Architecture Without Architects

The book, ‘Architecture without architects’, illustrates the vernacular architecture from different parts of the world and strives to acknowledge the ‘not so primitive’ techniques from various areas. Architecture history is not given as much acknowledgement as art history and the book is an attempt in the 1960s America to show the potential and the scope … Read more

AL HABIBITAT | Urban intervention

Aswan, Egypt being a desert city shows diurnal aspects of climate on a daily basis. The same also affects the day to day activity pattern of the community that adapts to the climate at any given time. This analysis indicates at a close relation between climate, people & their clothing & eventually it traces ahead … Read more

THE NEST | Urban Intervention

The design began with the process of understanding the culture, the climate and the people of Accra, Ghana. The design is based in a tropical climate where the temperatures and the humidity are high. This design was then set in a Metaversal city that was a culmination of 6 sites from different regions of the … Read more

Tabrizian Tapestry_Thermodynamic Fabrications

Our case study is located in Tabriz, the coldest region in Iran, with an average temperature between 1.1 C and 6.6 C during winter, and an average between 30.4 C and 17.9 C during summer. The climate widely corresponds to Central European weather conditions. With the following study, we have designed a our building Tabrizian … Read more

Tabrizian Tapestry: Ecosystemic Structures

We believe in creating structures that not only meet functional requirements, but also celebrate and pay homage to local architectural traditions. With this in mind, we have taken inspiration from the iconic domes of Iran and integrated them into our design. Our building incorporates a unique bazaar on the ground floor, featuring a series of … Read more

BUILDINGS WITHOUT ARCHITECTS: A Global Guide to Everyday Architecture by John May | Ecological Thinking

This blog is a review of the book, Buildings without Architects: A Global Guide to Everyday Architecture by John May. The book is a culmination of 60+ different styles of vernacular architecture ranging from different materials and different regions of the world. “Architecture should speak of its time and place, but yearn for timelessness.” – … Read more

DELIRIOUS NEW YORK: A Retroactive Manifesto for Manhattan by Rem Koolhaas | Ecological Thinking II

This blog is a review of the book “Delirious New York” written by Rem Koolhaas. “The future is no longer about power, but about bandwidth.” Rem Koolhas Rem Koolhaas wrote a novel titled “Delirious New York” that outlines the evolution and background of Manhattan’s design and urbanism. Koolhaas wrote this book because he desired to … Read more

BIOMIMICRY in ARCHITECTURE by Michael Pawlyn | Ecological Thinking II

This blog is a review of Michael Pawlyn’s book, Biomimicry in Architecture. “Biomimicry is a powerful innovation tool that allows architects to go beyond conventional approaches to sustainable design and deliver transformative solutions we need.”-Michael Pawlyn The book “Biomimicry in Architecture” by Michael Pawlyn introduces the term biomimicry and how it can impact architecture. The … Read more

MEDITERRANEAN I Ecosystemic Structures

ITERATION 1 Large Span Truss Structure Main Structural Components Primary Trusses Catlogue Forces Diagram Lateral Forces Diagram Gravity Truss Junction Details Physical Model understanding the structure Load Testing After a thorough analysis of the structural loading and its behavior, we have developed a more efficient and lightweight approach to address the cantilever and overall structure. … Read more

Forces of Nature

HYPERBOLIC PARABOLOID ROOF This research project in the field of architecture aims to investigate the application of physics simulations in the form-finding process of designing live-interactive installations using Kangaroo, located in IAAC’s rooftop. The design strategy is creating a simple geometry based on forces in compression and tension on different points. The pavilion’s sail-like plane … Read more

FORCES OF NATURE: BLUE SADDLE ROOF

This project was developed in the Computational Design Seminar with the goal of proposing a new installation for the roof of IAAC’s main building using parametric design through Grasshopper and Kangaroo components. The resulting structure aims to improve the quality of the open area, adding shade, light, and shadow effects and creating a base for … Read more

