Advances in science and technology are creating new types of biological and living materials, processes and systems which are turning a growing number of buildings and other urban artefacts into metabolic, breathing organisms. These artefacts are not just efficient and ‘do less harm’, but are actually restorative and ‘give back’ to the environment.

Resource-smart architecture can generate energy, clean water, digest waste and purify the air. The convergence of biotechnology and information technology applied to landscape and urban design may create a number of social challenges, and at the same time, it is a promising future. With that in mind, the critical question is, why are products based on intelligent living solutions not yet used to address both local and global challenges? The Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC), as coordinator of this Erasmus+ initiative, has established the mission of connecting industry, the market and the field of research to find solutions to these increasing demands.

BUILD solutions aim to offer an educational programme engaging students, teachers and researchers and providing them with the necessary entrepreneurial skills and connections to bring intelligent living solutions for cities to the market, investigating biological systems, creating prototypes based on information technology and digital manufacturing, business plans and working with accelerators. Solutions which in turn can help us overcome the challenges posed by rapid urbanisation.

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Erasmus+ programme under grant agreement No. 2018 – 2387 / 001 – 001.