MACAD - Master in Advanced Computation for Architecture & Design
INTRODUCTION
The Master in Advanced Computation for Architecture & Design – MaCAD is a unique online programme training a new generation of architects, engineers and designers with the skills that the industry of Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) demands nowadays.
The programme provides expertise in the application of the latest digital softwares for design simulation, analysis and optimisation of digital data in architecture, offering a broad and advanced theoretical and practical knowledge of computational design.
Based on a Data Driven, Learning by doing and Design by Research methodology, the master offers a unique online educational experience.
In contrast to the traditional Online programs, the Master in Advanced Computation for Architecture & Design– a 60 ECTS accredited Master degree consisting in three 15 ECTS modules offers a real-class “virtual” environment, based on a continuous, interactive and collaborative learning process.
The 1st Application Period for the academic year 2024/25 is now open until the 7th of January 2024!
MaCAD |
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| Degree | The Master in Advanced Computation for Architecture & Design is accredited by University of Lleida (UdL) – European Higher Education Area (EHEA) |
| Edition | 5th edition |
| Credits | 60 ECTS |
| Duration | October 2024 to July 2025 (10 months) Thesis submission -September 2025. *Extra time during August and September for the thesis preparation |
| Format | Online (synchronous or asynchronous) |
| Language | English |
| Tuition Fee | 12,000€ |
The Master in Advanced Computation for Architecture & Design is accredited with 60 ECTS and it’s articulated into 3 modules + a Master Thesis.
As an alternative to the MaCAD full program, students can apply to each module independently to obtain a University Expert diploma, each one accredited with 15 ECTS.
Module 1 (Advanced Computation for Environmental and Structural Design)
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Module 2 (Building Information Modelling and Smart Construction)
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Module 3 (Artificial Intelligence in Architecture) |
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| Degree | University Expert in Advanced Computation for Environmental and Structural Design by University of Lleida (UdL) – European Higher Education Area (EHEA) | University Expert in Building Information Modelling and Smart Construction by University of Lleida (UdL) – European Higher Education Area (EHEA) | University Expert in Artificial Intelligence in Architecture by University of Lleida (UdL) – European Higher Education Area (EHEA) |
| Edition | 3rd edition | 3rd edition | 3rd edition |
| Credits | 15 ECTS | 15 ECTS | 15 ECTS |
| Duration | 3 months // October 2024 – December 2024 | 3 months // January 2025 – March 2025 | 3 months // April 2025 – June 2025 |
| Format | Online (synchronous or asynchronous) | Online (synchronous or asynchronous) | Online (synchronous or asynchronous) |
| Language | English | English | English |
| Tuition Fee | 4.500€ | 4.500€ | 4.500€ |
By applying to any individual module/s, students can decide from which module program to start despite the chronological order and the academic year.
Postgraduate in Advanced Computation for Environmental and Structural Design |
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| Degree | Postgraduate Diploma by School of Professional and Executive Development at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia – European Higher Education Area (EHEA) |
| Edition | 1st edition |
| Credits | 15 ECTS |
| Duration | 3 months // October 2021 – December 2021 |
| Format | Online (synchronous or asynchronous) |
| Language | English |
| Tuition Fee | 3.800€ |
Postgraduate in Building Information Modelling and Smart Construction |
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| Degree | Postgraduate Diploma by School of Professional and Executive Development at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia – European Higher Education Area (EHEA) |
| Edition | 1st edition |
| Credits | 15 ECTS |
| Duration | 3 months // January 2022 – March 2022 |
| Format | Online (synchronous or asynchronous) |
| Language | English |
| Tuition Fee | 3.800€ |
Postgraduate in Artificial Intelligence in Architecture |
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| Degree | Postgraduate Diploma by School of Professional and Executive Development at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia – European Higher Education Area (EHEA) |
| Edition | 2nd edition |
| Credits | 15 ECTS |
| Duration | 3 months // April 2022 – June 2022 |
| Format | Online (synchronous or asynchronous) |
| Language | English |
| Tuition Fee | 3.800€ |
CONTEXT & AGENDA
The Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry moves rapidly, asking designers across the globe to be equipped with the most advanced tools to address the challenges that they will face during their careers and shift the change towards a more sustainable practice.
