Rikke Duus: Connecting to our being: exploring the atmospheric impact on lived experiences in urban spaces

Supervisor: Prof Koen Steemers

Research overview:

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in how individuals feel and experience urban environments, particularly through the lens of atmospheres and their influence on lived experiences. The experience of urban environments is not static or merely a sensory phenomenon. Rather, it is dynamic, emergent, and co-produced through the interaction of physical settings, material objects, natural elements, human presence, and social and technological interactions. The ambiance of a place can significantly influence how people feel, both physically and emotionally, and can subtly guide or regulate behaviour, actions, and expressions.

This research investigates how citizens perceive, respond to, and adapt to atmospheric conditions in urban spaces, and how these atmospheres influence the practices and decision-making processes of urban developers, architects, designers, city planners and other key stakeholders.

Biography:

Rikke is a part-time PhD student in the Department of Architecture. She holds a PhD in Human-Technology Relations, an MSc in Strategic Marketing and an MSc in Practice-based Research. Her research interests are focused on urban transformation, digital innovation, ecosystem collaboration.