025-2026 by
MaCAD 2025-2026

Inspirations The Earthen Curtains project is rooted in a deep reflection on vernacular architecture and passive sustainability. The primary formal and conceptual inspiration is derived from the work of Hassan Fathy and the tradition of the Nubian Vaults. This architectural heritage, celebrated for the use of local materials (raw earth) and intrinsic climatic strategies, is … Read more

Revitalizing the Tsukiji Fish Market: An Environmental Analysis of Tokyo


MaCAD 2025-2026 by
MaCAD 2025-2026

Introduction Group Async A, comprised of Charles Abi Chahine, Emilie El Chidiac, María Sánchez, and Lakzhmy Zaro, conducted an environmental analysis of a redevelopment project in Tokyo, Japan. We focused on a 19-hectare plot that was historically the site of the Tsukiji fish market. The Challenge of Dressing for TokyoAnyone who has visited Tokyo’s famous … Read more

Bouncy Bamboo Pavilion Facade


MAEBB 2025-2026 by
MAEBB 2025-2026

For our Advanced Digital Tools term one final project, we were tasked with designing a building facade based on inspiration from pavilion architecture or existing facades, using Grasshopper. Pavilion Inspiration – The Toledo Gridshell The inspiration for our facade is the Toledo Gridshell constructed in a courtyard in the Naples School of Architecture. When researching … Read more

THE PNEUMATICAL ⤰ INCRUSTATION


MaCAD 2025-2026 by
MaCAD 2025-2026

Solid vs. Soft How can an object low in inherent solidity still be structurally present and define architectural space? This question lies at the heart of The Pneumatical Incrustation. Developed for the Complex Forming Seminar, this project explores the fundamental contrast between the solid and the soft. The goal was to investigate how “soft” forms … Read more

Digital Fabrication Library


MAA-01 2025-2026 by
MAA-01 2025-2026

In today’s architectural landscape, digital fabrication has significantly expanded the way we design and construct building elements—offering unprecedented accuracy, efficiency, and formal freedom. Techniques such as laser cutting, CNC milling, 3D printing, and robotic manufacturing each bring distinct advantages in terms of material behavior, geometric complexity, and performance potential. RE:CELL Concept The Re:Cell is a … Read more

Machine Thinking


MAA-01 2025-2026 by
MAA-01 2025-2026

Introduction to Digital Fabrication Team : Sejin Park & Hasan Hirji CNC Milling During the CNC Milling process, RhinoCAM software automatically creates bridges; a necessary milling process outside of commands that one might use to manipulate material. We began with the idea of testing the frequency and depth of 2-axis bridging path movement presets to … Read more

Performative Wall Textures


3DPA 2025-2026 by
3DPA 2025-2026

Introduction & Problem Statement Earthen 3D printing offers a low-carbon, recyclable, and locally sourced alternative to conventional construction materials. However, its architectural use remains limited by a critical issue: wet-state instability during printing. Freshly extruded clay has very low strength and stiffness, so walls usually reach only 15–20 cm per day. Beyond this height, the … Read more