PhD Position 3D Reconstruction and Modelling of Roofs in European Cities

PhD Position 3D Reconstruction and Modelling of Roofs in European Cities

Are you passionate about urban innovation, advanced 3D modeling, and impactful European research? Join the EU-funded "MultiRoofs" project, and shape the European cities skyline of tomorrow! 🌆

Job description

The overall goal of this fully-funded PhD position is to support the researchers and practitioners in the project "MultiRoofs" by designing and implementing algorithms for the 3D reconstruction of buildings and for the classification of roofs. MultiRoofs (Multifunctional Roofscapes for smart, green and just urban densification) is an EU-project that aims to enable public authorities to increase the multifunctional use of rooftops in their urban areas. The project is composed of 25+ industry and academic partners in Western Europe (including Rotterdam, Paris, Dublin, Brussels) and it is an extension of a prototype developed in Rotterdam, the Netherlands by MVRDV.

The backbone of the current prototype is the 3DBAG, a dataset containing automatically reconstructed 3D models of all 10M+ buildings in the Netherlands; this dataset is (jointly) developed and maintained by our research group.

The main goals of the PhD candidate will include:

• Enhancing 3D Building Reconstruction Algorithms: Refine and adapt existing 3D building reconstruction algorithms to incorporate additional data sources, such as aerial imagery, lidar datasets with varying densities, and coarser building footprints, enabling the generation of 3D models for various European cities.
• Advancing LoD3.0 Model Reconstruction: Improve algorithms to support detailed LoD3.0 models by identifying and modeling roof structures such as dormers, chimneys, and other significant architectural elements.
• Improving Dormer Reconstruction: Create robust techniques for better regularisation and symmetry of dormers (a current limitation).
• Optimizing Roof Categorization Workflows: Design improved workflows for categorizing roofs according to the various use cases defined by project partners.

The project will take place in the 3D geoinformation group at TU Delft under the supervision of Dr Hugo Ledoux and Prof. Jantien Stoter.

The 3D geoinformation research group at the Delft University of Technology focuses on advancing the technologies and algorithms essential for (3D) geographical information systems (GIS). Our mission is to design, develop, and implement cutting-edge solutions for modeling 3D buildings, cities, and landscapes.

We are a multidisciplinary team comprised of computer scientists, geomatics, mechanical and aerospace engineers, and geographers. Our group includes 8 permanent research staff, along with numerous PhD students, postdocs, and visiting scholars. This diversity allows us to address 3D urban challenges from various perspectives, to process and analyse raw data, and to apply our findings to real-world applications like wind and energy consumption modeling in urban environments.

Our group has a strong track record of successful collaborations with both industry and government entities. Our research has resulted in several widely-used open-source software projects and has resulted in the international open standard CityJSON. We have notably developed and we continue to co-maintain the award-winning 3DBAG, an open dataset comprising all 10 million+ 3D buildings.

Job requirements

We are looking for one highly motivated candidate who holds an MSc degree (or has completed her/his MSc by the start of the position) in geomatics/civil/aerospace/environmental engineering, geoinformatics, computer science, or in a related discipline.

The candidate is expected to have:

• Strong interest in computational geometry and 3D reconstruction.
• Experience with the management and analysis of 3D geo-data.
• Good programming skills (C++ being an advantage).
• An affinity for working in multi‐disciplinary teams in an international oriented environment.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills (in English); see requirements at TUDelft.

The starting date is in consultation with the candidate, and we aim at 1 July 2025 at the latest.

TU Delft (Delft University of Technology)

Delft University of Technology is built on strong foundations. As creators of the world-famous Dutch waterworks and pioneers in biotech, TU Delft is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context.

At TU Delft we embrace diversity as one of our core values and we actively engage to be a university where you feel at home and can flourish. We value different perspectives and qualities. We believe this makes our work more innovative, the TU Delft community more vibrant and the world more just. Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale. That is why we invite you to apply. Your application will receive fair consideration.

Challenge. Change. Impact!

Faculty Architecture and the Built Environment

The Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment has a leading role in education and research worldwide. The driving force behind the faculty’s success is its robust research profile combined with the energy and creativity of its student body and academic community. It is buzzing with energy from early in the morning until late at night, with four thousand people studying, working, designing, conducting research and acquiring and disseminating knowledge. Our faculty has a strong focus on 'design-oriented research’, which has given it a top position in world rankings.

Staff and students are working to improve the built environment with the help of a broad set of disciplines, including architectural design, urban planning, building technology, social sciences, process management, and geo-information science. The faculty works closely with other faculties, universities, private parties, and the public sector, and has an extensive network in the Netherlands as well as internationally.

Conditions of employment

Doctoral candidates will be offered a 4-year period of employment in principle, but in the form of 2 employment contracts. An initial 1.5 year contract with an official go/no go progress assessment within 15 months. Followed by an additional contract for the remaining 2.5 years assuming everything goes well and performance requirements are met.

Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, increasing from € 2872 per month in the first year to € 3670 in the fourth year. As a PhD candidate you will be enrolled in the TU Delft Graduate School. The TU Delft Graduate School provides an inspiring research environment with an excellent team of supervisors, academic staff and a mentor. The Doctoral Education Programme is aimed at developing your transferable, discipline-related and research skills.

The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, discounts on health insurance, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged.

For international applicants, TU Delft has the Coming to Delft Service. This service provides information for new international employees to help you prepare the relocation and to settle in the Netherlands. The Coming to Delft Service offers a Dual Career Programme for partners and they organise events to expand your (social) network.

Additional information

For more information about this vacancy, please contact directly Dr Hugo Ledoux (h.ledoux@tudelft.nl) or Prof.dr. Jantien Stoter (j.e.stoter@tudelft.nl).

The position will remain open until the 2nd of March, 2025.