Students 2025

Rosane França is an architect and urban planner passionate about sustainable urban development. Born in a rural city in the Northeast of Brazil and raised in Rio de Janeiro, her migratory background and experience as a low-income student shaped her understanding of how public policies can transform lives.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in Architecture and Urban Planning, in which her thesis reinforced her ethical commitment as an urban planner and deepened her knowledge of diagnostic mapping and systematic approaches to urban challenges, particularly in developing contexts like Brazil. Her research was recognized with the 6th National Rosa Kliass Award.

Rosane has practical design experience at multiple scales, working with BIM and QGIS tools. She has participated in urban planning competitions and workshops focused on climate change adaptation and nature-based solutions, as well as interior design contests. She also has professional experience as an architect in Rio de Janeiro.

Motivated by her commitment to addressing social and environmental challenges through public policies and nature-based solutions, Rosane chose the IUSD program to advance her expertise. She aspires to become an urban planner capable of developing sustainable, efficient, and humane cities that improve the quality of life, especially for vulnerable communities.

Beyza Zahide Alp is an architect from Turkey whose childhood dream was to design spaces that improve people’s lives. She graduated from Eskişehir Technical University in 2023 with a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture. Throughout her studies, she developed a strong interest in sustainability and urban design, focusing on how architecture can contribute to livable and inclusive cities.
During her education, Beyza took part in urban design workshops in collaboration with Eskişehir Municipality, exploring creative approaches to public space design. She also gained international experience through an architectural office internship in Frankfurt, Germany, where she observed Germany’s sustainable and functional design practices. This experience deepened her motivation to work in international environments and expanded her understanding of global architectural approaches. After graduation, she worked for a year as a site architect, where she was responsible for coordinating construction processes and managing implementation phases—strengthening her practical knowledge of the built environment.
Beyza chose the Integrated Urbanism and Sustainable Design (IUSD) master’s program at the University of Stuttgart to enhance her interdisciplinary expertise in sustainable urban development. Her goal is to create environmentally responsible and socially inclusive urban strategies that improve community well-being and contribute to more resilient cities worldwide.

Hande is originally from Antalya, Turkey, and completed her bachelor’s degree as an architect in another city, in Istanbul. She started to work in Istanbul for three years. During this time, she experienced a different urban environment and observed how urban development can differ between cities, even within the same country. This exposure not only heightened her interest in sustainable urbanism but also encouraged her to explore how architecture can contribute to care for the environment. Throughout her academic and professional career, she participated in several seminars and workshops, which helped her learn more about modern architectural practices and sustainable design strategies. Professionally, she engaged in projects of different scales. Mainly focused on BIM Modelling (Building Information Modelling) for a mixed-use residential project, where she learned how to use digital tools for designing buildings and urban spaces. Through this work, she improved both her technical abilities and her focus on eco-friendly, data-driven design. She is now continuing to learn in the MSc IUSD program about how architecture and city planning can create environmentally friendly, people-centered cities.

Evelyn Klooz holds a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Stuttgart. During her studies, she took part in student-led initiatives advocating for sustainability and inclusion on campus. Her undergraduate thesis assessed the habitat qualities of nesting aids integrated into façades for wild bees, by collecting and analysing data on ecological parameters, environmental conditions and structural characteristics. This research laid the groundwork for her ongoing interest in integrating ecological considerations into urban design processes and exploring how built environments can be adapted to enhance biodiversity and environmental performance.

Prior to joining the IUSD programme, she worked as an environmental acoustics engineer, assessing noise pollution in urban development projects ranging from individual buildings to large-scale districts. In collaboration with architects and urban planners, she ensured that proposed designs complied with technical and regulatory standards to ensure healthy living conditions. Her work also involved identifying potential noise conflicts caused by public events, industrial activities or transport infrastructure and developing strategies to mitigate their impact. 

Building on this understanding of how human infrastructure and ecological factors intersect with the urban environment and shape long-term planning decisions, she seeks to further develop an holistic approach through the IUSD programme that integrates climate-positive performance of buildings, social equity and a resilience into future urban development.

Cynde's passion for creation came first, discovering the power to create for the collective gave it purpose. From a small town in the heart of Tocantins, Brazil, Cynde holds a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture and Urban Planning from the Pontifical Catholic University of Goiás (PUC-GO), where she developed a deep interest in urban intervention and sustainable mobility. This interest led her to focus her final thesis on Tactical Urbanism, redeveloping a central urban area, a project that earned an honourable mention in the national bachelor’s thesis competition organized by the Brazilian Council of Architecture (CAU-GO).
Beyond the classroom, she founded a research travel group (TourArch) dedicated to exploring architecture and urban planning across Brazil. She also served as president of the Student Academic Center, representing students and organizing academic events. Additionally, she engaged in research on social housing, investigating how socio-spatial segregation emerges from social inequalities and class dynamics.
Her international experience includes a volunteer internship in Cairo, Egypt, through AIESEC at the German University in Cairo (GUC), focused on the Sustainable Cities and Communities goal, where she deepened her understanding of how sustainability can foster more inclusive and resilient urban spaces. After graduating, she worked at architecture and landscape studios in Brazil and Lisbon, Portugal, and later coordinated the Global Talent for Youth program at AIESEC Lisbon to strengthen her leadership skills.
She believes that only a holistic education connecting environment, urban design, and policy is key to shaping sustainable cities. A vision she aims to deepen through the IUSD program to collaborate with the global community. 

