Throughout my work I seek out and thrive in truly collaborative environments that put diversity, equality, inter-disciplinarity and co-creation at the centre. It is with this spirit that I intend to direct Tampere University's multi-disciplinary Institute for Advanced Study (from August 2026-Dec 2028, 50%) with colleagues across the university and beyond.

Alongside this I am also (full) Professor of Sustainable Housing Design, a position I was promoted into in 2023 after having dedicated two decades to teaching, designing and researching sustainable architecture. Working at the nexus of the humanities and technology, my expertise is in inclusive, adaptable and 'green' living environments both for new design but also transformations and new methods and processes (of researching, designing and teaching) to achieve this urgent societal transition. 

I am particularly interested in how societal and environmental challenges affect the design, use and care of space, and sustainability impacts and implications, and how people affect and change space, its use and performance. This includes spatial and environmental housing adaptations to respond to a changing climate, urban biodiversity decline and changing demographics (e.g. ageing population) and user needs. Understanding these needs and impacts are not only of high scientific but also societal (design practice, educational) value and feed through in my academic, industry and educational publications and activities to influence the practice and role of (future) architects in the real-world (selection of student works here). To truly increase our understanding of how buildings and spaces work in reality and how they are used and change over time (i.e. actual performance and user satisfaction), working with colleagues in other disciplines is not only an asset but a necessity. Hence I thrive when learning from and with others, and I love collecting data and being on site, observing and listening to how people use and care for space, and surveying buildings, including the use of in-situ monitoring techniques.

I am an architect by training, in addition to which I completed an MSc Architecture in Advanced Environmental and Energy Studies (UEL, 2000), and a Masters in Research in Building Energy Demand Reduction at UCL (University College London, Bartlett Faculty of the Built Environment, 2012), where I also completed my PhD in 2016; both degrees were fully funded by the UK Government (EPSRC - Engineering and Physical Research Council). I bring experience from practice (e.g., Levitt Bernstein Architects and ECD Architects), and from the Aarhus School of Architecture in Denmark (2018-19), the Bartlett Faculty of the Built Environment (University College London, 2011-2016), as well as the Sheffield School of Architecture (2015-2018), and the University of East London (UEL, 2001-2011). I joined Tampere University part-time as Assistant Professor in autumn 2018 (while part-time at the Aarhus School of Architecture in Denmark), joining Tampere University full-time in August 2019, and being promoted to Associate Professor in July 2021 and to Full Professor in February 2023. I have been honoured to represent and co-chair the Sustainable Housing Design research group at Tampere University (ASUTUT).

Current research projects focus on current and anticipated societal and environmental challenges, and the resilience and capacity of people and living environments to respond to, and adapt to these changes, now and in the future. I am PI of the 5M€ Horizon Europe  INNATURE project that aims to enhance biodiversity & social inclusion by transforming living environments in 5 European cities. Other projects include 'Housing in Change', funded by YH Kodit and the Western Finland Housing Foundation(2020-2022) and follow-on project Kotiluontoon (2023, older adults' homes and nature connections) conducted with colaegues in Gerontology and nursing Sciences; and with colleagues in Real Estate Economics and Futures Studies) we worked on T-Winning Spaces 2035: Working from Home and digital transition (Academy of Finland funded 2023-2025 and on RESCUE: Real Estate and Sustainable Crisis Management in Urban Environments, Academy of Finland (2020-2023). The multi-disciplinary Horizon Europe INPERSO project studies personalised and user centric low carbon housing adaptations (2022-2026), implemented in three EU countries, while JUSTHEAT studied the history of home heating and a just future green transition was funded by the Academy of Finland and part-funded by HE (2022-2025) and was a collaboration with social and energy policy researchers accross 4 European countries. For more projects and publications see www.sustainablehousingdesign.com. I am board member of STUE - Sustainable Transformation of Urban Environments (PROFI 6, 2021-2026) and member of CLL - Century  Long Lives (PROFI 7, 2023-2028). 

I also led the Erasmus+ funded international consortium 'ARCH4CHANGE: Digital climate emergency curriculum for architectural education- methods towards carbon neutrality' (2020-2023), with more material being produced and finalised. It aims to tackle skills, knowledge and value gaps by increasing student and educator knowledge about responding to climate change, going beyond basic and fragmented sustainability knowledge in architecture. This is linked to ARCH4FUTURE (Finnish Ministry of Culture funded). 

To date I have (co)authored over 75 peer-reviewed publications, including a sole-authored book (The Environmental Design Pocketbook, Ed 1: 2012, Ed 2: 2015; Edition 3 due in 2027; RIBA). I am co-author of peer-reviewed 'People, Energy, Buildings- Making Sustainable Architecture Work' (2021, RIBA) and lead author of 'Designing for the Climate Emergency: A Guide for Architecture Students' (RIBA). I also co-guest-edited the first volume of the RIBA Design Studio Journal: 'Architecture and the Climate Emergency: Everything Needs to Change' (2021) and am co-guest editor of Routledge research book 'Architectural thinking and the climate emergency' (2025) - of which an open access book is freely available.

Additionally, I (co)-authored several other book chapters and have contributed over 50 industry articles and invitations for keynote speeches, guest presentations, or other invited scientific or industry roles in the past few years alone. I was invited on the Finlandia architecture prize pre-jury judging panel (2026-2027).

I was an Associate Editor of peer reviewed journal Buildings and Cities (2020-2022) and was Visiting Professor at TU Dublin (2024), Sheffield University (2020-2022), External Examiner at Cambridge University (Interdisciplinary Design for the Built Environment masters, 2018-2021). I acted as a reviewer for the Portuguese Arts Funding Council (2026), the Swedish Research Funding Council FORMAS (Sustainable urban and rural development, 2018-2021), the ERC (2022), Swiss National Funding Council (2023), Canadian Chair (2023) and for several conferences (Sustainable Built Environment, ATUT, PLEA etc), and for several journals such as Energy and Buildings, BRI, ICE, BSERT, NJAR, Journal of Architecture, Architectural Research Finland etc. I also regularly peer-review book proposals and book manuscripts for RIBA and Routledge. 

I am a Senior Fellow of the UK Higher Education Academy in recognition of my pedagogical approaches, and I also hold pedagogical training certificates from Denmark and Finland in support of student-centred learning. Some of my pedagogical approaches for embedding sustainability in design courses and use of peer-peer and blended learning have also been published.

Recognition of my work includes being one of the Architect's Journal Climate Champions (podcast interview here, 2020), Bartlett PhD Alumni Role model (2017), RIBA Role Model (2015), Women influencing sustainability in architecture (Architects journal, 2013), recognition for the Environmental Design Pocketbook (RIBA, 2012 and UKGBC, 2013).

Note: for a comprehensive list of projects and activities plese contact me for a full CV.

English (proficient)

Dutch (mother tongue)

French, German, Indonesian/Malay (basic)