sustainable practices and healthy habitats.
sustainable practices and healthy habitats.
sustainable practices and healthy habitats.
How we impact
Research Excellence
We aims to enhance research excellence and innovation capacity in the field of evidence-based design and planning (EBDP) at the University of Cyprus (UCY).
Interdisciplinary Research
We promote interdisciplinary research and networking in the EBDP field by strengthening collaborations among partner institutions and other relevant research projects
Impact on Society
We aims to make a broader impact on the scientific community and society by developing sustainable urban governance ecosystems through stakeholder and public engagement in scientific knowledge development
Research
PS-U-GO will implement Urban Living Labs (ULLs) as educational spaces involving stakeholders from the quadruple helix to experiment and test ideas and solutions to urban challenges. The ambition of the project is to enable place-based civic participation to address issues of public concern in respect to common values. The aim is to equip students with advanced participatory and soft skills for sustainable urban governance through innovative education, set in real-life environments.
InPlaLabs aims to establish a transnational multi-stakeholder network of Integrated Planning Labs, to exchange, co-create and share knowledge toward forward-looking transdisciplinary planning perspectives addressing climate change and urban life in the post-pandemic city.
TWIN2EXPAND will enhance research capacities in evidence-based urban design and planning (EBDP) as a field of critical importance in the R&I of integrated approaches and technologies for effective spatial planning and sustainable urban governance. The project facilitates a partnership among University of Cyprus, three leading institutions in the field (University College London; Chalmers University of Technology; Polytechnic University of Turin) and one pioneering SME practicing EBDP (Space Syntax Limited). By addressing urban sustainability, TWIN2EXPAND will contribute to achieving targets of the Cyprus Smart Specialisation Strategy, the EU Green Deal and the Sustainable Urban Development Goals. The strategic objectives of the project are to enhance research excellence and promote interdisciplinary research and networking in the EBDP field, and to make a broader impact on the scientific community and society.
TWIN2EXPAND embraces the international networking ethos of the SDGs to achieve scientific excellence in the R&I of the built environment, fully embedding it within the quadruple helix by fostering collaboration with local authorities and other stakeholders. It aims to achieve a scientific and integrative approach to urban planning and governance as the entry point into effective transitioning to sustainable development. Focusing on emerging concepts and challenges in the field, the project proposes a generalised conceptual and working model of evidence-based urban design and planning.
By embedding open science practices within the project’s activities, TWIN2EXPAND will make significant contributions to research excellence, scientific advances and societal progress, implementing three pathways to maximise substantive real-world impact:
- innovative capacity-building in research management and excellence in the EBDP field;
- co-creation of evidence-based urban design and planning knowledge; and
- emphasis on translation of scientific knowledge to professional practice knowledge
The main objective is to develop, pilot and assess innovative educational methods, tools and material towards an integrated planning approach that takes –holistically- into account urban planning/design, mobility planning, participatory planning and evidence-based planning, since an integrated and holistic planning approach is essential for planning a people-centric, inclusive and climate-resilient city.
This novel approach is based on the rationale that, urban and transport actions for tackling climate crisis need to be considered in parallel and in combination, informed by state-of the-art evidence-based findings, and to be community-tailored through participatory planning to ensure the ownership of these measures by all stakeholders, and ultimately their efficiency and long-term prospect.
The BIP engages students to collaborative design approaches in diverse social, economic, and technological neighborhood contexts. It provides students with the knowledge and skills needed to operate in contemporary collaborative environments, utilising the skills and knowledge of others, and becoming trans-disciplinary practitioners, responding in a reflective and empathetic manner to the demands, constraints and opportunities afforded by the context within which design practices occur and by the engagement between people, materials, and technological practices.
SURF team publications
Explore the team’s contribution to Books, Edited Volumes, Research Projects documents, Journal Articles, PhD/PostDoc theses.
Publications
EPUM
Four short briefing papers on different urban morphological approaches: Historico-Geographical, Process Typological, Space Syntax, Relational.
EPUM_BP1_Historical-Geographical
SUGAR
ISUF2019 Conference Proceedings
Cities as Assemblages. 130 papers in 3 volumes presented at the 26th ISUF International Conference. Topics include: the scope and limits of urban theories; emergence, relational theories, the social sciences and urban morphology; combining Conzenian, Typological and Space Syntax approaches; embedding different approaches into the study of urban morphology; urban morphology, building typology and design; urban conflict and divided cities; Mediterranean port cities in a global context.
CYNUM2018 Conference Proceedings
Urban Morphology in South-Eastern Mediterranean Cities: Challenges and Opportunities. Twenty-eight papers presented at the 1st Cyprus Network of Urban Morphology regional conference. Topics include: urban morphology; urban form methodologies; urban evolution, conservation and heritage; urban sprawl and fringe belts; urban form and social phenomena; urban design and revitalisation; buildings design; urban conflicts.
