Master in AI for Architecture & the Built Environment

Theodore has been working at the intersection of AI and Design for the last 6 years with a passion for creating AI solutions that generate, extract, and communicate design intelligence. An engineer and computational designer by trade, he quickly turned to AI to solve many of the frustrations of the modern design process. He co-developed and co-founded InFraRed, the world’s first AI-driven, urban performance design solution, where he serves as Chief Scientific Officer. He is the creator of Architext, the world’s first semantic generation model for architecture.  He is currently the Generative AI Lead at Aurecon, with a goal to create AI solutions that help optimise design, planning, and delivery processes while fostering collaboration and ensuring people are at the centre of this transformation. He is an active contributor to the open source AI community and a PhD candidate at the Institute of Digital Games, in the University of Malta.

As a Director at Squint/Opera Jan oversees the creative and digital excellence for many international projects. He builds long-term relationships with leading industry partners and is instrumental in furthering the studio’s presence in the built environment and green technology industries. Jan’s wide network keeps him up-to-date on the latest technology and industry trends, which he brings back in-house, pushing the boundaries of Squint/Opera’s work. Before joining Squint, Jan worked as a landscape architect on many large-scale projects, and developed a deep knowledge of the built environment. With two decades of experience he has an intimate understanding of the world of architecture and urban design. In 2023 Jan Bunge joined IAAC as MaCT Faculty.

Mara Balestrini is an accomplished Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) researcher and practitioner with 15 years of experience in spearheading digital transformation and innovation projects. Currently, she works at the Innovation Laboratory of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB Lab), where she leads the digital transformation program and provides guidance on using disruptive technologies in operations.
Prior to this role, Mara served as an advisor to the Secretary of State for Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence in the Government of Spain and as the CEO of the innovation consultancy Ideas for Change. She is also a co-founder of SalusCoop, a pioneering Spanish cooperative dedicated to citizens’ health data.

Mara’s educational background includes a PhD in Computer Science from University College London (UCL), an MSc in Cognitive Systems and Interactive Media from Pompeu Fabra University (UPF), and a BA in Audiovisual Communications. Beyond her professional roles, she is a member of the board of trustees at IAAC and a research fellow at ESADE’s Center for Public Governance (EsadeGov). Her work has been recognized with awards from ACM CHI, ACM CSCW, and Ars Electronica, and has been featured in prominent media outlets such as the BBC, The Guardian, The Financial Times, and El País.

Martin Andreas Petersen works with sustainable economic development and sustainable technologies. He excels at strategy, solution identification, and brings with him experience in and a deep understanding of startups, governance, finance and the potential of climate friendly technology and innovation to ensure that cities and countries can inclusively grow their economies while also becoming greener.

Why? He wants some crazy things in life – such as having his grand-children breathe air, drink water, and eat food without being poisoned. That isn’t enough though. His aim is for us to be the first generation to leave the planet better than we got it.