Digital woodcraft

Exploring the unique properties of timber and the fabrication methods associated with it, enabling us to work with complex geometries and find appropriate strategies to realize them. We started out looking at different situations to apply our geometry and potentially make a gapahuk (a building made of wooden materials, originally intended for emergency accommodation), forest … Read more

THE NEST | Ecosystemic Structures

The Nest is a project designed for the city of Accra, Ghana. The Site is located in close proximity to the lagoon and the sea. The design caters to public interventions like open markets, observatories, and residential units for the fishermen’s community. The goal with the design is to highlight the traditional techniques and materials used … Read more

FORCES OF NATURE / Flower Power

The aim of the design was to create a space that evokes a sense of enclosure but is still open and lightweight. This led us to the concept of designing our pavilion from minimal surfaces inspired from geometries exhibited in nature such as plants, mushrooms and corals. The intention was to fabricate it using strip … Read more

THE NEST | Resilient Envelopes

The design of the envelope plays a vital role in the design. The roof and the facade are part of the metabolic systems to aid with generating solar energy and collecting rainwater. The envelope is also efficiently designed keeping the thermodynamic analysis in mind. FACADE DESIGN: The facade is designed using a cane facade. The … Read more

Forces Of Nature

The Prismatic Pavilion Site Context ?The Institute of Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC) is located in the city of Barcelona, Spain. ?The institute is situated in the Poblenou neighborhood, which is known for its innovation and technology industries. ?The institute is easily accessible by public transportation, with several bus and metro lines running nearby.  ?The campus is also located close … Read more

THE NEST | Metabolic Systems: Water

The region of Accra, Ghana receives heavy rainfall and has two wet seasons. As a result, through the design, the goal is to trap as much rainwater as possible and utilise it in an optimum manner. The Site is also located in close proximity to a natural lagoon. Hence, ground water and stormwater treatment become … Read more

Timber Zipper

The goal of this project is to comprehend the pick-and-place robotic fabrication process using timber members and how to optimize the process using design choices. By experimenting with various twist, rotate, shift, mirror, and scale actions, column typologies that eventually took the form of a zipper-like column were created. The exercise helps us to understand … Read more

BALANCED STRUCTURES

Balances Structures uses the ABB robot to develop a column through a pick-and-place strategy. Pushing robotic precision to its limits and minimizing human error, this project showcases how a structure in a state of delicate balance can be produced. The balance of the column was showcased not only through the placement of the structure on … Read more

The Bóveda: 3d Printed Earthen Housing

As the world progresses towards sustainable development, the use of 3D printing technology in construction is gaining momentum. One such application is the use of 3D printing to construct earthen buildings, which has several advantages over traditional construction methods. Earthen buildings have been used for thousands of years and are known for their durability, low … Read more

TOWER TWIST

Concept Catalogue Main Catalogue Weekly Catalogue Catalogue of the digital exploration Parameters Digital input and ABB Fabrication Physical Limitation of fabrication Design Analysis Rules of the Proposed Geometry Layers: 30N. of Sticks: 120Pivot angle Increment: y = sin (x)Total Rotation: 160* Rotation’s Logic Column Making: The 3 modules Comparison Physics Simulation | Robot Simulation | … Read more

PATI de la VILA: 3d Printed Earthen Housing

Nader Akoum IAAC 3d Printing Earthen Architecture Housing

At a time when additive manufacturing using earth becomes commercial and available for large scale services, earthen housing becomes more possible without the heavy maintenance required for challenges like spanning, drying, heightening, printing, and durability. A student earthen housing project in Barcelona could vary in many capacities depending on its context of deployment, and in … Read more

IN_(TERLOCK) CHAOS 

Abstract This project will focus on using the pick & place operations to develop column geometries stacked out of timber elements. Below we present the development of a parametric system capable of integrating fabrication constraints and architectural goals. The aim was to create a natural geometry with a simple linear element, a catalog of multiple … Read more