2026
UDL Thesis Seminar
Curating the best graduate thesis project globally!
About the Publication
The Urban Design Lab thesis publication provides a unique platform for post-graduate and under-graduate students to showcase their innovative design and research-based thesis projects related to urban design, landscape, architecture, and planning. The publication aims to promote global design and research trends, offering valuable insights for academic and professional communities while fostering innovation and creativity in the field.
Scope of the Publication
The scope of the publication encompasses a selection of outstanding under-graduate and post-graduate student thesis completed in the last five years, in conjunction with the urban domain. These exemplary thesis entries will be compiled into a dedicated book that serves as the official record of the seminar proceedings. The publication will be assigned an International Standard Book Number (ISBN) to facilitate easy reference and recognition globally.
Publication Themes
Urban renewal
This theme encompasses the conservation, revitalization, and heritage revival of urban areas.
Urban Landscapes
This theme focuses on the management of the natural and built environment in urban areas.
Urban Management
This theme emphasizes the physical, social, economic and infrastructure management of urban areas.
Urban Networks
This theme focuses on connectivity, linkages, transit and mobility within and between urban areas.
Theme: Urban renewal
Theme: Urban Landscapes
Theme: Urban Management
Theme: Urban Network
Schedule and Timeline
Closing Date for Registration
26th July, 2026
Announcement of the Results
31st August, 2026
Online 2-Day Thesis Seminar
12-13th September, 2026
Publication (ISBN attributed Book)
December, 2026
Register Now | UDL Thesis Seminar
12th & 13th September, 2026
Urban Landscape
9:30am- 12:30pm I Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)
Urban Management
1:30 pm- 4:30 pm I Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)
Urban Networks
9:30am- 12:30pm I Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)
Urban Renewal
1:30 pm- 4:30 pm I Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)
Seminar Panel Members
Ujan Ghosh
Delhi, India
Master of Architecture & Master of City Planning, University of Pennsylvania, USA
Urban Designer, Upalghosh Associates, Delhi, India
Gayatri Nanda
Bhopal, India
PhD (SPA Bhopal), Master of Architecture (Urban Design), SPA New Delhi, India
Assistant Professor, Department of Architecture, SPA Bhopal, India
Vikas Kanojia
Delhi, India
M.Arch. Urban Design, School of Architecture and Planning, New Delhi, India
Principal Urban Designer & Architect, Studio CoDe, Delhi, India
Bejene S Kothari
Thiruvananthapuram, India
M.Arch. Urban Design, School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi, India
Associate Professor, Architecture, College of Engineering Trivandrum
Ujan Ghosh
Delhi, India
Prof. Ujan Ghosh completed his architecture degree at the School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi, in 1975 before pursuing Master’s degrees in Architecture and City Planning with a focus on Urban Design at the University of Pennsylvania. He later became a partner at Upalghosh Associates, practising architecture and urban design in India. He has served as a visiting professor at SPA New Delhi for 34 years, contributed to SPA Bhopal’s Senate and Boards of Studies, and co-founded the Institute of Urban Designers India, later serving as its former President.
Gayatri Nanda
Bhopal, India
Gayatri Nanda is an architect, urban designer, and academic serving as Assistant Professor at the School of Planning and Architecture, Bhopal. She holds a Master of Architecture in Urban Design from SPA New Delhi and a Bachelor of Architecture from MNIT Jaipur. Her Ph.D. research examines temporal urbanism during festive celebrations and the everyday use of city spaces, focusing on relationships between urban form, cultural events, and public life. Her academic interests also include climate-responsive settlements, cultural urbanism, street vendors, public spaces, and changing patterns of contemporary urban activity.
Vikas Kanojia
Delhi, India
Vikas Kanojia is an architect and urban designer with more than 25 years of professional experience in urban design, master planning, and architecture. As Principal and Co-Founder of Studio CoDe, his work spans urban regeneration, industrial townships, SEZs, institutional campuses, and large-scale master plans. He has contributed to the urban design strategy for the Delhi Metro corridor and has extensive experience in research, healthcare, and pharmaceutical facilities. He serves as Chairman of the Institute of Urban Designers India, Delhi NCR Chapter, and is associated with SPA and SSAA as faculty.
Bejene S Kothari
Thiruvananthapuram, India
Prof. Bejene S Kothari is an architect, urban designer, and academic with 19 years of teaching experience in architecture, urban design, and urban planning. She holds an M.Arch. in Urban Design from the School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi, and is pursuing a Ph.D. from JNAFAU, Hyderabad. Her academic and professional interests include urban growth, socio-spatial dynamics, sustainable urbanism, GIS and spatial modelling, and design pedagogy. She has served as Head of Department at the School of Architecture, GEC Thrissur, and contributes to several institutional building committees in Kerala.