Ömer Faruk Ulusoy is an architect specializing in historic urbanism and cultural heritage. He completed his Bachelor of Architecture at Istanbul Technical University and later earned his first Master’s degree in Architectural History at the same institution, where his thesis focused on the Byzantine urban fabric of medieval Constantinople and its relationship to social structure, spatial identity, and urban resilience.
He has participated in several international research projects in the fields of heritage studies and conservation. As part of the EU-funded Palimpsest Cities project, he contributed to experimentation with gamification and storytelling as tools to broaden public engagement with architectural heritage. He also took part in the DAAD-funded research programme Aesthetic Approaches between the Early Christian, Byzantine and Early Islamic World at Goethe University, working on the study of cultural exchange and urban interactions across late antique and medieval contexts.
He is currently pursuing his second Master’s degree in Integrated Urbanism and Sustainable Design (IUSD) at the University of Stuttgart. His academic interests focus on linking heritage-sensitive approaches to sustainability, and on how pre-industrial urban models can provide inspiration for socially inclusive and environmentally responsible urban design today.

Nuttiya Sutthiprapa was born and raised in various neighborhoods across Bangkok, Thailand. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from Silpakorn University in 2019. Her thesis project, Residency Studios, explored community building through architectural design, aiming to create spaces that foster harmonious living among people from diverse backgrounds and activities.
After graduating, she has worked for six years as both an architect and project coordinator, focusing on architectural design and urban planning. These experiences activated her interest in community development and urbanism. Her interests extend to urban and infrastructure planning, as well as the city management and the creation of equitable public spaces. She is particularly passionate about city management and inclusive urbanism, not only for people but for the broader urban ecosystems that coexist within cities.
Nuttiya is deeply concerned with how local context, urban policy, and design decisions shape the future of cities and quality of life they offer to their inhabitants. Following her studies at IUSD, she aspires to advance her career and contribute to global urbanism, striving to be a small yet essential part, a microchip, in building more inclusive communities around the world.

Melanie Barriga is an Ecuadorian Urban Architect, born in Quito and graduated from Universidad Indoamérica in Ambato. Her education combined architecture and urban design with a strong focus on sustainability and social inclusion. She also completed the International Seminar on Urban Planning, Tactical Urban Planning and Resilient Architecture at Universidad Indoamérica, and the Green and Thriving Neighborhoods course by Urban Shift.
Melanie has worked across different design fields, from freelance interior and rendering projects to collaborations in architecture studios. Later, she served as Deputy Manager of Planning and Design in a construction company, where she coordinated diverse architectural projects and participated in site visits to solve design challenges directly. Her work aimed to combine creativity, functionality, and sustainability through thoughtful spatial planning.
Beyond her professional path, Melanie is an active member of Rotaract, a youth program by Rotary International, where she took part in social initiatives supporting children, elderly people, and indigenous communities. She also collaborated in a coastal project in Ecuador that applied placemaking and tactical urbanism to revitalize public spaces through crosswalks, murals, and community signage.
Melanie joined the IUSD Master’s program to deepen her understanding of integrated urbanism and to keep designing inclusive and resilient cities.

Semhal Tadesse Negash is an architect, interior designer, and researcher from Ethiopia. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from Mekelle University in 2019, where she later worked as an assistant lecturer engaged in teaching, research, and community service. Her bachelor’s thesis examined the relationship between urban fabric and crime in Kebelle 14, Mekelle, reflecting her early interest in the social dimensions of urban design.
Since 2023, she has been part of the four-year GIRT transdisciplinary research project, which focuses on improving the living conditions of women in informal settlements in Ethiopia and Mozambique through inclusive and collaborative approaches. In 2024, she collaborated with senior researchers on documentation work employing 3D technologies to preserve vernacular architecture in Tigray, in partnership with international institutions.
Her research interests include the adaptive reuse of vernacular architecture through modern technologies, sustainable and green architectural design, housing strategies and policy development, 3D documentation for heritage preservation, and post-conflict urban reconstruction and resilience. Alongside her academic work, she has participated in sustainable architectural, interior, and urban design projects and community-based initiatives, and co-manages Log 100 Trading PLC, a design-based firm in Ethiopia. During the Tigray war, she served as a gender focal person with Mums for Mums, supporting women’s participation in peacebuilding processes. She is currently pursuing her MSc in Integrated Urbanism and Sustainable Design at the University of Stuttgart.