PSUC 2018 Conference Proceedings
SUGAR
About participatory planning and design: full report on sustainable urban governance and a participatory framework for Cyprus; a conference paper reporting the systematic literature review of participatory case studies; a briefing paper summarising the evidence and the framework.
D.3.1-Sustainable-Urban-Governance-and-Participatory-Planning-Framework
News + Events
- Events
🌍 Join us for the Event “Integrated Spatial Planning: Interdisciplinary Approaches for Contemporary Challenges” organised by Commonspace Coop
📅 September 14, 2024
🕕 18:00
📍 PLYFA Space, Athens (Korytsas 39, Athens, 104 47)
We are excited to invite you to an open discussion organized by Commonspace Co-op as part of the InPlanEd (Erasmus+) project. The event will explore the economic, social, and environmental challenges cities face today, and the need for innovative, interdisciplinary solutions in spatial planning.
Speakers:
Pantoleon (Pantelis) Skayannis, Emeritus Professor, University of Thessaly, AESOP
Loukas Triantis, Assistant Professor AUTH, Vice President of SEPOX
Eleni Mougiakou, Lead Researcher of Urban Heat Watch
Yannis Paraskevopoulos, NTUA, School of Rural, Surveying and Geoinformatics Engineering, Sustainable Mobility Unit
The discussion will be moderated by Sofia Tsadari, commonspace, member of the SEPOX board, and a welcome address will be delivered by Efthimios Bakogiannis, Associate Professor NTUA.
Let’s explore together the contemporary challenges in planning! 🌿
👉 We look forward to seeing you there!
For updates and more information, follow us on our website (https://www.inplaned.eu), Facebook (https://lnkd.in/dMgBcPvg), LinkedIn (https://lnkd.in/dHiN3agh), and X (formerly Twitter) (https://x.com/InPlanEd).
Sustainable Mobility Unit, National Technical University of Athens
Society and Urban Form (SURF) Research Lab, University of Cyprus
Noumena
Commonspace Coop
AESOP – Association of European Schools of Planning
InPlanEd_EU InPlanEd EramusPlus UrbanPlanning UrbanDesign IntegratedPlanning PlanningCourse Cites4People InclusiveCities SustainableMobility ClimateResilience ParticipatoryPlanning EvidenceBasedDesign CPD
- News
Join our course in September! In-person (Athens + Nicosia) or online.
Open to postgraduatestudents and practitioners
👉 fill out the google form to receive more info and keep updated: https://lnkd.in/eDHXWqB6
Course highlights:
– innovative and flexible online or in-person learning format
– seminars and workshops by international experts
– real-world case studies and practical applications
– learning materials and recordings of seminars available on dedicated platform
– taught in English with summary materials available in Greek
Sustainable Mobility Unit, National Technical University of Athens
Society and Urban Form (SURF) Research Lab, University of Cyprus
Commonspace Coop
Noumena
AESOP – Association of European Schools of Planning
InPlanEd_EUInPlanEd EramusPlus UrbanPlanning UrbanDesign IntegratedPlanning PlanningCourse Cites4People InclusiveCitiesSustainableMobility ClimateResilience ParticipatoryPlanning EvidenceBasedDesign CPD
- News
🔎 PS-U-GO (www.psugo.eu, https://bit.ly/3SFcm1C) was presented at the 36th AESOP Annual Congress 2024, held at Sciences Po, from July 8th to 12th, in Paris, by Michalis Psaras, researcher at Society and Urban Form (SURF) Research Lab, University of Cyprus.
✍️ Titled “Transdisciplinary Education in Living Labs: Participatory Skills for Sustainable Urban Governance,” the presentation outlined the project’s aims and methodology. It focused on how community engagement through the establishment of user-centered Urban Living Labs (ULLs) and the incorporation of transdisciplinarity into architectural education can equip future professionals with the skills needed to navigate real-life challenges.
The presentation was part of track 10: ‘Education’ in the session ‘Integrated Approaches’ and was discussed alongside other research works on participatory approaches to city design and governance. This approach is a crucial tool in architectural pedagogy for systematizing collaboration and enhancing social sustainability in addressing modern urban challenges.
🙏 Special thanks to AESOP – Association of European Schools of Planning, the Local Organization Committee, the session chairs, and all the participants who contributed to the engaging discussions.