Juror Panel Members
Alessio Russo
Queensland, Australia
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Università di Bologna
Associate Professor at the Queensland University of Technology
César Tarazona
Lima, Peru
Master in Collective Housing,
ETSAM-UPM
Associate Professor at Pontifical Catholic University of Peru
Giulia Setti
Milan, Italy
Laurea in Progettazione Architettonica e Urbana, Politecnico di Milano
Assistant Professor presso Politecnico di Milano
Fatouma El Phil
Paris, France
Architect & Urban Designer, KCAP
Graduate, École Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Paris-Belleville
Alessio Russo
Queensland, Australia
Dr Alessio Russo is an Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Australia, within the School of Architecture and Built Environment. He is a recognised expert in urban ecosystem services and green infrastructure, with research exploring their critical intersection with human health and climate change. His work focuses on improving health and wellbeing in cities through the effective planning and design of green spaces. Key areas include enhancing access to high-quality, biodiverse environments, strengthening human–nature relationships, and promoting mental wellbeing to support more resilient, liveable, and equitable urban landscapes.
César Tarazona
Lima, Peru
César Tarazona is an architect from the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru and holds a Master’s degree in Collective Housing from the Polytechnic University of Madrid. He is a part-time professor at the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism at PUCP, where his teaching focuses on applied research, critical reflection on the city, and the transformation of inhabitable spaces at territorial, urban, and neighbourhood scales. His work has received recognitions including the BIAU XIII Pedagogies Prize, and the Hexágono de Oro at the Peruvian Architecture Biennial. Author of the book Obra habitada (Inhabited Work).
Giulia Setti
Milan, Italy
Giulia Setti is an architect, researcher, and Assistant Professor at Politecnico di Milano, where she has been teaching since 2015 in both Bachelor’s and Master’s programs. Holding a PhD in Architectural and Urban Design, her work focuses on housing design, urban transformation, and the regeneration of industrial buildings. Her research explores the relationship between urban form and context, with a particular interest in informal settlements and public spaces in global settings such as India and China. As a thesis supervisor, she guides students on topics including urban regeneration, industrial reuse, and the evolution of public spaces, contributing to a deeper understanding of contemporary urban challenges. Passionate about architectural education, she integrates theoretical and practical approaches to enhance design methodologies. Her commitment to interdisciplinary research fosters innovative solutions for sustainable urban development and adaptive reuse strategies.
Fatouma El Phil
Paris, France
Fatouma Sarah El Phil is a skilled architect and urban designer currently working at KCAP, with a strong academic background from the École Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Paris-Belleville and the National School of Architecture and Urban Planning of Tunis. With expertise in architecture, urban planning, and heritage revitalization, she has contributed to significant projects as a project architect and urbanist at Reichen et Robert & Associés before joining KCAP. Passionate about the intersection of contemporary architecture and heritage preservation, her work explores the evolutionary and contextual aspects of urban design, shaping dynamic and resilient spaces. She thrives in multidisciplinary environments, integrating innovative design solutions with a deep understanding of cultural and spatial dynamics. Dedicated to research and practice, she continuously seeks to bridge the gap between architectural theory and urban transformation.
Jeannette Sordi
New York, USA
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.). University of Genoa
Visiting Associate Professor SoAD New York Institute of Technology
Karen L Nelson
Boston, Massachusetts
Architect & Urban Designer, KCAP
Dean and Faculty at The Boston
Architectural College (BAC)
Beta Paramita
Bandung, Indonesia
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), The University of Kitakyushu, Japan
Associate Professor at Universitas Pendidikan, Indonesia
Mohammed Fekry
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Cairo
University, Egypt
Professor at Effat University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Jeannette Sordi
New York, USA
Jeannette Sordi is a New York-based designer and academic working across landscape architecture, planning, and urbanism. She is a Visiting Associate Professor at New York Institute of Technology and a consultant for the Inter-American Development Bank. Previously, she taught at Adolfo Ibañez University in Chile and at Syracuse University. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Genoa and was a visiting student at Harvard GSD. Her published books include Landscape as Urbanism in the Americas (Ness, 2020) and Ecological Design. Strategies for the Vulnerable City (IaDB, 2021, 2022).
Karen L Nelson
Boston, Massachusetts
Karen Nelson, Dean and Faculty of Architecture at the Boston Architectural College began teaching in 1994, served as Director 1998 – 2013 and curated exhibits since 2012. Karen created the Just Space Lecture Series in 2018. Before joining BAC, Karen practiced architecture: housing in NYC, schools, and commercial projects. Karen taught at RISD in landscape arch. from 1995 until 2012. In 2025, she published writings in Landscape Design – Exploring Sustainable Landscapes. Dean Nelson earned her Master of Architecture from Columbia University and Bachelor of Science in Art and Design from MIT
Beta Paramita
Bandung, Indonesia
Beta Paramita is an Associate Professor in Architecture at Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, specializing in sustainable cities, green buildings, and building performance with a focus on outdoor thermal comfort. She is a board member of IBPSA-ID (Indonesia chapter) and actively contributes to RDI (Research Resilience Initiative) on community, environmental change, and sustainable development. She founded Pendidikan Hijau, a movement promoting building performance-based design education, and won the 2022 Million Cool Roofs Challenge, leading to the establishment of the start-up BeCool Indonesia. Recognized as an outstanding lecturer in 2023, she developed RAFLESIA, a solar-reflective house using metal panels with 90% solar emissivity and 72.9% solar reflectance, showcasing her commitment to innovative and sustainable architectural solutions.
