Blurring the boundary between research and practice, Mahdi Alibakhshian ‘s design approach has been focused on understanding the essence of materials in applying traditional and computational techniques (CAD/CAM) for achieving dynamic design systems in different scales and functions. Theses tectonic researches mostly tackle structural challenges that incorporates non-linear design process to find formal gestures that are playing a role in defining new forms of stability.

As the founding principal of QASTIC and adjunct professor of architecture at the Woodbury University, Mahdi’s work has been recognized by variety of media including the future of architecture in 100 buildings, the architectural culture 389, and the Architecture newspaper award 2013 for the Floatastic and the architectural league of New York for the Molly Folly 2014.

Mahdi holds Masters’ in Advanced Architectural design from University of Pennsylvania and University of Tehran (M.Arch). Prior to teach at Woodbury University, Mahdi has considerable experience in the design and construction while working in the offices of  NADAAA, Cesar Pelli, Koetterkim Associates and Fluid Motion Architects in Tehran