IAAC 5th Alumni Meeting 2026

On 8 and 9 May 2026, IAAC brought together graduates from across the world for its 5th Alumni Meeting — a biennial gathering that turns Barcelona into a point of return for the institute’s growing global community. Over two days, alumni reconnected, shared their professional journeys, and reflected on the paths they have taken since leaving IAAC.

The first day took place at Apocapoc BCN (Carrer dels Almogàvers 138, Barcelona), a space that captured the spirit of the gathering. Seven IAAC graduates took to the stage for a curated series of presentations spanning computational design, cooperative practice, urban data, robotic fabrication, AI tools, speculative futures and entrepreneurship.

Ami Nigam — Master in Advanced Architecture, 2016–2018 Ami Nigam, currently leading AI and design technology at Benoy, reflected on a career that consistently resisted easy categorisation — from 3D printing in Beijing to computational design at IAAC, and onto senior technology roles at UNStudio and leading practices in Hong Kong and London. A candid account of agency, ambiguity and building at the intersections before anyone formalised what “there” was.

Irene Rodríguez — Master in Advanced Ecological Buildings and Biocities Architect and partner at Estudi Biga, Irene Rodríguez presented her talk in three acts — learning to build collectively, structuring the collective, and exploring personal territories. A reflection on the invisible dimensions that make projects possible, and what happens when you design with care and collective structure in mind from the start.

Mahsa Nikoufar — Master in Advanced Urban Planning and Data Analytics Mahsa Nikoufar traced her trajectory from PhD research on urban digital twin governance to her current work at the intersection of AI, product development and public value. Her talk explored how the multidisciplinary mindset developed at IAAC continues to inform her entrepreneurial journey.

Kunaljit Chadha — Master in Advanced Architecture, 2014–2016 Co-founder of Impact Build, an ETH Zurich spin-off transforming locally excavated materials into low-carbon construction solutions, Kunaljit Chadha made the case for why architects are well positioned to become founders — and what it takes to turn research into a viable venture.

Lena Dagouli — Master in AI for Architecture and Business Innovation, 2024–2025 Based in Athens and working at LINK Arkitektur, Lena Dagouli spoke about what happens when you bring a research mindset into professional practice — and how she translated a need for spatial analysis into a practical, architect-friendly tool that supports early-stage design decision-making.

Vicky Simitopoulou — Master in Design for Emergent Futures, 2019 Vicky Simitopoulou presented Dive Into the In-Betweens, an immersive installation that explores migration as a prolonged condition of in-betweenness — using spatial design, sound, light and interaction to invite visitors to physically and emotionally experience what it means to exist between past and present, belonging and displacement.

Luis Arturo Pacheco — Master in Robotics and Advanced Construction, 2018–2019 Assistant Professor at Florida Atlantic University, Luis Arturo Pacheco presented Animaquina, a Blender add-on that evolved from research into a tool used across academia and industry — treating the robot as a digital twin within a 3D environment and allowing designers to control motion through familiar interfaces.

The second day brought the community together at Valldaura Labs, IAAC’s living lab set in the Collserola Natural Park just above Barcelona. Surrounded by forest and the institute’s ongoing research into self-sufficient habitats and biomaterials, alumni gathered for a long, convivial lunch that extended well into the afternoon. Old friendships were rekindled, new connections were made, and the conversations that had started the day before continued in a setting that reminded everyone why Barcelona — and IAAC — remains a place worth returning to.

The 5th Alumni Meeting confirmed what makes this gathering unique: it is not a formal event but a living reunion of a community that continues to grow, evolve and contribute to the field in ways that reflect the diversity of IAAC’s programmes and values. We look forward to welcoming everyone back for the 6th edition.