How accessible is the city we live in? Beyond iconic landmarks and infrastructure, everyday life is shaped by small but essential places: schools, parks, shops, and services. Urban Amenities Accessibility in Istanbul is a computational design project that explores how these everyday amenities are distributed across Istanbul’s historical center and how easily they can be … Read more
“Planetarity” is a philosophical concept that examines how the ways we visualize the Earth shape how we interact with it. Coined by Gayatri Spivak in her 2003 book Death of a Discipline, the term challenges us to move away from viewing the Earth as a controllable resource. Instead, Spivak argues that we must think beyond … Read more
The Kinetic Node proposes a dynamic pavilion located in the central pedestrian zone of Plaça de la Universitat, Barcelona. Developed within a computational design seminar, the intervention explores the intersection of generative algorithms and active public space. The design utilizes parametric tools to generate a fluid structure where architectural form seamlessly transitions into skateable terrain, … 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
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
Site introduction The project is a pavilion conceived for the Plaça Reial (Royal Square) in Barcelona, Spain, which is a renowned, sophisticated square adorned with porticos, located just off Las Ramblas in the Gothic Quarter. This square is celebrated for its palm trees, fountain, lively nightlife featuring bars and restaurants, and serves as a central … Read more
Cities are complex systems where accessibility to essential services—such as healthcare—can directly affect quality of life and emergency response outcomes. Traditional urban maps often show where services are located, but they rarely communicate how accessible these services are in real, everyday conditions. The This project explores how computational design tools can be used to analyze … 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
Design Ethos This project seeks to explore how issues of stagnation and obsolescence can be tackled whilst still enabling socio-economic and technological developments of our urban spaces. It will explore how they can be applied within architecture to evaluate how we can more effectively address issues of erasure whilst still permitting modern interventions and advancements … Read more
Bab al-Luq Market – Cairo, Egypt The ‘Diffused Skin Market’ project aims to cool down the market space without closing it off. The goal was to create a ‘diffusion filter” skin, that drops the temperature but keeps that vibrant natural light that vendors need to sell their products. The challenge when analyzing the place, wasn’t … Read more
Conceptual Framework The Project explores a contemporary dialogue between past and present by enveloping a historic steel truss within a soft, inflated architectural skin. Inspired by the playful curves and buoyancy of balloon art, the installation introduces a layer of translucent, geometric “bubble wrap” forms that gently overgrow the rigid industrial structure beneath. Rather than … Read more
Bab al-Luq Reimagined: Computation, Climate, and Cultural Memory This project approaches the Bab al-Luq Market not as a blank surface for formal experimentation, but as a site layered with climatic intelligence and symbolic meaning. Its proposal is rooted in two elements deeply embedded in Cairene architectural and cultural memory: the malqaf and the lotus flower. … Read more
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
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
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
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
