PhD researcher in Co-design for socio-ecological regeneration of social housing KU Leuven in Belgium

KU Leuven is offering a full-time PhD position within the Department of Architecture, in the Urban Design, Urbanism, Landscape and Planning (UULP) research unit. The project sits at the intersection of architecture, urban design, and spatial planning, with a strong focus on the socio-ecological challenges of contemporary cities: the housing crisis, climate change, social inequality, migration, and the role of design in navigating complex urban transitions.

The PhD is embedded in the RESHAPE project: Destigmatising social housing through socio-ecological regeneration: leveraging the upcoming renovation wave for just housing transitions. RESHAPE is a participatory action research project funded by the FWO and carried out by an inter-university team involving KU Leuven, University of Antwerp, Ghent University, Hasselt University, and Utrecht University of Applied Sciences. The project works with residents, social housing organisations, and other urban stakeholders in four large post-war social housing estates in Ghent, Antwerp, Leuven, and Genk.

The research focus of this PhD is co-design in social housing. The successful candidate will help develop collaborative strategies and interventions that strengthen social housing both socially and environmentally. Planned work includes stakeholder mapping, analysis of co-creative and futuring methods, research by design, and the development of new visions and scenarios for socio-ecological regeneration beyond stigma. These outputs will feed into an Atlas of Scenarios and a Co-Design Toolkit for future regeneration processes.

The supervisor for this PhD is Prof. Luce Beeckmans. The wider RESHAPE team includes Prof. Stijn Oosterlynck, Prof. Thomas Block, Prof. Liesbeth Huybrechts, and Prof. Bruno Meeus. The project also involves limited teaching duties in advanced master’s programmes linked to the International Centre of Urbanism.

Applicants should hold a Master’s degree in Architecture, Architectural Engineering, Urban Design, Urban Planning and Spatial Planning, or a related socio-spatial discipline. The role is well suited to a curious researcher with strong social awareness and imagination, practical and/or theoretical experience in research by design and participatory design, interest in social housing policy, and a willingness to engage deeply with literature on housing, social inequality, and urban diversity. Excellent Dutch and English language skills at C2 level are required.

The appointment is a full-time PhD research fellowship starting on 1 January 2027, or as soon as possible thereafter. The monthly stipend follows the BAP pay scales for PhD students. Additional support includes a bicycle allowance or full reimbursement of commuting costs by public transport. The application deadline is 22 September 2026 at 23:59 (Europe/Brussels). Interviews are planned for the week of 5 October 2026 and will be conducted in Dutch.

Applications must be submitted through the KU Leuven online application platform. Candidates should include a motivation letter and a PDF of their Master’s thesis and/or another relevant writing sample in Dutch and English.