About
Who we are
TWIN2EXPAND is a research project that aims to enhance the research excellence in the field of Evidence-Based Design and Planning (EBDP) at the University of Cyprus (UCY). The project seeks to address urban challenges and opportunities in Cyprus, which is a unique context for EBDP research due to its climate and history, while performing research and testing spatial models in diverse contexts. The project is coordinated by UCY and involves three advanced partners from Europe with long-standing experience in EBDP.
What we Do
We develop spatial urban analysis models, which form the basis for evidence-based planning and design and make them more accessible to policymakers and urban planners in diverse contexts, to answer specific urban planning and design questions. The models are based on an existing body of research evidence and tested within the scope of this project to ensure that they can inform design and planning decisions with regards to:
- Where to locate socioeconomic activities in cities based on knowledge about the intensity and diversity of pedestrians flows in public space
- How to distribute services and land uses in an effective and equitable way based on knowledge about their accessibility for various groups in society
- How to support health, wellbeing and biodiversity in cities based on knowledge about accessibility to and connectivity between green and blue infrastructures
Our models are developed for application both in countries where high resolution and high-quality data are available and in countries which face data-challenges, because of data-scarcity or difficulty in accessing data. These spatial models, which we term ‘light-weight models’ because they can be created using open-source data and automated methods for processing, making them less resource intensive to construct than ‘conventional’ integrated urban models, but equally effective. In countries which face data-challenges, they provide a solution to research and practice where it would otherwise be highly cost and time consuming.
We are testing our models in a variety of contexts, and we know what we they are good at based on a strong body of international evidence. Local validation of a model is always important to ensure its applicability and be aware of its level of accuracy in a specific context. Validation of the models happens in collaboration with stakeholders, by co-developing research questions that are relevant to policy, practice and citizens to ensure that the models can respond to contextually pertinent questions and provide added value to local ecosystems. Wherever needed, we develop datasets to validate models and answer policy and design questions, which may want to address specific aspects of socio-economic and environmental performance of cities and neighborhoods.
Why Evidence- based Design and Planning
Assisting planning and design with analytical methods helps achieve desired outcomes and reduces the risk of failure, which, in the built environment, has long-lasting social and environmental consequences; once something is built, it is difficult and costly to fix. EBDP enables the evaluation of design and planning ideas, often led by intuition, to determine empirically whether they are the right solution. By using the methods and models which we apply in the TWIN2EXPAND project, we can facilitate maximizing plans and designs, assess them, develop and propose alternatives; it is all about ensuring that goals are achieved at planning and design stage.
EBDP can also help initiating ideas for a plan: to explore the future in terms of planning and design, it is easier to use light-weight models to direct vision and do scenario testing. The resource intensity needed to construct spatial models has been a barrier to analytical testing of ideas; TWIN2EXPAND works towards reducing the effort needed to ensure that EBDP can be applied in diverse circumstances.
The project
The project has three main objectives: to enhance the research excellence of UCY in the EBDP field, to promote interdisciplinary research and networking in the EBDP field, and to make a broader impact on the scientific community and society.
To achieve these objectives, the project will provide training and mentoring to UCY staff and Early Stage Researchers (ESRs) in the EBDP field, raise UCY’s international visibility, and strengthen the participation and success rate in research funding proposals.
Additionally, the project will explore emerging concepts in the EBDP field, engage with policy makers, industry, local authorities, and civil society, and promote public awareness of the impact of research in the EBDP field.
The team
The TWIN2EXPAND team is composed of researchers, academics, and professionals from different disciplines, including urban planning, architecture, and engineering.
Together, we are committed to advancing the state-of-the-art of EBDP knowledge and producing evidence-based policy and design recommendations to support the sustainable development of cities and urban communities.
Our goal is to contribute to the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in particular SDG11, which aims to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.
