LOLA Team: Difference between revisions

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File:Ana.png|'''Ana Gascón‑Hernández''': Ana Gascón‑Hernández is an Assistant Professor (tenure‑track) in the Urban Planning Department of the Polytechnic University of Valencia (Spain). She served as Secretary of the Sustainable Municipalities Chair from 2013 to 2016, she was a member of the Divalterra‑UPV Chair from 2016 to 2018, and she was a researcher in the European project “Promoting capacity building and knowledge for the extension of urban gardens in European cities” in 2025. Her main research line focuses on the study of Areas of Economic Activity, considering their renewal and specific characteristics as assets in the development of the territory and consolidated urban areas. '''Motivation for LoLa''': The LOLA project offers an opportunity to enhance urban planning education through a robust framework that enables students to understand and address the complex, interrelated challenges of sustainable development and climate change, whilst integrating systems thinking into their projects. The project also provides a space to reflect on, propose and question measures relating to the regeneration of areas such as Horta Sud from a regenerative and relational perspective, with the aim of achieving a truly transformative regeneration.
File:Ana.png|'''Ana Gascón‑Hernández''': Ana Gascón‑Hernández is an Assistant Professor (tenure‑track) in the Urban Planning Department of the Polytechnic University of Valencia (Spain). She served as Secretary of the Sustainable Municipalities Chair from 2013 to 2016, she was a member of the Divalterra‑UPV Chair from 2016 to 2018, and she was a researcher in the European project “Promoting capacity building and knowledge for the extension of urban gardens in European cities” in 2025. Her main research line focuses on the study of Areas of Economic Activity, considering their renewal and specific characteristics as assets in the development of the territory and consolidated urban areas. '''Motivation for LoLa''': The LOLA project offers an opportunity to enhance urban planning education through a robust framework that enables students to understand and address the complex, interrelated challenges of sustainable development and climate change, whilst integrating systems thinking into their projects. The project also provides a space to reflect on, propose and question measures relating to the regeneration of areas such as Horta Sud from a regenerative and relational perspective, with the aim of achieving a truly transformative regeneration.
File:Adrian.png|'''Adrián Torres Astaburuaga''': Adrián Torres Astaburuaga is a tenure-track Assistant Professor and researcher in the Department of Urban Planning at the Universitat Politècnica de València, Spain. Throughout his twenty-year professional career, he has developed projects in architecture, urban planning and landscape architecture, exploring the concept of bio-urbanism, and has served as a researcher and lecturer in various research groups at European universities such as those in Lyon, Annecy, Grenoble and Geneva. His research and practice focus on the interaction between water, the urban environment, nature and civil society. '''Motivation for LoLa''': The LOLA project offers a context-specific educational process based on systems thinking, citizen participation and a biophysical understanding of the urban environment. These aspects lie at the heart of Adrian’s professional and research practice, which is why this project is of particular interest to him. The specific case concerning the flooding suffered by the southern agricultural region of Valencia is of great current and research importance, and he believes that addressing participatory regenerative approaches from an academic perspective is a process of the utmost relevance.
File:Adrian.png|'''Adrián Torres Astaburuaga''': Adrián Torres Astaburuaga is a tenure-track Assistant Professor and researcher in the Department of Urban Planning at the Universitat Politècnica de València, Spain. Throughout his twenty-year professional career, he has developed projects in architecture, urban planning and landscape architecture, exploring the concept of bio-urbanism, and has served as a researcher and lecturer in various research groups at European universities such as those in Lyon, Annecy, Grenoble and Geneva. His research and practice focus on the interaction between water, the urban environment, nature and civil society. '''Motivation for LoLa''': The LOLA project offers a context-specific educational process based on systems thinking, citizen participation and a biophysical understanding of the urban environment. These aspects lie at the heart of Adrian’s professional and research practice, which is why this project is of particular interest to him. The specific case concerning the flooding suffered by the southern agricultural region of Valencia is of great current and research importance, and he believes that addressing participatory regenerative approaches from an academic perspective is a process of the utmost relevance.
File:Sandra.png|'''Sandra Nunez Malavé''': Architect from the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), she holds a Master’s degree in urban planning design (FPC-UPC) and a Master’s degree in land policy and sustainable urban development (UNED-LILP), as well as postgraduate studies in GIS (UPV). She is currently pursuing a law degree at UNIR. As a partner at Colectivo CCRS, she has co-led over fifty urban and territorial planning projects. She has been a part-time lecturer in the landscape degree at UPC and is currently a part-time lecturer at the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV). Her research focuses on rural settlements through urban planning instruments. '''Motivation for LoLa''': Sandra's motivation to participate in the LOLA project is to incorporate systems thinking into my teaching practice on urbanism. I often observe students’ difficulties in translating territorial information into coherent project proposals. LOLA offers an opportunity to explore teaching methodologies that strengthen systemic landscape understanding through project-based learning in real contexts.





Revision as of 13:28, 4 September 2026

Germany - Nürtingen-Geislingen University (NGU)

Belgium: Université Libre de Bruxelles Faculty of Architecture La Cambre Horta

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Didier Vancutsem, Team coordinator: Didier Vancutsem holds bachelor and master’s degrees in landscape architecture, city and regional planning and regional management. He is Assoc. Prof. at the ULB Free University of Brussels – Faculty of Architecture La Cambre Horta since 2009, involved in Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning Master programs as well as research. As director of the planning office “urban scape” Munich since 1992, Didier has gained professional experience worldwide in urban innovation, landscape management, elaboration of national and regional strategies for integrated urban development in Europe and Middle East, Africa, Russia, Asia. He is active as registered expert for the European Commission and URBACT, UN-Habitat and involved in European and international research projects. He was IFLA Europe delegate for Belgium (1994-1998) (2013-2021), and Vice-President Professional Practice of the International Federation of Landscape Architects Europe (2021 - 2025). He is currently Executive Director of the Institute for Urban Excellence iUE. He co-funded last year the new International Urban Professionals Forum (IUPF), Paris.

Motivation for LoLa project: Every human activity interacts with the landscape and aims at concrete results. Consequently, every human intervention is motivated by achieving economic results in transforming everyday's landscape. Didier is very happy to be able to contribute to the outcomes of LoLa, as this project will demonstrate this interaction and how added-values, trends and impacts become tangible in humanity’s landscape.


Poland: Gdańsk University of Technology


Turkey: Akdeniz University

Italy: La Sapienza University Rome

Spain: Technical University of Valencia (UVP)

LoLa Core Group with regular activities of the HORTALAB-LOLA, academic courses + other activities:

LoLa Support Group with academic courses, landscape forum, student competition + other activities:

Lebanon: American University of Beirut

The Netherlands: LE:NOTRE Institute