IAAC’s Project MO.CA Awarded the Design Educates Awards 2024

The Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC) is pleased to announce that Mobile Catalyst (MO.CA), a prototype by the students and researchers of the Master in Advanced Ecological Buildings & Biocities (MAEBB), has been awarded by the Design Educates Awards 2024 with the Solarlux Choice in Architectural Design prize.

MO.CA is an advanced and ecological mobile home built using ‘zero-kilometre’ natural materials and digital construction techniques, emphasizing sustainability and positive environmental impact.

The prototype is organized by two “toolboxes” at either end of a flexible, central open space made from 4 cm thick dowel laminated timber (DLT) panels, which avoid toxic adhesives and support sustainable, circular reuse. MO.CA also has an adaptable facade that consists of layered glass doors and fabric panels, allowing adjustment of the central space’s openness to the external surroundings.

MO.CA has been awarded the Solarlux Choice in Architectural Design prize by the 2024 Designs that Educate Awards. Each year, these awards recognize projects that respond to complex social and environmental contexts and carry significant educational value. This year’s awards attracted applicants from 50 different countries, showcasing the world’s best ideas and realizations in architectural, product, and universal design.

The 2024 jury, comprising renowned experts such as Prof. Toyo Itō, Prof. Benedetta Tagliabue, Prof. Fuensanta Nieto, and David Basulto, among others, selected outstanding projects that demonstrate lasting impact on users and the environment. In addition to the jury’s evaluation, representatives of Solarlux selected the Solarlux Choice laureates, with MO.CA standing out for its exceptional innovation and ecological sustainability.

The awards ceremony will take place in September during the Architecture in Foyer VI event at the Solarlux Campus in Melle, Germany.

The gallery of all Design That Educates Awards winners can be viewed here.

Project Credits
Direction: Vicente Guallart, Daniel Ibañez and Michael Salka
Academic coordination: Esin Zeynep Aydemir
Lab managers: Bruno Ganem Coutinho, Lorenzo Salinas
Staff: Laia Pifarré, Pilar Fontanals, Laura Sanchez
Designed and Developed by: The students of the Masters programme in Advanced Ecological Buildings & Biocities (MAEBB), 2022/23 class: Austin Brown, Basant Abdelrahman, Carla Alvear Arizaga, Jacek Antoni Kostrzewa, Jackie Williams, Julia Aurora Guzmán, Larsen Bidstrup, Raffaele Schiavello, Ruhani Adlakha, Sneham Pandey, Mariano Rodriguez Alonso, Sadegh Raoufi Fard, Charles Casbolt, Aishwarya Balsekar, Disha Arora, Indraneel Joshi, Laila Nabulsi, Nicolas Rotta, Nishanth Maheshwaran, Pradyumna Vikharankar, Prati Jain, Rujuta Chauhan, Shruti Sahasrabudhe and Santwana MalakarProject
Host: Valldaura Labs of the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia
Sponsors: Luz Negra, Tallfusta
With the support of: Parc de Collserola
Advised by: Jesus Bueno, Jochen Scheerer, Miquel Rodriguez, Thatcher Bean
Photography: Adrià Goula

About Design Educates Awards 2024

The Design Educates Awards are organized by the Laka Foundation (a nonprofit and nongovernmental organization). The inspiration for the awards theme comes from the research called Educating Buildings (Bildende Bauten) by Dr. Peter Kuczia.