Alejandra Trujillo Olguín is an architect from Mexico City who graduated with honors from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). During her studies, she completed an academic exchange at the Czech Technical University in Prague (ČVUT), which exposed her to international and interdisciplinary perspectives on landscape and architecture, inspiring her thesis focus on the boundaries and synergies between these disciplines and the urban environment.
Her early experience as an intern and researcher in ecological aesthetics, traditional construction systems, and urban design sparked her interest in sustainable urban development, urban regeneration, and community-oriented public space planning. She has since applied these interests in design roles within architectural studios, urban development projects, and urban design offices.
In her most recent position at KAAH – Urban Environmental Workshop, Alejandra contributed to research, spatial diagnostics, and cartographic analysis using GIS and graphic design tools to support urban development strategies and proposals.
Her academic background includes workshops, certifications, and diplomas such as the EDGE Certificate in Designing for Greater Efficiency (International Finance Corporation), Constructive Botany (Baubotanik, UNAM), and Integrated Urban Interventions: Challenges and Opportunities (UNAM with CoRe Liveable and Friendly Cities). These reflect her commitment to building resilient, inclusive, and ecologically responsible cities and her motivation to join the IUSD program to strengthen her social and ecological design approach.

Verena M.N. Aindongo is an urban planning professional dedicated to creating sustainable and vibrant neighborhoods. She holds an Honours Degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST), where she researched on climate-sensitive urban design. As an Regional Coordinator at Development Workshop Namibia (DWN), she led programmes in northern towns addressing low-cost housing, urban infrastructure, and early childhood development.While facilitating urban design project in collaboration with international firms  namely :ISD foundation from Switzerland, OKRA from Netherlands and JAKUPA Architects from South Africa.
She worked with the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development in Namibia collaborating with GIZ, to support the Urban and Regional Planning Board Secretariat in spatial data analysis and policy implementation. She has also contributed to local development initiatives with Usakos Town Council and the Namibia Housing Action Group (NHAG/Shack Dweller Federation), focusing on participatory planning and community-led layout design.
She is passionate about urban design education, information dissemination, and innovative financing models that empower the urban poor and strengthen grassroots participation in city-making. Verena is also interested in advancing green hydrogen energy solutions to promote sustainable urban growth and resilient infrastructure. Fueled by curiosity, creativity, and optimism, she brings energy and innovation to every project.

Arundhathi Devi is an Architect with a stong passion for Urbanism. Originally from the lush landscapes of Kerala, India, she was raised in the rapidly urbanising city of Doha, Qatar. Cajoled by images of cities, her curiosity of different places and people inspired her to pursue a Bachelor of Architecture from College of Architecture, Trivandrum. 

During her studies, Arundhathi participated in an Indo-Dutch workshop exploring Coastal Resilience and completed an internship in Bali, experiences that deepened her interest urban environments and sustainable design. With 3.5 years of professional experience in Qatar, she has contributed to various architectural projects, including an Urban Conceptual Masterplan.

Arundhathi believes in the ability of our environment (natural and engineered) to protect and provide. She is driven by the vision of more human-centric, climate resilient and nature-positive cities and is eager to further explore these themes through the IUSD program.

Salam Shehata is a 28 year old egyptian architect with a Bsc. in architectural engineering 2019 and six years of professional experience in architectural design and urban development. Her career began with meaningful work among refugee communities followed by an internship at UN Habitat within the strategic planning and urban development programme where contributed to the 2030 strategic development plans in egypt.

She later joined an architectural consultancy firm where she contributed to a range of residential, commercial, hospitality and office projects as well as landscape designs for private residences and public spaces.

A milestone in her career was contributing to the Aga Khan Award winning project the revitalization of historic Esna Egypt where she was part of the research and development team and engaged with various stakeholders including the public sector to conduct training sessions and site management workshops.

She is currently pursuing a masters degree in integrated urbanism and sustainable design at the university of stuttgart germany with great interest in art and passion for people she has the aspiration to contribute to creating humane sustainable and comfortable living environments throughout her career and passion.

Dikshya Dahal is an architect from Nepal with over five years of professional experience in sustainable design and community centered architecture. She graduated from the Institute of Engineering, Pulchowk Campus, where her thesis explored intergenerational architecture and inclusive social spaces. Her professional experience spans diverse project typologies, unified by a consistent focus on environmental responsibility and social equity. In private practice, worked on hospitality and residential projects, integrating passive design strategies, green architecture principles, and site responsive planning. Working on public sector projects, Dikshya specialized in community infrastructure design and planning. This work strengthened her understanding of public sector planning and accessible urban design. She has also volunteered with community organizations on urban greening initiatives that transform underutilized spaces into community assets.
Witnessing Nepal's rapid urbanization and the challenges faced by developing cities in balancing growth with environmental responsibility, Dikshya believes sustainable urban development is essential for creating equitable, climate responsive environments. She joined the IUSD program to advance her expertise in sustainable design methodologies, aiming to develop research-informed approaches for creating resilient, inclusive urban environments that address the pressing needs of rapidly developing contexts.