JOIN(x)

investigative research into creating a catalogue of joinery methods, varying in complexity and geometries. At the same time, integrating a new workflow of design to mill fabrication using new components such as D2P & TasMachine to create sophis`iticated digital models and manage complexity. precedence first day / manual studies on our first day, we picked … Read more

LOCKS + KEYS: Joinery Exploration

What is craft? Craft as an area of exploration. Seeking to push our boundaries of fidelity and artistry with an acknowledgment of use; The merge between form and function, allowing for endless opportunity. With this project our group’s aim was to explore the intricacies of craft in joinery, and to gain an appreciation of the … Read more

BIOBASE(D) – Ecosystemic Structures

BIOBASE(D) is a forest management and research center in the Pyrenees, dedicated to preventing forest fires through sustainable forestry and education. The building’s design—especially its structure—responds to the local climate, highlights the potential of timber as a construction material, and offers visitors and staff a unique experience in this remarkable forest basecamp. CONCEPT Location The building … Read more

Thermodynamic Fabrications for a CLT Factory

Project Located in Solsona, Spain, near the Centre de Ciència i Tecnologia Forestal de Catalunya. Situated at an elevation of 700 meters above sea level, the site experiences a continental hinterland climate, characterized by cold winters, hot summers, and significant temperature variations between day and night. Rainfall is moderate, with drier summers and wetter autumns. … Read more

The Treeline – Sawmill Factory: Structures

Location SOLSONA, SPAIN Elevation: 700 m above sea levelClimate: Continental / highlands Manifesto From the Pyrenees to Barcelona, the journey wood takes can become a means to bridge the knowledge gap between forests and the timber industry. Solsona, located in the middle of this journey, housing our timber saw mill, can become a place of … Read more

Ecosystemic Structure for a boutique CLT Factory

Our CLT Factory embodies a boutique ethos: modest in scale yet purposeful in intent. Serving as a research and innovation hub for new CLT products, it represents a vision for sustainable work-life integration and thoughtful wood construction, with a commitment to sustainable design practices. In contrast to sprawling industrial complexes, this boutique factory seamlessly integrates … Read more

Eco-Systemic Structures : NEST

N.E.S.T. A Network for Ecological and Sustainable Timber Research Introduction The N.E.S.T. Research Center is a project within the MAEBB program, designed as the final step in the timber transformation chain. It is not merely a research hub but a living ecosystem of innovation, where the possibilities of timber construction are explored, tested, and refined. Situated in Sant Adrià del … Read more

YAKISUGI.TORCH

Github : https://github.com/MRAC-IAAC/YAKISUGI.TORCH Overview This project combines a thermal camera and an ESP32 to capture and analyze thermal data and distance measurements. It was developed as part of the YAKISUGI Torch Project, a system designed to optimize and standardize the traditional Japanese wood-burning technique for enhanced durability, pest resistance, and waterproofing. About the YAKISUGI Method: The YAKISUGI … Read more

Studio I_Anatomy of a Machine: Shape

This project comprises of 5 rapid prototypes developed over the course of 3 weeks. Each prototype is developed with a focus on a material and a process. These investigations were a means of developing the skillset of rapidly developing a robotic process and simultaneously became the palette from which we select our research lines for … Read more

Studio I_Anatomy of a Machine: Shape

INTRO As part of the “Anatomy of a Machine – Shape” course, we engaged in an exercise that explores the possibilities of robotic material manipulation through various tools and techniques. Our objective was to research and experiment with sustainable, accessible, and locally available materials, applying scientific and creative principles to produce unique prototypes. This process … Read more

LamiCore

Case Study People’s Pavilion – Overtraders Iterations Option 1 Option 2 Displacement Analysis Utilization Analysis Roof Load Analysis Scavenged Timber BEAM TEST DESIGN – BUILDING 3D-Exploration Fabrication Beam Test Load – Deflection Analysis Failure + Improvements Beam Test v/s Karamba Analysis Karamba Analysis Summary Grasshopper Script Embodied Carbon Detail

Truss & Timber

Overview of the three variations Diagrams Option selected Beam design options Beam design selected Karamba Assembly diagrams Assembly + Physical model Failure moment Collapse of the installation Karamba analysis Improvement option Embodied CO2 Personal conclusions

Stability Split

Stability Split project explores sustainable construction using scavenged materials and recycled wood for a structural beam. In the first phase, a case study of the Google headquarters in London was analyzed using Karamba software to explore structural efficiency and redesign its system. Two design options—arched and stacked—were proposed as alternatives to improve structural performance and … Read more

Palette Beam

For the creation of our recycled beam we chose to repurpose parts of a wooden pallet that we found on the street, transforming discarded material into a functional structural element. This approach not only demonstrates the potential of upcycling in construction but also highlights sustainability by reducing waste and giving new life to materials that … Read more

BLOCK TRUSS

CASE STUDY – GOOGLE HQ Exploration from the Case Studies.` Diagram Analysis Set up – Load & Mass Distribution Beam Test Design Investigation Truss with blocks (Vierendeel) using reclaimed hardwood exploring amount of overlap, number of blocks and impact of gaps between blocks. Beam Test Design Reclaimed Timber Block Truss Beam Fabrication Testing Videos The … Read more

Beam of Fragments

Structural Design Essentials Workshop Introduction The primary objective of the workshop was to explore innovative ideas in structural engineering by experimenting with materials and their compositions to create components. Specifically, the aim was to engineer a structural beam designed for integration into the case study structure, the Aravena Building, and to evaluate its structural strength … Read more

APEX RESIDENCES ASSESMENT – THEORY

Design Strategy The Apex project is designed by aligning structure and program into a single tower offering multiple configurations based on environmental optimizations. By approaching the structure as one of the main drivers of the tower, we decided to test what is the effect of the structure’s material on the carbon footprint of the project. … Read more

CONVERGENCIA :FORMAL Y TEMPORAL

CRONOLOGÍA HIPÓTESIS El caso de estudio presenta un escenario complejo y dinámico, caracterizado por un crecimiento acelerado y no planificado impulsado por el auge de la industria hidrocarburífera. Esta industria ha generado un incremento de  la cantidad de población residente como la pendular, y también ha generado una demanda sin precedentes de servicios e infraestructuras … Read more

Collaborative Design Studio – Kindergarten

The Site We worked with the Kindergarten at Colegi Mare de Déu dels Angels in La Sagrera neighborhood Barcelona. This historic school has educated generations of students over nearly the past one hundred years, this year the school decided to bring in IAAC to develop playground structures to improve the exposed brick terraces where the … Read more

Parasyte: Growing exisiting structure

INTRODUCTION We approached our parametric project with a top-down methodology, emphasizing the importance of urban, climatic, social, and economic parameters. These factors, alongside the needs for project development, are crucial when discussing architecture that focuses on the reuse and recycling of existing structures in both established and developing contexts. CONCEPT & STAGES The algorithm is … Read more