The Group
Our team at the Spatial Transformation Laboratories (STL) – Design and Process consists of ten professionals working both in practice and academia. This allows us to introduce practical expertise gained in private planning offices, public administration, real estate development and grassroots initiatives. This unique combination enables us to act as a transdisciplinary interface between practice and academia which adds value to both teaching and research. The STL are co-led by Executive in residence PD Dr. Joris Van Wezemael and Dr. Markus Nollert.
As an interdisciplinary research group, we have dedicated ourselves to the exploration of spatial transformation – especially in Switzerland – focusing on inward settlement development and the reorganisation of urban and regional functional spaces. A lot of research is required before we truly understand how transformation and densification with complex ownership patterns can work, what kind of density and what typologies support vibrant urban life, and how we can deal with the desirable and undesirable consequences of said transformations. We want to establish how to support cities and metropolitan areas with integrated growth and transformation strategies in order to deal with an increased demand for mobility, social infrastructures and public space. We also see the necessity to make spatial development more inclusive, explore how technologies such as cloud computing, AI or the increased availability of sensors can be used to support participation and help to develop a bottom-up understanding of spatial transformation.