Geomorphing Terrascape

Computational housing from informal barrio logic using WFC

by Ramón García Ayala, IAAC MaCAD, 2026

Tutors: James McBennett, Lucia Leva Fuentes, Laukik Lad

Geomorphing Terrascape addresses the complex urban fabric of Chihuahua, Mexico by embracing what the project calls the Geometry of Necessity - encoding the survival logic of traditional Mexican informal barrios into a dignified, resilient and dynamic housing system. The work translates self-constructed praxis into a scalable computational model, moving beyond both top-down planning and uncontrolled sprawl.

The project uses Monoceros and the Wave Function Collapse algorithm to rationalize informal urban sprawl without erasing its inherent adaptability. Barrio architecture is broken down into discrete modules - living units, structural supports, circulation paths and terraces - each carrying the spatial DNA of organic settlement growth. Survival logic and growth patterns are encoded as strict mathematical rules, ensuring door alignment, structural adaptation to slopes and natural light preservation.

The WFC solver generates complex, multi-layered aggregations that mimic organic barrio morphology while guaranteeing functional compatibility across all modules. The result is a housing system that respects the intelligence embedded in informal construction while providing the structural integrity and scalability of computational design.