Institution

The Universidad de Navarra (UNAV) is a non-profit private university founded in 1952 based in Pamplona, Spain. It confers 56 official degrees and administers more than 90 postgraduate programs (including 20 doctoral programs and 42 master’s programs) through 10 schools, two superior colleges, the IESE Business School and its 5 comprehensive Research Centres: CCUN (Cancer Centre Clínica Universidad de Navarra), BIOMA (Biodiversity and Environment Institute) and DATAI (Institute of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence), ICS (INSTITUTE FOR CULTURE AND SOCIETY and CIN (Centre for Nutrition Research).

UNAV has more than 14.000 students in 5 campuses: Pamplona, San Sebastian, Madrid, Barcelona and New York with a wide network of international universities and research centres.

UNAV has a sound track record in participating in European Research Programs. The university has participated in 126 European projects from FP4 to Horizon Europe, including LIFE, ERASMUS+ and INTERREG Programs; of which 22 projects were coordinated by the university. The University also counts with a thorough experience in MSCA and ERC grants with over 26 signed grants.

UNAV been awarded with the HR Excellence in Research quality seal (HRS4R) that guarantees the implementation of the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers.

Hosting Group

SAVIArquitectura is a research group of the University of Navarra, coordinated by Ana Sanchez-Ostiz, whose objectives are research in the field of eco-design and quantification of sustainable architecture. Among its main lines of research are: Sustainable renovation buildings, neighborhoods and cities; Strategies for architectural mitigation and adaptation to Climate Change; Architecture and health and vulnerability; monitoring, simulation and digital twins; LCA; industrialized construction. In this field, SAVIArquitectura has participated and led research projects at European, national and local level. Several publications, articles in indexed journals and books are the result of its research. SAVIA collaborates with other national, European and international research groups.

Offer description

Cities face a dual mandate: addressing significant environmental challenges while simultaneously tackling social issues, such as the health and comfort of their inhabitants, the integration of natural elements, and the creation of urban spaces that foster social cohesion and inclusivity.

The adoption of nature-based solutions (NBS) is becoming essential not only for achieving these social objectives but also for their role in mitigating urban heat islands, reducing air pollution, and sustaining the hydrological cycle.

Ecopuncture, a novel urban regeneration strategy, to quote Prof Nirmal Kishnani (NUS), is similar to acupuncture for the built environment. Actions to regenerate a city can be likened to needles inserted into a living system-of-systems, seeking restorative goodness for the whole.Each insertion enhances connectedness of social and ecological systems. With this in mind, in the built city we can transform certain abandoned lots, car parks, outdoor spaces of hospitals and nursing homes into vibrant, social and ecological spaces that incorporate nature and biodiversity, that are safe, healthy and inclusive.

Critical inquiries into the transformation of these spaces include: What architectural and environmental characteristics do these spaces need to have in order to increase physical and mental human health and wellbeing and promote social cohesion?; How to prove the benefit that the incorporation of green areas in these spaces can produce in the physical and mental health of citizens?; How to calculate the increase in social cohesion in cities that can be achieved with these insertions?.

Addressing these questions will position you at the forefront of regenerative urban architecture, an emerging field dedicated to pioneering sustainable and inclusive urban solutions.

Key words

Architecture and health, green areas, re-naturalization of cities, biophilic design, social and ecological spaces, regenerative architecture, GIS.

Research Field

Regenerative architecture.

SAVIA Reference projects:

• SANITAS-UNAV Health and Environment Chair;
• Transition to Biophilic Hospitals. Key Biophilic Design Parameters in Healthcare Environments. Arriazu, A.; Monge, A.; Santamaría, JM; Sanchez-Ostiz, A. PLEA 2024.

REQUIREMENTS OF THE CANDIDATE

Main research field

Architecture and/or Engineer PhD

Specific requirements

Architecture and/or Engineer PhD. No more than 8 years as researcher since the date of PhD defence at date 2024 September 11.

The candidate must not have lived or worked in Spain more than 12 months in the last 36 months calculating from 2024 September 11.

Language

English. Excellent level

Required research Experience

Yes

Documents to provide

• CV
• letter of motivation with ideas and suggestions on the topic (max. 2 pages)