Research Groups - Architecture and Interior Design
Sustainable Urbanism Group
The Sustainable Urbanism group focuses on understanding and addressing the complex interactions between climate change, urban environments, and human comfort, with a specific emphasis on desert cities and arid-region contexts. By integrating environmental studies, regenerative design, and urban anthropology, the group develops innovative, practical solutions tailored to extreme climatic conditions, including strategies to mitigate urban heat islands intensified by rapid urbanization and resource-intensive development. Through applied research, design-led experimentation, and partnerships with public and private stakeholders, the group works on climate-responsive urban systems, passive and nature-based cooling strategies, data-informed environmental modelling, and the design of adaptive public spaces that enhance thermal comfort, resilience, and social wellbeing in desert urban environments.
Goals
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Research Excellence: Produce rigorous and internationally visible research on sustainable urbanism, with a focus on climate-responsive design, liveability, public space, environmental performance, social sustainability, and resilient urban development, particularly in arid and rapidly urbanising contexts.
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Applied Impact: Develop design tools, pilot projects, and stakeholder collaborations that translate research into practical strategies for more sustainable, inclusive, climate-responsive, and liveable cities.
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Global Engagement: Contribute to international conferences, workshops, and interdisciplinary networks addressing sustainable urban transitions, climate adaptation, social wellbeing, and human-centred urban design.
Team Leader
Dr. Simona Azzali
simona.azzali@cud.ac.aeSocial Innovation and Sustainability Group
The Social Innovation and Sustainability Group focuses on addressing the interconnected environmental, social, and economic challenges shaping contemporary communities, with particular attention to local cultures, identities, and emerging social practices. By integrating principles of circular economy, inclusive design, and social innovation, the group develops design-driven strategies that respond to climate change while reinforcing cultural specificity, community values, and place-based knowledge. Through applied research, participatory design approaches, and collaborations with public institutions, industry partners, and local communities, the group works on regenerative systems, context-responsive practices, and adaptive environments that reflect evolving ways of living, strengthen social cohesion, and support resilient, culturally grounded futures.
Goals
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High-Impact Publications: We aim to produce and disseminate rigorous, interdisciplinary research on social innovation and sustainability, contributing to leading journals and advancing knowledge on inclusive design, circular systems, and community-driven environmental solutions.
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Global Conference Engagement: We actively present our work at international conferences, engaging with cross-sector and interdisciplinary communities to exchange insights, foster collaborations, and shape innovative approaches to sustainable and socially responsive design.
Team Leader
Dr. Sophie Johnson
Sophie@cud.ac.aeSustainable Construction Systems Group
The Sustainable Construction Systems Group focuses on advancing innovative, efficient, and environmentally responsible approaches to the design, materialization, and lifecycle of buildings. By integrating building technologies, material science, and circular construction principles, the group develops strategies that reduce environmental impact while enhancing performance, durability, and adaptability. Through applied research, prototyping, and collaborations with industry partners and regulatory bodies, the group works on advanced building systems, sustainable material applications, design for disassembly, and construction methodologies that support resource efficiency, waste reduction, and the transition toward a circular built environment.
Goals
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High-Impact Publications: We aim to produce and disseminate rigorous, technically grounded research on sustainable construction systems, contributing to leading journals and advancing knowledge on material innovation, construction efficiency, and circular building practices.
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Global Conference Engagement: We actively present our work at international conferences, engaging with academic, professional, and industrial communities to exchange insights, foster collaborations, and shape forward-looking approaches to sustainable construction and building technologies.
Team Leader
Christine Yogiaman
christine.yogiaman@cud.ac.aeResearch in Sustainability