Advanced Computation tools such as Structural and Environmental analysis, Building information Modelling (BIM) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) allow a fluent communication between the different agents that take part in the construction process from early stages of design, becoming powerful drivers of change towards a more sustainable, creative and responsive architecture.
Students willing to become the leading professionals of tomorrow must embrace the computational challenges that can empower them to boost innovative approaches to architecture and design.
STUDENT PROFILE
If you want to continue your education online and take part in a complete master programme, based on collaborative work and interactive learning, then the Master in Advanced Computation for Architecture & Design – MaCAD is made for you
The programme invites all Architects, Designers and Engineers who want to become experts in Advanced Computation and lead the change in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry.
Students of the MACAD will learn new tools and methodologies, by working alongside leading experts and faculty. The programme offers an innovative educational structure that puts the students’ needs and creativity at the centre.
Applicants are expected to have some previous knowledge of 3D Modelling,, Grasshopper, Rendering and Programming. IAAC offers precourses in these softwares in case applicants don’t have experience. Applicants will be assigned and complete precourse content before the beginning of their studies.
PROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
The Master in Advanced Computation for Architecture & Design connects the students to an international network of practitioners, institutions and companies, leading pioneer computational design applications in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) field.
On the one hand, working in a “virtual class” environment, students have the possibility to interact with faculty and colleagues in a highly professional context getting ready for the operational and working model of a professional practice. On the other hand, a series of industries and international offices, connected with IAAC and MaCAD offer in an annual basis internship positions and job opportunities for IAAC Alumni.
ACADEMIC STRUCTURE
The Master in Advanced Computation for Architecture & Design, based on a Data Driven, Learning by doing and Design by Research methodology, offers a unique online educational experience, articulated in 3 modules followed by a Master Thesis Project.
The Advanced Computation for Environmental and Structural Design module focuses on a design paradigm that is informed by environmental analysis and strategies for structural optimization. Across this module, students will receive the most advanced knowledge on the latest software developments and tools for environmental simulation and structural optimization at every scale of the design workflow: from building to urban scale.
This module is composed of the following courses:
- Environmental and Structural Design – Theory – 3 ECTS
- Environmental and Structural Design – Studio – 3 ECTS
- Digital Tools for Environmental Analysis for Architectural Design – 3 ECTS
- Digital Tools for Structural Optimization Strategies – 3 ECTS
- Digital Tools for Complex Forming – 3 ECTS
The Building Information Modelling and Smart Construction module focuses on the recent paradigm of Building Information Modelling (BIM) by reviewing the most relevant paradigms in three different aspects of it: Integrative modelling, collaborative workflows, and cloud-based data management in design. In this postgraduate, you’ll learn the most advanced tools to face this ubiquitous challenge that architects face nowadays.
This module is composed of the following courses:
- BIM and Smart Construction – Theory – 3 ECTS
- BIM and Smart Construction – Studio – 3 ECTS
- Digital Tools for Integrative Modelling – 3 ECTS
- Digital Tools for Collaborative Workflows – 3 ECTS
- Digital Tools for Cloud-based Data Management – 3 ECTS
The Postgraduate in Artificial Intelligence in Architecture module focuses on teaching theoretical and practical knowledge in the use of most advanced tools for the design through machine learning and artificial intelligence. In this postgraduate course, you will learn the most advanced techniques for designing with such tools, using GAN models or deep learning algorithms to assist or fully automate the design at different levels.
