The Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC) Valldaura Labs team is proud to announce the launch of the first 100% online Master in Mass Timber Design – MMTD. This program will train a new generation of architects, engineers and designers in the knowledge and skills necessary to undertake the design of buildings constructed from wood; a renewable, reusable and sustainable material that is constantly gaining ground from intense technological development. To achieve this, the training space will combine three modules to be developed over ten months, from the end of January 2021 to October of the same year.
The Master counts among its contributors the world’s leading experts in wood design and construction, including director Daniel Ibañez, international expert in wood architecture and urbanism and author of the book Wood Urbanism, Minna Riska (MDH Arkitekten of Norway), Andrew Waugh (Waugh Thistleton Architects of the UK), Elena Orte and Guillermo Sevillano (Suma Arquitectura of Madrid), Vicente Guallart (Guallart Architects of Barcelona), Felipe Riola, Patrick Spencer, Felipe Victorero, Michael Salka and Firas Safieddine.
The most recent advances enable reaching new building heights through prefabricated and highly industrialized systems built with wood. Additionally, wood is recognized as a material that can be exploited in a sustainable way, given trees sequester CO2 from the air during their growth. For this reason, the construction sector is gradually migrating towards the execution of wooden buildings which represent a reduction in construction times, energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions.
These refined construction processes require specialized architects, engineers and designers skilled in the relevant techniques and who will become the key agents in successfully migrating to this new construction model. To grow this knowledge community, the master proposes a virtual scenario where professors, professionals and institutions will join to form a launching pad for the future of the students.
The Master’s students will be able to connect synchronously or asynchronously in order to participate in all activities and will be monitored by a select group of professionals who will accompany them throughout the process. This training space will communicate theoretical subjects in which recent and significant case studies will be analyzed by their own authors, as well as practical design classes that will follow a studio methodology, to complement the learning of all the digital tools necessary for the development of this typology of projects.
In short, this master’s degree represents a unique opportunity for all interested parties from anywhere in the world to be quickly and conveniently trained in the design of state-of-the-art wooden buildings.
The IAAC began its academic activity accredited by the Polytechnic University of Catalonia in 2001. Since then, it has developed multiple European Projects and academic programs with profound explorations in manufacturing, parametric design, and innovative technologies applied to the city. Over almost 20 years, it has exceeded 1,500 graduates from more than 70 countries around the world.
The first edition of the MMTD begins January 25th, 2021 – now accepting applications!
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