This doctoral thesis will develop and evaluate the concept of “transitional urban spaces” using virtual reality (VR) techniques and examine real-world initiatives such as tactical urbanism, local-scale experiments, and urban laboratories. It will then bring these spaces to life in immersive virtual environments, allowing policymakers, practitioners, and stakeholders to experience and evaluate their capacity to trigger urban mobility transitions. This research uses cutting-edge software like CityEngine, Blender, and Unity to transform cadastral data into dynamic 3D models, creating future urban scenarios across various European case studies. As a result, this thesis will develop a groundbreaking theory on the identification and role of “transitional urban spaces” for mobility transitions, providing policymakers and practitioners with innovative tools to design actions that activate transitions towards urban mobility systems more inclusive, resilient, and efficient. As part of the training programme, the doctoral candidate will collaborate with leading European institutions via secondments, benefiting from interdisciplinary exchange and extending the thesis’s impact within the TRANSFORM network.
The Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) is the coordinating partner of TRANSFORM and will host two doctoral candidates: one focused on “Shaping Mobility Transitions: Rebuilding the Concept of Urban Space” and the other on “Conceptualizing and Assessing “Transitional Urban Spaces” through Virtual Reality Experiments”. UPM is the largest technological university in Spain and one of Europe’s leading institutions. It is renowned for its cutting-edge research and its role in training highly skilled globally competitive professionals.
The recruited doctoral candidates by UPM will develop their research within the Transport Research Centre -TRANSyT-, Spain’s largest research centre specialised in transport and land use planning. With a team of approximately 40 researchers, TRANSyT is an international hub, drawing talent worldwide and promoting a dynamic, interdisciplinary network.
Additionally, UPM hosts a Virtual Reality Laboratory (Vir2All-Lab) equipped with state-of-the-art VR technology. The Vir2All Lab is designed to support immersive urban and transport planning simulations, offering a unique platform for testing and visualizing spatial and mobility scenarios in an interactive environment. This facility will provide the doctoral candidate with the tools to conduct virtual experiments and explore innovative solutions for sustainable urban mobility.
Spanish B2 level is preferred but not mandatory.
Requirements to be admitted in the doctoral programme can be consulted here.
Julio A. Soria-Lara is a Full Professor of Urban and Regional Planning and the Head of the Department of Transport Engineering, Urban, and Regional Planning at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM). He is also a member of the Transport Research Centre at UPM (TRANSyT) and a Tenured Scientist at the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC). Before Madrid, Julio worked at the University of Granada, Zaragoza (Spain), Amsterdam (The Netherlands), and Oxford (UK). Prof. Soria-Lara has built a distinguished and independent research career, serving as Principal Investigator for several international, national, and regional R&D projects. His work focuses primarily on three areas: (i) scenario building; (ii) spatial accessibility; and (iii) travel behaviour. Prof. Soria-Lara masters a variety of methods (both quantitative and qualitative), with a particular focus on bridging the gap between research and practical applications. His work is noted for its innovative approach to testing and validating research outcomes in collaboration with real-world planning users.
Amor Ariza-Álvarez is an Assistant Professor at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) and is member of the Transport Research Centre (TRANSyT). She holds a PhD in Civil Engineering. Her research focuses on participatory and collaborative planning, land use and transport integration, scenario-building approaches, and adaptive strategies for managing disruptive futures in urban and regional planning. With expertise in quantitative and qualitative methods, she explores urban dynamics and planning processes, using advanced technologies like virtual reality for testing and visualizing future planning scenarios. As a co-investigator in numerous international, national, and regional R&D projects, she has contributed to developing innovative methodologies and practical solutions for sustainable urban and regional development.
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