This module is composed of the following courses:
- Artificial Intelligence in Architecture – Theory – 3 ECTS
- Artificial Intelligence in Architecture – Studio – 3 ECTS
- Digital Tools Generative Building Design – 3 ECTS
- Digital Tools for Computer Vision and Data Encoding – 3 ECTS
- Digital Tools for Algorithmic Geometrical Optimization – 3 ECTS
This fourth phase focuses on the extended research of the Development Studio Project of Module three (15 ECTS credits). During this period, students have the opportunity to integrate to their projects more in-depth issues related to the computational agenda, as well as the inherent material, organisational and spatial complexities determined by the chosen working scale and the experience gained during the year’s programme.
THE MaCAD ONLINE EXPERIENCE
AN ONLINE REAL-CLASS ENVIRONMENT
In contrast to the traditional Online programs and tutorials, the Master in Advanced Computation for Architecture & Design offers a real-class “virtual” environment, based on a continuous, interactive and collaborative learning process.
The MaCAD is not an solitary experience, as the program gives the possibility to be part of a selected group of international students, seamlessly connected thanks to the most advanced platform for video-conferencing and collaborative working.
The limited number of students (a maximum of 25 per course) ensures that each student can be rigorous and continuously followed by the faculty and the academic coordination team, with dedicated hours for academic counselling and administrative support.
FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE
Students can choose to follow the program in Synchronous or Asynchronous format, according to their time-zone or their personal schedule, and based on tutorials and lectures + mentoring group sessions.
> In the Synchronous format, students follow the lectures and live mentoring sessions using a video-conference and collaborative work tool (ZOOM). The day starts with the live mentoring group sessions with the faculty and the other students to review the students’ work and project development based on the previous week’s lectures and tutorials. After the live mentoring, a new lecture content is presented live to the class.
During the rest of the day, students can work on individual submission, interact with their colleagues or collaborate in groups counting on the online campus tools and chat rooms.
SYNCHRONOUS CALENDAR
Central European Time (CET) // West Africa Time
Live Group Mentoring – 10.00am to 11.00am
Lectures & Tutorials – 11.00am to 13.00pm
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East European Time // Central Africa Time (+1)
Live Group Mentoring – 11.00am to 12.00pm
Lectures & Tutorials – 12.00pm to 2.00pm
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Russia // Turkey // East Africa Time (+1)
Live Group Mentoring – 11.00am to 12.00pm
Lectures & Tutorials – 12.00pm to 2.00pm
*Please note that final schedule might slightly change and could vary according to local daylight savings time
INDIA time (+3.5)
Live Group Mentoring – 1:30pm – 2:30pm
Lectures & Tutorials – 2.30pm – 4.30pm
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CHINA time // West Australia Time (+6)
Live Group Mentoring – 4.00pm to 5.00pm
Lectures & Tutorials – 5.00pm to 7.00pm
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EAST AUSTRALIA TIME (+8)
Live Group Mentoring – 6.00pm to 7.00pm
Lectures & Tutorials – 7.00pm to 9.00pm
*Please note that final schedule might slightly change and could vary according to local daylight savings time
> In the Asynchronous format, tutorials and lectures are recorded daily and shared with the students. After having watched the recorded tutorials and lectures, students join the live mentoring group sessions in video-conference with the faculty and the other students to make questions, review their work and project development.
During the rest of the day, students can develop their work individually or interact with their colleagues, counting on the online campus platform, including online forums and chat rooms.