Mohammed Fekry
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Dr. Mohamed is a professor of architecture and design at Effat University. He has taught Architecture at several Departments in Egypt and KSA. His main concern now is to pass on his practical experience of design to younger generations of architects as well as to develop educational courses that reflect these concepts to the architectural students. His research interests include Architecture Theories, Design Process, GIS, and Urban Conservation. He is a member of the International Society for Development & Sustainability, the Board of Directors of the Saudi Umran Society, and Vice-chair of the Saudi Planners Association (SPA). Additionally, Dr. Mohamed actively collaborates with international researchers and institutions to bring global perspectives into his teachings and research, aiming to foster a more interconnected and informed architectural community.
Seminar Moderators
Harkaran Ahluwalia
Ahmedabad, India
B.Arch, MNIT Jaipur, India
Senior Manager, Airport Design & Planning Architect
Vipendra Singh Thakur
Bhopal, India
M.Arch. Conservation, SPA Delhi
Assistant Professor, School of Planning and Architecture, Bhopal
Sahana Deepak
Bangalore, India
Master of Landscape Architecture, SPA Bhopal, India
Consultant - Landscape Architect, WSP in India
Kristi Verma
Jaipur, India
B.Arch, MNIT Jaipur; M.Plan (Urban Planning), CEPT University
Assistant Professor, Amity School of Architecture and Planning, Jaipur
Ravjyot Kaur
Gurugram, India
B.Arch, MNIT Jaipur; M.Arch (Urban Design), SPA Bhopal
Design Manager, RSP Design Consultants India Private Limited
Harkaran Ahluwalia
Ahmedabad, India
Harkaran Ahluwalia is an architect and aviation planning professional with over nine years of experience in airport design and infrastructure. As Senior Manager, Airport Design & Planning at Adani Airport Holdings Ltd, he contributes to terminal development, design standardisation, landside urban design, and passenger experience. His professional experience includes major aviation projects such as Noida International Airport, Delhi International Airport Terminal 1, and Ahmedabad Airport. His work brings together architectural planning, infrastructure development, passenger-oriented design, and large-scale airport systems, with a particular focus on integrated planning and operational efficiency.
Vipendra Singh Thakur
Bhopal, India
Ar. Vipendra Singh Thakur is a heritage conservation professional and Assistant Professor at the School of Planning and Architecture, Bhopal. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. at SPA New Delhi, focusing on community participation in urban conservation. His academic and professional work includes research on Rashtrapati Bhavan and publications such as Interpreting Geometries, Making of Chandigarh, and A Journey through Bihar to Vihara. He is also involved in the conservation of Amar Singh College, Kashmir, which received the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Award of Merit in 2020 for its conservation work.
Sahana Deepak
Bangalore, India
Sahana Deepak is a landscape architect, researcher, and design educator with a degree in Landscape Architecture from the School of Planning and Architecture, Bhopal. She is pursuing doctoral studies at Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design and Technology, where her research focuses on urban food systems in Bengaluru. Currently associated with WSP in India, her professional work spans ecological restoration, urban regeneration, and community-centered landscape design. Her academic and professional interests bring together landscape systems, environmental processes, urban ecology, and community engagement, with an emphasis on creating responsive and context-sensitive urban landscapes.
Kristi Verma
Jaipur, India
Kristi Verma is an architect and urban planner with over four years of academic and professional experience. She is an Assistant Professor at Amity School of Architecture and Planning, Jaipur, and specializes in urban planning, master plans, and town planning schemes. She holds a B.Arch. from MNIT Jaipur and an M.Plan. in Urban Planning from CEPT University. A member of ITPI and registered with the Council of Architecture, she has presented research on urban green spaces and has completed professional training programmes with organizations including WHO, UNITAR, and UNCC.
Ravjyot Kaur
Gurugram, India
Ravjyot Kaur is an urban designer, architect, and Design Manager at RSP India, with experience spanning architectural practice, urban design, and content strategy. A graduate of MNIT Jaipur and SPA Bhopal, she combines professional design management with a strong interest in writing about architecture, everyday urbanism, and cultural narratives. Her work bridges spatial design and communication, allowing her to engage with the built environment through both professional practice and critical writing. She has also worked as a content strategist and writer, connecting architectural and urban ideas with broader forms of public communication.
Collaborations
Previous Media Collaborations
Here is the link for UDL Thesis Publication “Book of Abstracts” that we recommend you go through prior to Registering..
Book of Abstracts:
