From June 1 to 5, the campus hosted the International Week on “Regenerative Design and Biophilic Design,” organized by the Master's Degree management design management of Buildings. During the event, Bill Browning, researcher in design , led various sessions and workshops, which were attended by students from the AA School of Architecture in London, alongside Professor Paula Cadima, and students from NUS Singapore, alongside Professor Nirmal Kishnani.

Isabel Ruiz, a Master's Degree student, shares entrance experience from this week in this entrance :

“This week, we explored how architecture can heal the urban fabric and improve people’s lives on different scales. We began on Monday by analyzing urban regeneration in Madrid, where Professor Mayka García explained the transformation process of Madrid Río, a project buried the M-30 highway to create a linear park that serves as a social connector and green infrastructure. That same afternoon, we were able to see the internship application internship sustainability during the technical visits we made to the Sanitas headquarters and the IDOM headquarters. At the latter building, we observed firsthand how high-energy-efficiency architecture is realized through passive solutions, such as its active green roof and thermal activation building systems (TABS).

Architecture, a reflection of nature

From Tuesday to Thursday, our sessions focused on design and biomimicry, led by Professor Bill Browning. We learned that, unlike traditional sustainability, which aims for zero impact, the approach seeks to have buildings actively restore their local ecosystems. Browning guided us through the different scales of biomimicry and iconic New York City projects like the High Line, showing us how architecture can mimic nature’s processes.  In addition, we had the opportunity to use the RESTOR platform, an tool global mapping tool that allowed us to analyze data and biological data from different locations around the world, understanding the importance of assessing the biophysical context before planning any intervention.

Building an impact on health

The core of the classes with Browning focused on design and its 15 principles, aimed at reducing stress and improving human concentration by integrating nature into the built environment. We analyzed case studies in New York under the concept of "Factory as a Forest, " where hyper-dense industrial interiors are transformed through microclimates and circadian lighting. We also discussed how a poorly executed design can create unhealthy or stressful environments if the patterns are not balanced. We put internship this internship in a group exercise where we were assigned a hostile and confined space—such as a train car or a train station—and designed strategies for cross-ventilation, natural light patterns, green roofs, and auditory stimuli to adapt it to the specific needs of the clientele.

Library of a Thousand Suns

We spent Friday visiting projects that stand out for their efficiency and their strong social and environmental commitment. Our first stop was the Biblioteca Municipal de los Mil Soles in southern Madrid, where architect Garrido, one of the architects behind Madrid Río, explained the design process design the history of the building. We were able to see how the project  into the neighborhood and how it controls solar radiation using louvers that filter natural light, drastically reducing electricity consumption.

Infinite Delights

The second talk and technical tour was position Camilo from the Husos firm, which designed the Infinito Delicias building. Camilo explained his design philosophy, design on minimizing material and energy use, through three of his projects, showing us how they achieve bioclimatic efficiency through adaptable ventilated facades and management of thermal inertia.

This international experience was extremely enriching for me, as it allowed me to connect all the bioclimatic theory from Master's Degree the internship realities internship our profession. It was a great opportunity to transition from analyzing the large-scale urban planning of Madrid Río to working on the design of lighting, thermal comfort, and acoustics in the biophilia workshops with Bill Browning. I took away the fundamental lesson that a building is not an isolated object, but a living organism that must contribute positively to its surroundings and improve people’s quality of life. Furthermore, collaborating with colleagues in London and Singapore and learning about tools like RESTOR has given me a global perspective and a approach more regenerative approach that I am eager to apply in my upcoming projects.”