ASYNCHRONOUS CALENDAR
New York // East Coast Time ECT (-6)
Recorded Lectures & Tutorials – Available from 9:00am onwards
Live Group Mentoring – following day, 10:00am – 11:00am
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Central America // Mexico Time (-8)
Recorded Lectures & Tutorials – Available from 7:00am onwards
Live Group Mentoring – following day, 8.00am – 9:00am
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Los Angeles // West Coast Time (-9)
Recorded Lectures & Tutorials – Available from 6:00am onwards
Live Group Mentoring – following day, 7:00am – 8:00am
*Please note that final schedule might slightly change and could vary according to local daylight savings time
Central European Time (CET) // West Africa Time
Recorded Lectures & Tutorials – Available from 3:00pm onwards
Live Group Mentoring – following day, 4:00pm – 5:00pm
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East European Time // Central Africa Time (+1)
Recorded Lectures & Tutorials – Available from 4:00pm onwards
Live Group Mentoring – following day, 5:00pm – 6:00pm
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Russia // Turkey // East Africa Time (+1)
Recorded Lectures & Tutorials – Available from 4:00pm onwards
Live Group Mentoring – following day, 5:00pm – 6:00pm
*Please note that final schedule might slightly change and could vary according to local daylight savings time
INDIA time
Recorded Lectures & Tutorials – Available from 6.30pm onwards
Live Group Mentoring – following day, 7.30pm – 8.30pm
*Please note that final schedule might slightly change and could vary according to local daylight savings time
PROGRAMME DIRECTOR
David Andrés León
David Andres Leon is an architect with focus on the research, training and development of computational tools for the AEC industry.
He currently works for McNeel Europe providing support for third- party developers pushing the boundaries of interoperability and computational design globally. He is also part of the faculty of the Masters for Advanced Architecture in IAAC where he teaches in the Digital Matter studio alongside Areti Markopoulou. David also teaches programing for architects at the MPDA Masters programme of the UPC.
David holds a Master of Science Degree from the Institute for Computational Design and Construction (ICD) in Universitat Stuttgart and a Masters Degree in Advanced Design and Digital Architecture from the Escola Superior de Disseny i Enginyeria de Barcelona (Elisava). He has been involved in several research undertakings of which stand out his participation in German research platform FAT-LAB in Stuttgart and his collaboration as a research assistant in the Centre for Information Technology and Architecture (CITA) for the EU-Horizon 2020 Future and Emerging Technologies Proactive Action project Flora Robotica. David is also the co-author of varios publications in the field of architectural research and robotics.
PROGRAMME FACULTY
Academic Director:
Head of Studies:
Dr. Mathilde Marengo
Coordinator:
Laura Ruggeri
Faculty:
Alan Rynne
Angelos Chronis
Ardeshir Talaei
Arthur Mamou-Mani
Belen Torres
Clemens Preisinger
Gabriella Rossi
German Otto Bodenbender
Hesham Shawqy
Jane Burry
João Silva
Luis Fraguada
Maite Bravo
Manja Van De Worp
Mark Balzar
Matthew Tam
Óscar Herrero
Oana Taut
Oliver Thomas
Rodrigo Aguirre
Sarah Mokhtar
Stanislas Chaillou
Will Pearson
Xavier De Kestelier
Zeynep Aksöz
Assistants:
Amanda Gioia
Aleksander Mastalski
Aleksandra Jastrzębska
Andrés Antolín
Aris Vartholomaios
Dai Kandil
Ekaterina Vititneva
Erida Bendo
Francisco Pereira
Fun Yuen
Hager El-Sokaily
Irene Martín Luque
Joanna Maria Lesna
Justyna Szychowska
Krishna Bhat
Lea Khairallah
Levent Ozruh
Maria Papadimitraki
Nariddh Khean
Salvador Calgua
Serjoscha Duering
COLLABORATIVE ENTITIES AND TOOLS
The Master in Advanced Computation for Architecture & Design connects the students to an international network of practitioners, institutions and companies, leading pioneer computational design applications in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) field. MaCAD Faculty are members of renowned academic institutions and companies including Swinburne University, Austrian Institute of Technology, McNeel and many more.
SWINBURNE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
Swinburne University of Technology is a public research university based in Melbourne, Australia. It focuses on the development of career-ready graduates in business, health, science, design, technology and innovation, with a broad field of expertise and first rate facilities. IAAC is an off-shore PhD partner of Swinburne
CITY INTELLIGENCE LAB
The City Intelligence Lab (CIL) is an interactive digital platform to explore novel forms and techniques for the urban development practice of the future. As incubator for intelligent solutions the lab fosters the co-creation of digital urban planning workflows and processes, applying augmented reality and interactive design interfaces to create simulations, generative design and artificial intelligence solutions.
