EXCITE 2024

Applicants: Theresa Knosp, Thomas Moser, Julia Nuler, Julia Nuler, Sophie Stackmann
Funding amount: €25,000

TITLE:
Stummes Erbe – QUEERFEMINISTISCHE BESTANDSPFLEGE TABUISIERTER RÄUME

PROJECT TEAM:

• Theresa Knosp, E251-03
• Thomas Moser, E251-03
• Julia Nuler, E253-03
• Sophie Stackmann, E251-02

COOPERATION PARTNERS:

• TU Wien Academic Press
• Architekturzentrum Wien (Az W)
• Zentrum für queere Geschichte Wien (QWien)
• Project A Future for Whose Past? at ETH Zürich
• Claiming*Spaces-Kollektiv
• Magazine an.schläge

CONTENT:
The proposal emphasizes that a sustainable engagement with architecture must address not only the material preservation of buildings but also their historical significance.

It calls for a holistic and transdisciplinary approach that challenges the dominant narrative of the “genius architect” by highlighting the contributions of marginalized groups, particularly women and FLINTA*. The research project aims to integrate a queerfeminist perspective into architectural history and practice by uncovering forgotten works, analyzing architectural marginalization, and designing more inclusive spatial programs.

OBJECTIVE:
The project examines architectural history through a gender-sensitive lens by combining teaching formats, public lectures, and workshops. It places particular emphasis on working with existing buildings and on developing new textual and spatial designs.

The outcomes include the launch volume of a new publication series titled Space & Gender, a public lecture series, and a platform connecting students and lecturers interested in thesis work at the intersection of architecture and gender.

INNOVATIVE CHARACTER (Content-related, scientific-methodological and/or didactic originality):
Active student participation as empowered producers and mediators of knowledge is a key component of the concept.

INNOVATIVE CHARACTER (Inter- and/or Transdisciplinary):
Interdisciplinarity is reflected in cooperation with non-academic actors. Transdisciplinarity is evident both in the project team—bringing together expertise from fields such as art history, heritage conservation, spatial design, and architectural design—and in the involvement of internal and international colleagues.

INTERNATIONAL DIMENSION:
The course includes guest contributions from international experts and scholarly articles by international colleagues. In addition, international academic networks such as H-Soz-Kult and ArtHist are used for dissemination.

Doctoral Programme New Social Housing
(Judith M. Lehner, Bernadette Krejs, Selim Banabak)
Funding amount: €42,000

TITLE:
Doctoral Programme New Social Housing

PROJECT TEAM:

• Judith M. Lehner, E285-01
• Bernadette Krejs, E253-02
• Selim Banabak, E280-02

COOPERATION PARTNERS:

• Prof. Dragana Damjanovic
• Prof. Simon Güntner
• Prof. Michael Obrist
• Prof. Franziska Sielker
• Prof. Amita Bhide
• Prof. Massimo Bricocoli
• Prof. Raquel Rolnik
• Kurt Hofstetter

CONTENT:
The proposal focuses on establishing a doctoral programme dedicated to the topic of New Social Housing. It highlights the highly dynamic political, social, technical, ecological, and economic transitions in urban development and the resulting challenges, particularly with regard to the provision of housing.

OBJECTIVE:
The application pursues four main objectives. First, it aims to establish an international and interdisciplinary doctoral programme on New Social Housing. Second, the programme is intended to position the Faculty of Architecture and Spatial Planning within international housing research networks and to strengthen or initiate international collaborations. Third, it seeks to support early-career researchers. Finally, it aims to increase the visibility of research through public events and publications in peer-reviewed open access journals.

INNOVATIVE CHARACTER (Content-related, scientific-methodological and/or didactic originality):
The project organizers and partners aim to develop new formats for knowledge transfer and cooperation networks that are accessible to all participants and extend beyond the programme itself.

INNOVATIVE CHARACTER (Inter- and/or Transdisciplinary):
The interdisciplinary nature of the project is reflected in the establishment and development of the doctoral programme on New Social Housing, providing researchers with opportunities for international exchange.

INTERNATIONAL DIMENSION:
TU Wien and its faculty are positioned at the center of an international network of researchers working on social housing. The programme creates prospects for developing a structured doctoral programme that could include other universities in Vienna. Additionally, there are opportunities for double degree agreements in doctoral education with leading international universities from both the Global North and the Global South.

Expanding Excellence by Experimentation
(Anna Aigner, Margaret Haderer, Lena Hohenkamp, Johannes Suitner, Andreas Bernögger, Mara Haas, Gunnar Grandel, André Krammer)
Funding amount: €33,000

TITLE:
EXPANDING EXCELLENCE by EXPERIMENTATION – Transformative Talente qualifizieren

PROJECT TEAM:

• Anna Aigner, E280-06
• Margaret Haderer, E280-06
• Lena Hohenkamp, E280-04
• Johannes Suitner, E280-02
• Andreas Bernögger, E285-01
• Mara Haas, E285-01
• Gunnar Grandel, E280-05
• André Krammer, E260-01

COOPERATION PARTNERS:

• Martin Berger (content-related sparring partner)
• Simon Güntner (content-related sparring partner)
• Alexander Hamedinger (content-related sparring partner)
• Ute Schneider (content-related sparring partner)
• Andreas Voigt (content-related sparring partner)
• Christian Peer (content-related sparring partner)
• Deans of Studies TU Wien (institutional sparring partners)
• Sabine Knierbein (institutional sparring partner)
• Sabina Riß (institutional sparring partner)
• Angelika Psenner (institutional sparring partner)

CONTENT:
The initiative EXPANDING EXCELLENCE by EXPERIMENTATION (EX³) is conceived as a “real-world laboratory” in which concrete formats for building transformative capacities among early-career researchers are tested. Conceptually, EX³ is driven by a shared research interest in experimentation as a phenomenon, method, and instrument for the transformation of the built environment.

