PhD Position in Architecture and Data Visualization

About the Position

We invite applications for a PhD position in Architecture and Data Visualization, situated within the broader field of Living Data Studies. This interdisciplinary research investigates the role of building design within social and ecological systems. The position will focus on data visualization as a means to bridge the gap between architectural design practice and social and ecological data that implicate building design decisions.

One challenge architects face is that they rarely have time or budget to monitor and visualise data collected about buildings that have already been built in order to iterate and improve on designs for the future. In order to collect data from designed buildings and then leverage it for design decisions (referred to as post-occupancy studies), architects must apply qualitative and quantitative research methods, data analysis and visualisation techniques. These processes are often time consuming, difficult to translate across projects and involve multiple data types. Yet, linking building design decisions to social and ecological systems is becoming essential for architects to justify decisions with real data to clients. It is also valuable for architects who want to illustrate how their decisions have measurable social and environmental impacts to the public.

PhD Research Focus

This PhD project will develop methods for visualising architectural qualities of buildings through a series of case study projects using building data from post occupancy evaluations (qualitative interview data and building monitoring sensor data). The goal is to help:

• Architects determine which data visualisation methods can help them understand how their decisions impact social and ecological systems.
• Researchers communicate findings about social and ecological systems within the domain of architecture research and practice.

You will work, in-person, in an open and collaborative working environment with students and academic faculty in the Building Knowledge Section, in the Department of Architecture at TU Delft. The project is a fixed timeline of four years, with a go-no-go session after approximately one year.

You will be directly supervised by Dr. Angela Rout, and promoted by Dr. Georg Vrachliotis. You will develop a core thesis topic, conduct literature reviews, explore data resources close to home (TU Delft) and beyond, develop and evaluate data visualisation prototypes, present work at local and international conferences, and publish findings in top-tier academic venues.

Job requirements

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct in-person applied research on applicability of data visualization methodologies in architectural design that are well embedded in the broader Living Data Studies research themes;
• Work with sensor and text data (e.g., air quality, temperature, humidity, light, human movement, plant conditions, interviews) to explore innovative ways to communicate these datasets through visual means;
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams for example: the Design Data and Society research group, architects in practice, data scientists, ecologists, and human-computer interaction specialists;
• Publish research in high-impact journals and present findings at international conferences;
• Complete graduate school courses and related requirements for PhD completion at TU Delft and the Department of Architecture.

What We Offer

• A fully-funded four-year PhD position in a dynamic, interdisciplinary research environment;
• Access to state-of-the-art labs, data resources, sensor technologies, and visualization tools;
• Opportunities for international collaboration and research dissemination;
• A supportive academic environment fostering innovation in architectural design and data visualization.

Required Qualifications

• A Master’s degree in Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Urban Design, Industrial Design, Environmental Design, or a related field;
• Strong interest in data visualization and sensor-based environmental monitoring;
• Experience in data visualization tools and programming languages (e.g., R, Processing, D3.js, Python, Unity, or similar);
• Demonstrated capacity to initiate projects and build collaborative networks;
• Ability to maintain productivity on an independent project while also contributing to interdisciplinary collaborations and team work;
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.

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.

Faculty Architecture & 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.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment.

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.