McNEEL EUROPE
Founded in 1980, McNeel is a privately-held, employee-owned company which became well-known by its line of products for industrial design and visualization. The key and most popular of these products is Rhino 3D — a system for advanced but affordable NURBS based 3D-modeling. The company has more than 700 resellers, distributors, OEMs, and training centers around the world.
SPACEMAKER AI
Spacemaker is a technology company founded on the belief that there is a better way to design cities, and a vision that this needs to happen as the population of the world grows to new highs. Spacemaker enable architects, real-estate developers and other stakeholders in the AEC industry to make data-driven decisions from the very moment a project begins. To continuously iterate on designs and to explore the boundaries of what is possible on a site. Put together, we believe that these capabilities will enable the industry to design better cities for more people
SPECKLE
Speckle is the data platform that liberates AEC from proprietary file formats & closed source software. It is an open infrastructural base on which we, as a community of AEC hackers and doers, can shape the digital future of the built environment. Speckle avoids struggling with transfer data from a software to another, ensuring continuous and seamless workflow
NOUMENA
Noumena is a multidisciplinary tech company implementing innovative solutions in the fields of Robotics, 3D printing and Wearable Tech.
Specialized in 3d scanning, additive manufacturing, computational design, Noumena offers custom services to leverage existing solutions and support the digital transformation of agriculture and construction, manufacturing, and fashion sectors.
Students of the MaCAD are trained to use a large variety of technological tools and softwares including
MaCAD LIFE AND PROJECTS' HIGHLIGHTS
SEMINAR DIGITAL TOOLS FOR COMPLEX FORMING
Through the guidance of Faculty Hesham Shawqy and Faculty Assistant Erida Bendo, the students of the Master in Advanced Computation for Architecture & Design (MaCAD) embark on a transformative educational journey, honing their abilities to craft innovative, sustainable, and efficient architectural solutions inspired by the world around us.
MaCAD STUDENTS GAIN INSIGHTS FROM FRANZ FORSBERG OF DATATREES
In the realm of architectural design, the integration of computational technologies has revolutionized the way architects approach their projects. As part of the Advanced Computation for Environmental and Structural Design module, students from the Master in Advanced Computation for Architecture & Design (MaCAD) programme recently had the opportunity to gain invaluable insights from industry expert Franz Forsberg.
AI IN ARCHITECTURE: MaCAD STUDENTS LEARNING HOW TO RADICALLY INNOVATE THE AEC SECTOR!
In the third and last module of the MaCAD students explored the use of the most advanced tools for designing through machine learning and artificial intelligence.
How will Artificial Intelligence (AI) change the AEC sector and the role of designers?
MaCAD Scholarship Competition 2021
The Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia announces a new Scholarship Competition for the next edition of our online Master in Advanced Computation for Architecture and Design (MaCAD) giving our master’s applicants the chance to win three partial scholarships covering 20% of the tuition fee.
MaCAD Students running their Grasshopper Definitions on the cloud, within the BIM and Smart Construction Module!
During the Digital Tools for Cloud-based Data Management semina, MaCAD Students learned to develop Interactive 3D web applications, to publish their Grasshopper Definitions online, making them accessible to everyone, even not skilled users who never used Rhino or Grasshopper!
BIM AND SMART CONSTRUCTION: DISCOVER MaCAD STUDENTS’ CUTTING-EDGE PROJECTS!
April 2021
The second module of MaCAD on Bim and Smart Construction successfully ended in March with the final presentations. Students showcased outstandign projects to an international jury panel. Check out their work at this link, and discover three relevant aspects of BIM and Smart Construction: Integrative modelling, collaborative workflows, and cloud-based data management in design.