CONTEXT Every year, there is about $10 trillion in construction-related spending globally, equivalent to 13 percent of GDP. This makes construction one of the largest sectors of the world economy. The sector employs 7% of the world’s working population and, by building the structures in which we live and work, which create our energy, materials, … Read more
A Methodological Approach to Urban Growth and Hybrid Energy Systems in the Global South Why Global South ? Urbanization in the Global South is a defining trend of the 21st century, with over 90% of urban growth expected to occur in low- and middle-income countries by 2050. This rapid expansion has led to a surge … Read more
Optimising Modular Skyscrapper design through environmental and spatial intelligence
The work presented in this blog post explores how UX and UI tools can be used to create a more accesible and interactive platform to this research group’s main project in the Research Studio class. By using tools like Figma and programming in HTML, CSS and JAVA, we try to apply the learnings into AI … Read more
Abstract: Natural disasters, especially earthquakes, often leave roads blocked, buildings collapsed, and maps outdated, making navigation and response efforts highly challenging, That’s where we operate. Our project SeisNAV is an AI-powered platform that combines satellite imagery and computer vision to detect collapsed structures and road blockages, providing real-time mapping and navigation tools for disaster response … Read more
The project envisions the use of novel data collection strategies for the purpose of increasing access to formal credit for MSMEs in the F&B Space Across the globe, cities face a pivotal challenge: unlocking the potential of their micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to drive both urban transformation and national economic growth. These enterprises, often comprising over 90% of businesses in developing … Read more
Context Bogota is the capital of Colombia. Both the perception of unsafety of its inhabitants as well as the amount of urban crime have been rising over the last years, with over 70% of the population feeling unsafe, and more than 120 thousand theft victims in 2023. The local government response to this has mainly … Read more
Abstract The project explores innovative ways to address Barcelona’s sustainability challenges, such as carbon emissions, air pollution, and energy inefficiency. By leveraging AI, IoT sensors, and Nature-Based Solutions (NBS), the project aims to optimize municipal budgets for interventions that transform underutilized urban spaces into productive assets. The study highlights solutions like urban farming, greenery, and … Read more
INTRODUCTION The Staggered Building is a high rise building developed with a bottom up approach.Within the design process for the building, we have tackled more or less in depth the following themes: mixed use, vertical circulation, structural design, design for comfort and environmental design. The main tools we have used are galapagos mostrly for optimization, … Read more
DESIGN STRATEGY & TYPOLOGY The “Morpho” Residences originated from the a top down approach, this means that the algorithm behind it uses predefined sets of rules to create its geometry. The “Morpho” Residences originated from the a top down approach, this means that the algorithm behind it uses predefined sets of rules to create its … Read more
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
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
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
Concept The architectural concept is based on creating a data center that expands over time, following a Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DfMA) approach. At the core of the design is a superstructure, populated by smaller modular data halls. These are supported by a service program that includes operational spaces, storage, and MEP systems, particularly … Read more
Through Human-Centered Spaces and Experiences In a world that is rapidly urbanizing itself, architecture holds immense power to shape the lives of individuals and how they experience the public space. Yet, architectural design often neglects the various needs of the community it is supposed to serve, leading to alienation and exclusion, particularly for marginalized populations. … Read more
The work presented in this blog post explores how code and visual tools can be used to create and represent the data central to this research group’s main project in the Research Studio. It focuses on integrating data-driven design methods to support sustainable façade development while aligning with environmental guidelines. By emphasizing the creation and … Read more
Abstract The project, Kaleidos, is the story of a transformative rehabilitation system that redefines the experience of incarceration. It targets individuals undergoing psychological recovery, creating a dynamic, non-linear journey of healing. This architecture does more than confine—it evolves, adapts, and interacts with its users, guiding them through stages of denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. … Read more
The exploratory analysis performed by Josefina Ovalle, Maja Mawusi and Michał Modelski We present you an exploratory analysis on the New York City’s Citi Bike network in New Jersey. We chose the latest dataset, from October 2024, that gives us data on bike stations, bike types, bike users, and bike usage over time. The choice … Read more
ABSTRACT Derived from the 2020 pandemic sanitary measures for Covid-19, Google created the Community Mobility Reports, which provide valuable insights of how people’s mobility changed as a result of the established health policies. The objective of this analysis was to understand how United States residents’ mobility behavior changed over time due to the COVID-19 pandemic. … Read more
The Backbone of Modernity – Since its invention in 1842, Portland cement has become a cornerstone of modern construction. Its role in shaping cities, infrastructure, and economies is unparalleled, but this comes at a cost. Cement production is energy-intensive, emits significant carbon dioxide, and has become a key driver of global greenhouse gas emissions Cement … Read more
As an introduction to Python, this course explored the foundations of data analysis and visualization using a variety of powerful libraries, including pandas, geopandas, contextily, matplotlib, numpy, seaborn, and plotly. The project below demonstrates the practical application of these tools. Inspired by the recent U.S. election, we focused on analyzing voter behavior and the factors … Read more
INSPIRATION The project is born from the idea of rehabilitation, an inverse concept from Dante’s inferno, where the downward spiraling levels of damnation turn into and ascending stair of redemption. The process of re-insertion into society is understood as a Hero’s Journey towards the top, where the Garden of Eden awaits. Instead of being convicted … Read more