Looking forward to more opportunities to share and grow! 🚀
AESOP2024 UrbanGovernance LivingLabs SustainableCities TransdisciplinarityEducation Architecture UrbanPlanning CommunityEngagement SocialSustainability Inclusivity SURFLab UCY BTU CNR SFius PUSH UrbanFoxes TGPSUC
- News
🌿Citizens and Stakeholders Participation for the Strategic Planning of the Pedieos River: Collaborative Steps Towards Sustainable Development
Are you interested in how stakeholder participation can lead to more effective and equitable outcomes in sustainable urban development by incorporating diverse perspectives and expertise into decision-making processes? Recognizing the importance of citizen participation in urban planning, an innovative focus group discussion was held on July 3, 2024, as part of the Twinning towards Research Excellence in Evidence-Based Planning and Urban Design (TWIN2EXPAND) initiative by the Society and Urban Form lab (Society and Urban Form (SURF) Research Lab) at the University of Cyprus. Utilizing a participatory approach, the focus group brought together key stakeholders on a specific case study, promoting democratic dialogue and consensus-building, employing the Structured Democratic Dialogue Process (SDDP) to develop and record ideas on complex issues, leading to participatory decision-making.
👥 Key Collaborations:
The focus group on the new Strategic Plan of the PedieosRiver brought together all relevant stakeholders to discuss priorities for enhancing accessibility, environmental protection, and creating active public spaces along the river. Participants included residents, architects, and representatives from organizations such as the Cyprus Confederation Organisation of the Disabled (CCOD), Nicosia Inter-municipal Development Company (DAEL), the Thiasos (Θίασος) architecture studio, the café Amber and Joe, the Agioi Omologites Elementary School, the non-profit OPU – Organisation for Positive Urbanism, The Cyprus Institute, and Strovolos Municipality – Δήμος Στροβόλου .
Representatives worked together to discuss and prioritise ways to enhance accessibility, protect the environment, and create vibrantpublicspaces.
🌟 Key Outcomes:
Key outcomes regarding accessibility, connectivity, inclusivedesign, greeninfrastructure, activities and services, safety and cleanliness can be found in the focus group report [https://bit.ly/3AdLlMw].
🔍 Next Steps:
The next stage involves exploring and evaluating the main issues highlighted by stakeholders concerning the proposed Strategic Planning of the PedieosRiver using spatial analysis methods. These will be discussed in a subsequent participatory workshop, ultimately aiming to inform the preparation of related Policy Briefs to inform decision-makers.
For more information, https://lnkd.in/dKMtrqMs, https://bit.ly/3WRGDgl.
EvidenceBasedDesign UrbanPlanning SustainableDevelopment CommunityEngagement PedieosRiver TWIN2EXPAND SURF UniversityOfCyprus
- Events
The 14th International Space Syntax Symposium is starting on Monday! The TWIN2EXPAND team is presenting 3 papers:
1. Challenges and Barriers in Integrating Spatial-Models and Tools for Social-Economic Performance Assessment in Data-Scarce Urban Environments. The case of Cyprus. Ana Ricchiardi, Ph.D., Nadia Charalambous, Ilaria Geddes, Iason Giraud.
2. Scaling up Space Syntax: Framing Evidence-Based Design and Planning. Sepehr Zhand, Gareth Simons, Kayvan Karimi.
3. Post-implementation analysis of UK-based projects to identify how well space-syntax techniques are able to forecast the impact of design interventions.
Check out the programme at: https://lnkd.in/dXSGxvuj
Twin2Expand EvidenceBasedDesign HorizonEurope UKRI EBDP SpaceSyntax PostOccupancy Evaluation SpatialAnalysis
- News
We are excited to officially introduce PS-U-GO, our Erasmus Plus research project that will engage us in transforming urban spaces through participatory and sustainable planning in the next few years.
PS-U-GO – Education in Living Labs: Participatory Skills for Sustainable Urban Governance – involves a consortium of distinguished partners: Brandenburgische Technische Universität Cottbus-Senftenberg, CNR-IRISS Istituto di Ricerca su Innovazione e Servizi per lo Sviluppo, PUSH., Urban Foxes, Social Fringe: Interesting Untold Stories and AESOP Young Academics Network Thematic Group for Public Spaces and Urban Cultures – PSUC.
Our aim is to create Urban Living Labs where students, local residents, urban planners, and policymakers can collaborate to address urban challenges and co-create vibrant, sustainable communities.
Follow our Instagram page (https://lnkd.in/dbGyYU9r) for updates, insights, and participation opportunities.
Join us in shaping the future of urban living!
PSUGO UrbanGovernance EducationInnovation Participation UrbanLivingLabs
Nadia Charalambous Christina Panayi Michalis Psaras Ilaria Geddes Emilia Pardi Stefania Ragozino Ph.D. Gabriella Esposito Stefania Oppido Mariapatrizia Vittoria Bram Dewolfs Dafne Berc Tomislav Augustinčić Christine Mady University of Cyprus Erasmus Plus
