PhD Position: Urban soundscape modelling and auralization for optimal design of modal shift and Nature-based Solutions

The Planning of Landscape and Urban Systems (PLUS) group at the Institute for Spatial and Landscape Development (IRL) invites applications for a PhD position on urban soundscape modelling and auralization to design, analyze, and optimize synergies with modal shift and Nature-based solutions.

The doctoral candidate will work in the Driving Urban Transitions (DUT) project «CoCoNet - Co-creative Cohabitation Network» that aims at developing an integrated model-supported planning approach to facilitate the dialogue between different stakeholders for co-creating urban development solutions. The focus is laid on restructuring and redistributing urban streetscape at the district level and concentrates on combining mobility measures with Nature-based Solutions (NbS). The project wants to highlight spatial potentials using integrated modeling of mobility, noise dissemination, climate adaptation and biodiversity. In particular, the PhD student will work on developing an audiovisual simulation of the streetscapes and the related NbS and new mobility measures to bring heterogeneous stakeholders into collaboration and to support them in revealing synergies and creating optimal measures for restructuring the space. The project is in collaboration with scientists from the TU Wien and the TU Munich, as well as with transport planners of the yverkehrsplanung GmbH.

Start: 1. February 2025

Duration: 4 years

The doctoral candidate will focus on developing, implementing, and iteratively enhancing an audiovisual simulation approach to vividly communicate impacts of changes of urban open spaces due to modal shift and NbS on the soundscape. It involves simplifying a complex acoustic model for use in a science-design-loop, traffic modeling including sound (e.g., with SUMO – Simulation of Urban Mobility), and audiovisual simulation in the Unity game engine using 3D point clouds and advancing an existing Unity-app for soundscape auralization. The work will focus on applying the modelling and audiovisual approach to districts in Zurich and Vienna and investigate the contribution of NbS (e.g., trees, plant patches, parks, water elements) to the perceived enhancement of the urban soundscape. Furthermore, using an optimization modeling, synergies between modal shift and NbS regarding various objectives shall be identified to develop rules for solution design based on the optimization results. Moreover, the position includes technical assistance in our AudioVisual Room of the Large-scale Virtualization and Modeling Lab (LVML) as well as assisting in teaching.

We are seeking a highly motivated candidate with:

• knowledge in auralization of environmental sounds
• an M.Sc. degree in Architecture fluent in digital methods, Environmental, Urban, or Landscape Planning, Geomatics, Physics, Electrical Engineering, Computer Sciences or related disciplines
• excellent programming skills (e.g., C#, Python, ML, etc.)
• excellent command of English (both written and spoken)
• good interpersonal skills
• German language skills are an advantage

• You will be working in a young, dynamic and interdisciplinary research team addressing challenges in sustainable landscape and urban development.
• We are actively committed to a sustainable and climate-neutral university.
• You can expect numerous benefits, such as public transport season tickets and car sharing, a wide range of sports offered by the ASVZ, childcare and attractive pension benefits.