Oriol Carrasco – Anomaly.Build Oriol Carrasco is a PhD architect from Barcelona. He is a senior fabrication expert at IAAC with extensive expertise in composite manufacturing. Oriol currently teaches in MAA and 3DpA programs. He has been co-leading the Design with Nature research line since 2013, teaching now in the metabolic introductory studio. He has … Read more
How borders shape frontiers of urban life? I. Introduction Borders are often perceived as abstract lines on maps, yet they deeply shape how cities grow, connect, and fragment. Cities located along international borders experience unique spatial, social, and political conditions that distinguish them from inland urban areas. This project investigates borders not as static lines, … Read more
The growth of cities on an urban level has been very random and often scattered due to several reasons, like; UNDPREDICTABLE URBAN GROWTH, DYNAMIC ZONING TRENDS and SHIFTING DEMANDS. This has led to the cities being have to be planned reactively rather than proactively. This has led to a problem of cities being inefficient, rising … Read more
In her lecture titled Circular Matter, Areti Markopoulou examined the urgent transition from a linear to a circular paradigm within the built environment. She began by outlining the structural problems embedded in today’s construction industry, which relies heavily on resource-intensive, difficult-to-recover materials. As cities continue to expand, this linear “extract–manufacture–use–discard” model has become environmentally unsustainable. Markopoulou … Read more
The Purpose of AI in the Age of Resource Scarcity Introduction: Redefining the Question The question “What is the purpose of AI in AEC?” often elicits a predictable response focused on speed. For years the industry has viewed Artificial Intelligence primarily as a mechanism for automation. It is seen as a faster way to produce … Read more
What modes of activism do the ends of a world trigger? Introduction This project was developed as part of the Advanced Theory Seminar: The Earthly Convivium – Conversational Narratives. The seminar invites students to work with theory not as a distant academic exercise, but as a tool to build fictional situations where different worldviews collide. … Read more
Introduction: More Than a Robot in a Hard Hat The buzz around Artificial Intelligence in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry is impossible to ignore. Every conference seems to feature a new tool promising to revolutionize everything from design to demolition. You might be forgiven for picturing an AI as a robot in a … Read more
The Starting Point: AI as a Faster Pencil When I first began this journey on October 9th, I approached AI tools primarily through the lens of efficiency. My initial focus was on faster modeling, optimization, and the ability to test more options in less time. To me, AI was a high-powered calculator—a tool applied after … Read more
In the early stages of learning, artificial intelligence was perceived primarily as a digital aid tools created to improve efficiency, accuracy, and coordination across different stages of a project. AI was largely understood as a decision-support system, particularly valuable during the early design phases, yet always positioned as secondary to human expertise and judgment. However, … Read more
Initial Perspective: AI as an Efficiency Tool At the beginning of the course, I viewed AI primarily as a means to enhance productivity. It appeared to be a practical instrument for automating routine tasks, such as refining designs or performing structural calculations. By minimizing errors, reducing time requirements, and lowering costs, AI could expedite project … Read more
In AEC, the purpose of AI is not to replace architects or engineers. The purpose is to improve decision-making and coordination, while keeping clear responsibility. In AEC, the purpose of AI is not to replace architects or engineers. The purpose is to improve decision-making and coordination, while keeping clear responsibility.AI can be seen as a … Read more
Middle east, 1067 AC scene 1: Long before the word algorithm existed, a woman draws lines in the send. She is not an architect. The word does not exist yet either. She is simply someone who must decide where people sleep when the river floods. She draws, erases, redraws.She listens to the wind.While She remembers … Read more
In the very first lecture of the theory class, AI was a scary, unpredictable tool for me. However, after deep thinking and various perspectives, it feels more like a “work buddy”. In this blog, I’d like to elaborate more on this shift in idea I had. Nowadays, in nearly every sector, people are scared of … Read more
Introduction — Where My Interest Began My interest in AI and its application in the AEC industry started before this course. During the IAAC GSS, I worked on a study in Bogotá using GIS and image‑recognition tools to map sensory criticality in care-focused urban zones. What surprised me most was how accessible the process was. … Read more
At the beginning of the semester, we were asked to reflect on the role of artificial intelligence in the AEC industry. Looking back, my answer then came from a much more limited understanding. Revisiting the question now, after a series of lectures, I realize that what has changed is not so much how much I … Read more
//MY INITIAL VIEW When I first began using AI-related tools in architecture and the built environment, I approached them primarily as a tool for efficiency. My focus was on faster modelling, optimization, and the ability to test more options in less time. AI, to me, was something applied after a design idea existed, a way … Read more
