Veronika Antoniou is an architect, urban practitioner, and researcher whose work bridges urban design and socially engaged practices. She is a Special Scientist for Research at the SURF Lab, contributing to the Active RoofTops (aRTes) project with a focus on rooftop design policy and best practices in France.

As co-founder and director of Urban Gorillas, she has over a decade of experience leading creative projects that activate public spaces and foster inclusive, participatory urban experiences. She has also co-curated major cultural events, including the Cyprus Pavilion at the Venice Biennale of Architecture and the Pame Kaimakli neighborhood festival.

Her international academic background includes architectural studies at Pratt Institute (New York), research at Kyoto University, a Master’s in Urban Planning from INSA Strasbourg. In 2025, she completed her Ph.D. from the University of Tokyo’s Community Collaborative Design Lab, where she examined urban commoning and the role self-organised urban collectives in shaping resilient, inclusive cities.

Keywords: Participatory Urban Design, Urban Commons & Commoning, Community-driven Spatial Practices, Public Space Activation, Festival Curation, Socially Engaged Urban Practices