Roots & Routes

BIODIVERSE PUBLIC SPACECollaborative Design with Humans and Non-humans The Besòs River in northeastern Spain flows through Catalonia from the Montseny mountains to the Mediterranean Sea near Barcelona, covering about 17 kilometers. Once heavily polluted by industrial waste and urban runoff, it has undergone significant environmental restoration, improving its water quality and accessibility for wildlife and … Read more

Pixel ecology

Succession Landscape Strategy of succession through the creation of ecological island Site ANALISIS PROJECT MATRIX CONCEPT Strategy of succession through the creation of ecological island MASTERPLAN THE COMPONENT THE ISLANDS Island 01 Island 02 Island 03 SUSSECCION STRATEGY HOW IT WORKS VIDEO MODEL

Designing Empathy

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

FLOOD RESILIENCE TOOLBOX

FLOOD RESILIENCE TOOLBOX FOR ADAPTIVE URBAN DESIGN IN COASTAL CITIES Flooding is the most frequent natural disaster worldwide. By the report from The OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development), floods cause more than 38 billion euro in damages worldwide per year. Due to climate change, floods are becoming more extreme and frequent. Coastal areas … Read more

Milan – Environmental Strategies for Early Design Stages

LOCATION City:   Milan Climatic cat.:   Zone E, 2 404 DD – by ENEA National Agency Coordinates:   45°28′01″N 9°11′24″E Altitude:   120 m s.l.m. Characteristics: Hot summers and cold winters. Local exceptions to the humid subtropical climate model are to be expected.Protected from both cold winds and mild winds.High humidity, given the alluvial nature of … Read more

Climate-Responsive Design for Singapore

This project explores the relationship between Singapore’s tropical climate and architectural design. By analyzing climatic data—such as temperature, humidity, solar radiation, and wind patterns—we evaluated how a specific building shape interacts with the environment. Through computational tools, we simulated the building’s performance to address key challenges like heat gain and airflow. The results informed potential … Read more

Environmental Analysis – Austin, Texas

Austin has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification: Cfa), characterized by hot summers and mild winters.  The city experiences long, hot summers and short, mild winters, with brief transitions in spring and fall. The climate data used in this analysis was obtained from: – Location: Austin-Mueller Municipal Airport, Texas, USA – Weather Station ID: 722540 … Read more

The Re-iterating Maze

The Re-Iterating Maze helps inmates at Alcatraz develop meditative practices through rehabilitation, using their sentence to make a more peaceful existence possible. Our concept allows prisoners a mindful form of exercise, allowing them to use their time outdoors exploring multidimensional pathways. Mindful walking encourages the brain to focus on the activity of traversing a determined path. By … Read more

ILLA DE RAVAL

This project focuses on establishing a community-centered public space in Santa Coloma. Situated at Block Illa de Raval, a designated “green finger” of the Pinta Verde initiative, the project seeks to improve accessibility, enhance social engagement, and address infrastructural needs based on local context and community input. HUMAN Research and analysis The research highlighted several … Read more

Flows 4 Santa Coloma

This project envisions a transformative rewilding of the Besòs River in Santa Coloma, integrating human and ecological systems through dynamic, data-driven design. By strategically restoring habitat continuity with green corridors and innovative avian nesting prototypes, it fosters a symbiotic relationship between urban life and nature. Leveraging 3D clay-printed nests inspired by natural forms and utilizing … Read more

A more than human Care Hub

Following up on the project from the seminar “Co-creating Public Space”, where we explored the human layer through participatory processes in urban design, we have now ventured into adding a more-than-human layer. This approach challenges us to step out of conventional design thinking and consider perspectives invisible to anthropocentric eyes, enabling us to create a … Read more

Nature’s pallete in the Built Environment

Material Cultures - Circular biobased construction

Could bio-based materials be the key to transforming the building sector and reducing its impact on climate change? The articles described present a compelling set of arguments on timber industry, sustainable forestrynonconventional materials and innovative technologies. TIMBER Timber is highlighted as the biggest widespread potential of low-carbon alternative to steel and concreteespecially referred to in … Read more

.WAVE LIGHT.

“When light scenography meet architecture” .Manifesto. This pavilion is conceived as an immersive scenographic installation that merges architectural geometry, lighting design, and environmental interaction. At its core, the project explores the dynamic relationship between form, light, and water, transforming the structure into a performative space that engages visitors through a carefully choreographed visual experience. The … Read more

Poly-Exploration with Digital Cultures

The course of Digital Cultures, tutored by Andres Colmenares, took an investigative approach on the relations between the present and the future through the lens of art, journalism, urbanism, technology, human networks and global market. Course was structured in a “non-linear” way, what makes our tutor’s pride, yet consistent in terms of narrating through scale … Read more

Innovative Urban Planning in Singapore: The Urban Playground Project

In the rapidly urbanizing landscape of Singapore, the demand for innovative urban planning solutions is paramount to accommodating the growing population while preserving the city-state’s unique cultural and environmental heritage. This project proposes an exploration of a playful design methodology to devise novel urban block typologies tailored to Singapore’s specific needs and constraints. This research … Read more

From Survival to Spectacle: Grassroots Urbanism or Systemic Neglect

“Urban organic growth as a symptom of capitalist contradictions, examining alienation, inequality, and deindustrialization. It explores the uneven valorization of grassroots urbanism and the systemic forces shaping unplanned urban development.” URBAN ORGANIC GROWTH reflects the contradictions of capitalist urbanization, where unplanned development arises// as both a necessity and a response to ALIENATION, SYSTEMATIC INEQUALITY and … Read more

Understanding Planetary Urbanization and Capitalism

“capitalism as a mode of production has necessarily targeted the breaking down of spatial barriers and the acceleration of turnover time as fundamental to its agenda of relentless capital accumulation” (David Harvey.) 01. The Evolution of Urban Reading Urbanization, much like the transition from print to digital media, reflects evolving modes of engagement. The shift … Read more

Shaping the Urban: Technology, Capitalism, and the Dynamics of Change

Quotation ” The urban in the 21st century is no longerconfined by traditional boundaries; itis a dynamic space shaped by digitaltechnologies, capitalism, and planetaryurbanization. Understanding thisevolving landscape requires embracingcomplexity, rethinking governance, andprioritizing justice and sustainability tonavigate the challenges of a globalizedworld. “ The nature of the urban is being redefined in the 21stcentury, shaped by … Read more

Climate Sensitive Facade Intervention for Urban Heat Island Mitigation

Research Questions: Can climate sensitive facade interventions reduce the intensity of the Urban Heat Island effect within urban blocks in arid climates?“ Research Goal: The goal is to propose simplified, climate-sensitive facade interventions in highly urbanized cities that reduce energy loads by mitigating Urban Heat Island (UHI) effects, while complying with climate-resilient regulations. These interventions … Read more

The Gòtic Quarter: A Sustainable Economic Model or Not?

Located in the heart of Barcelona, where the history of the city began, the Gòtic Quarter is an iconic neighborhood, we sought to understand its complex dynamics and whether its economic model could truly be called sustainable. From Roman foundations to bustling contemporary streets, the Gòtic Quarter embodies a story of transformation. But behind its … Read more