OBJECTIVE:
The proposal pursues three main objectives: first, the qualification of doctoral researchers; second, the establishment of a knowledge cluster on the topic “Experiments for the Transformation of the Built Environment”; and third, the institutional reflection on the formats and work developed within the initiative.

INNOVATIVE CHARACTER (Content-related, scientific-methodological and/or didactic originality):
From a didactic perspective, the initiative promotes the self-organized development of effective working formats for early-career researchers, thereby providing a starting point for the long-term development of an adaptable and learning-oriented institutional structure.

INNOVATIVE CHARACTER (Inter- and/or Transdisciplinary):
The project foresees exchange, networking, and collaboration with renowned researchers and practitioners working on spatial transformation, both within and beyond TU Wien. This reflects the interdisciplinary character of the initiative.

INTERNATIONAL DIMENSION:
The international dimension is reflected in the cooperation partners involved and the exchange with international experts.

Funding amount: joint funding for both projects, max. 75.000 €

Heat Island Fever

(Behrooz Khalili Nasr, Til Sommer)

TITLE:
Heat Island Fever – Investigating Strategies for Optimizing Thermal Wellbeing and Energy Efficiency in Vienna’s Hot Spots

PROJECT TEAM:

• Behrooz Khalili Nasr, E259-03
• Til Sommer, E259-03

COOPERATION PARTNERS:

• Stadt Wien Initiative Cooles Wien and Vienna Heat Action Plan (possible cooperation partners)

CONTENT:
This research project focuses on understanding thermal comfort and energy dynamics in urban environments. By integrating innovative methods, empirical measurements, and the active participation of students, the project aims to generate actionable insights and tools for improving climate resilience in Vienna’s built environment. A comprehensive urban comfort and energy index will be developed to support urban planners and policy makers in mitigating the effects of urban heat islands.

OBJECTIVE:
The primary objective is to assess thermal wellbeing and energy demand in heat-vulnerable urban locations. This will be achieved through a holistic approach that investigates interior and exterior urban spaces as interconnected systems.

INNOVATIVE CHARACTER (Content-related, scientific-methodological and/or didactic originality):
The didactic innovation lies in enabling students to conduct comprehensive analyses, simulations, and evaluations of built and unbuilt environments as interconnected systems. Particular attention is also given to communicating findings in ways accessible to non-experts.

INNOVATIVE CHARACTER (Inter- and/or Transdisciplinary):
The transdisciplinary character is reflected in the cooperation and knowledge exchange with non-academic stakeholders.

INTERNATIONAL DIMENSION:
Results will be presented at international and regional forums, including the International Building Performance Simulation Association (IBPSA) 2025 Conference and the Climate Biennale Vienna.

Toward Understanding Building Occupants

(Ulrich Pont, Ulrike Herbig, Melanie Haberl)

TITLE:
Toward Understanding Building Occupants: Ethnography of People in Their Role as Consumers and Influencers of Building-Related Energy Consumption

PROJECT TEAM:

• Ulrich Pont, E259-03
• Ulrike Herbig, E251-01 / E280
• Melanie Haberl, Institut für Publizistik- und Kommunikationswissenschaft / Institut für Europäische Ethnologie, Universität Wien

COOPERATION PARTNERS:

• Univ. Prof. Dr. Brigitta Schmidt-Lauber, Deputy Head of the Institut für Europäische Ethnologie, Universität Wien
• Univ. Prof. Dr. Michael Getzner, Forschungsbereich Finanzwissenschaften und Infrastrukturpolitik, TU Wien
• Senior Scientist Dr. Stefan Fenz, Forschungsbereich Data Science, Fakultät für Informatik, TU Wien
• Assoc. Prof. Dr. Matthias Schuss, Forschungsbereich Bauphysik und Bauökologie, TU Wien

CONTENT:
The project addresses key topics including climate change mitigation and adaptation, building energy efficiency, user perspectives, and ethnographic approaches. It combines qualitative and quantitative methods to better understand how people influence energy consumption in the built environment.

OBJECTIVE:
The EXCITE project aims to implement three main steps:

Organization of an (inter)national and inter-/transdisciplinary conference at TU Wien in September 2025 titled “Anthropology-driven approaches to Efficiency and Sufficiency of the planned and built environment.”

Establishment of an association that enables researchers and institutions involved to further develop the topic in the long term.

Development of an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary elective teaching format in the spirit of research-led teaching, bringing together students and lecturers.

INNOVATIVE CHARACTER (Content-related, scientific-methodological and/or didactic originality):
The innovation lies in the cross-disciplinary approach with a clear research focus on understanding how and why people behave as they do in relation to energy consumption. Methodologically, the project integrates multiple levels of analysis. Expected outcomes include advances in the topic itself, a special teaching module with external interdisciplinary input, and leadership in the field through the organization of a networking conference.

INNOVATIVE CHARACTER (Inter- and/or Transdisciplinary):
The project adopts an inter- and transdisciplinary approach that combines quantitative and technical perspectives—such as building performance evaluation through simulation and sensor-based monitoring, as well as data science—with qualitative analyses of socio-cultural everyday practices (“everyday culture”) and insights from behavioral economics.

INTERNATIONAL DIMENSION:
An international conference planned for early autumn 2025 will serve as a platform to discuss and establish the approach “Anthropology-driven approaches to Efficiency and Sufficiency of the planned and built environment.”