Director

Dr. Milad Showkatbakhsh holds a PhD from the Architectural Association, having previously earned an M.Arch from Pratt Institute—where he received the prestigious Sidney Katz Award for Design Excellence—and a BSc in Architectural Engineering from Shahid Beheshti University. Over his career, he has directed design technology for prominent practices across Asia, Europe, and the US, including Contemporary Architecture Practice (CAP). A widely published scholar, Milad currently directs the AA DLAB and the AA Istanbul Visiting School, where his research focuses on intersecting algorithmic design methodologies with large-scale digital fabrication. He is also the co-founder of Wallacei, an evolutionary and analytical engine embedding machine learning into Grasshopper 3D simulations. Through his practice, Morphogenetic Integration of Spaces and Habitats [MI:SH], he synthesizes architecture, advanced computation, and AI to deliver high-precision, data-informed, and environmentally responsible interventions in the built environment.

Founder

Dr. Michael Weinstock studied Architecture at the Architectural Association, where he has taught since 1989 across numerous leadership positions, culminating as Academic Head. He received the prestigious ACADIA Award for Excellence in 2008 for his outstanding contributions to the field. While his principal teaching and research are conducted at the AA, Michael has published and lectured globally, leading advanced studios and workshops on Emergence and computational design across Europe and the United States, including Yale, Rice, and Delft. He has also served as the Honorary Chief Academic Adviser to the International Research Centre of Computational Design at Tsinghua University and the University of Hong Kong. His seminal research explores the convergence of natural systems, evolutionary biology, and material sciences with architectural design, establishing foundational frameworks that integrate emergent behaviors with complex urban and ecological systems to inform the future of the built environment.

Studio Master

Dr. Anna Font holds a PhD in Design from the Architectural Association. After obtaining her bachelor's degree in architecture from ETSALS in Barcelona, she completed her Master in Architecture II from Harvard University Graduate School of Design. Anna has worked for global architectural offices across Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Boston, and Tokyo before establishing her independent practice, afo. Her extensive academic contributions include teaching at the University of Sheffield and Royal College of Art, alongside a decade-long tenure as a visiting professor at Universidad Torcuato Di Tella, where she coordinated the Undergraduate Design Thesis and founded the EAEU Archive of Architecture. Currently, Anna serves as the Head of Learning at the AA, teaching within both the Diploma and graduate schools, while actively publishing essays in AA Files and Plot. Her practice and research integrate computation with critical theory to deliver innovative, discursive frameworks that speculate on the transformation of contemporary architecture as a material practice.

Studio Tutor

Abhinav Chaudhary completed his Master of Science with distinction from the Architectural Association School of Architecture after obtaining his bachelor’s degree from SSAA in Delhi. Abhinav has worked for international practices like Orproject across Delhi, London, and Beijing, delivering award-winning installations fabricated from complex timber, metal, and plastic geometries. His postgraduate research on earthquake-resistant mycelium composite structures was published and presented at the ACADIA 2019 conference, focusing on organic material performance. He is a studio tutor at the AA EmTech programme, exploring the boundaries of material research and environmental optimization. Currently, he is an Associate Partner and Computational Design Lead at PLP Architecture, heading projects in Japan and pioneering AI-driven workflows within PLP Labs. His professional practice integrates parametric modeling and agent-based simulations to deliver advanced, data-informed computational solutions that enhance structural innovation and environmental performance in complex mixed-use developments globally.

Studio Tutor

Paris Nikitidis completed his MSc in Architectural Computation from the UCL Bartlett School of Architecture after obtaining his Diploma degree from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Paris has worked across multiple creative and technical domains as a gameplay and interaction designer, developing bespoke computational design systems and advanced digital fabrication workflows. His early research focused on the intersection of physical architecture and digital interaction, specifically exploring how game engines can redefine spatial environments. He serves as an technical tutor at the AA EmTech programme, focusing on interactive systems and machine learning applications. Currently, he is employed by Foster + Partners as a Software Developer, where he leads the exploration of extended reality (XR) and real-time game engines within the AEC industry. His professional practice integrates topology optimization, structural simulation, and AI-driven technology to deliver responsive, data-informed software solutions that enhance digital form-finding and human-computer interaction in the built environment.

Studio Tutor

Dr. Alvaro Velasco Perez holds a PhD from the Architectural Association, where he also completed his master’s degree in History and Critical Thinking in Architecture. After obtaining his professional qualification as an architect, Alvaro has collaborated in diverse teaching positions across several UK and international institutions, including Leeds Beckett University, the University of Hertfordshire, and the University of Navarra, alongside lecturing at the AA Summer School. His research has been widely presented at prominent educational institutions and conferences in global cities such as London, Paris, Berlin, Seville, Lagos, and Algiers. He is a theory tutor at the AA EmTech programme, focusing on the historical and discursive dimensions of computational design. His academic practice integrates spatial theory, architectural history, and critical thinking to deliver rigorous, data-informed pedagogical frameworks that enhance conceptual innovation, historical precision, and environmental responsibility in contemporary architectural education.

Studio Tutor

Krishna Bhat completed his Master of Science in Emergent Technologies and Design from the Architectural Association after obtaining his bachelor’s degree in architecture. Krishna has worked as a specialist computational consultant across the UK and Europe, delivering advanced parametric design training and workflows for leading industry entities such as Simply Rhino UK and Foster + Partners. His academic contributions include teaching at the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC) within the MaCAD programme, where he focused on ecological design thinking. He serves as a studio tutor at the AA EmTech programme, focusing on fabrication-aware design strategies and digital fabrication workflows. His professional practice integrates generative design, environmental simulation, and performance-driven data to deliver sustainable, computational solutions that enhance innovation, geometric precision, and material efficiency in complex architectural projects.

Studio Tutor

Danae Polyviou completed her Master's degree in Membrane Structures in Germany after obtaining her dual degree in Civil and Architectural Engineering from the University of Bath. Danae has worked for prominent international engineering firms across Stuttgart and Berlin before moving to London, where she served as an Associate Team Leader at AKT II, directing the specialized structural engineering team of the Parametric Applied Research group (P.Art). Her research and professional work focus on lightweight structures, complex geometries, and material intelligence. She is a Technical Studies Course Lecturer at the Architectural Association and AA EmTech, alongside tutoring at the Bartlett, RCA, Westminster, and Cardiff universities. Currently, she runs her own design-led structural engineering practice, formDP, based in Cyprus and London. Her practice integrates advanced structural engineering, computational form-finding, and material physics to deliver sustainable, data-informed structural solutions that enhance innovation and environmental responsibility in the built environment.