In Final Phases of the Masters in Advanced Architecture program students attend one of three Research Studios: Self-Sufficient Buildings, Digital Tectonics or Emergent Territories. At the end of Phase II MAA Students presented their initial proposals. Throughout Phase III they will refine this research for their final presentations. Last week, MAA Students in the Emergent Territories and Self Sufficient Buildings Development Studios had midterm reviews of their final projects.

The Emergent Territories studio, run MAA Co-Director Willy Müller, presented to an outside jury consisting of Bostjan Vuga from SADAR+VUGA and Miguel Roldán from Roldán + Berengué as well as studio assistant Maite Bravo and Luis Fraguada, IAAC staff.

The Self Sufficient Buildings Studio, run by IAAC Director Vicente Guallart and Javier Peña, presented to a jury which also included Bostjan Vuga as well as, studio assistant, Rodrigo Rubio.

This year final presentations will be held the week of June 27. All presentations are open to the public. We invite you to come to see the students present. More information will be provided closer to the week of presentations.

This week MAA students in the Self Sufficient Buildings Development Studio took a trip to Construmat 2011 with studio instructor, Javier Peña. Construmat is an annual trade show for the construction industry held in Barcelona. This year over 1,300 companies were at the trade show presenting their new products and innovations.

MAA students learned about new materials and technologies such as solar panels, solar water heaters, shading systems and water saving home appliances. Students had a chance to learn about the current market of construction materials and to see how they can incorporate them into their research at IAAC.

(Above- IAAC Faculty Javier Peña working with MAA Student Manuel Alejandro Huerta Fernandez (Mexico) in DS2)

Last week students in the Masters for Advanced Architecture Program began work in their Development Studios. Phase III of the MAA Program is an Open Educational Structure where the students attend a Development Studio plus 1 seminar engaged with the studio (MAA Research Trips) and 2 seminars chosen within their academic interest. Phase III continues its focus in three different scales of investigation: territorial, architectural and parametric design.

This Development Studio is led by Vicente Guallart (IAAC Director) and Javier Peña assisted by Rodrigo Rubio. They are joined by guest expert, Nikos Salingaros.

(Above: MAA Student Larisa Melnikova (Russia) working with  IAAC Faculty Javier Peña and Studio Assistant Rodrigo Rubio)