With a focus on radical spatial imagination and collaborative design processes, Irene Luque Martín’s work centers on challenging conventional practices. Holding a PhD in Collaborative and Innovative Design Processes from the University of Seville, in collaboration with the University of Amsterdam, she has over a decade of experience leading urban planning and design initiatives. Her expertise spans water resilience, energy transition, circular development, sustainable mobility, and built environment transition, particularly in vulnerable and rapidly transitioning territories.
Irene is deeply committed to hacking conventional practice, daring to connect knowledge with action in ways that transcend classical theories. She believed that spatial design holds immense power, both positive and negative, and with that power comes a profound responsibility. Her work emphasizes the need to unlock new potentials within our discipline, particularly through research by design and design by research.
At TU Delft’s Urbanism Department, Irene’s research aims to accelerate the transformation of Spatial Design Academia and Practice through reflecting, challenging, and acting through Research-by-Spatial Design (RbSD) and Spatial Design-by-Research. She focuses on understanding the value, role, and business case for both methodologies in diverse international contexts, aiming to push the boundaries of our discipline.
Teaching is central to her mission. She is dedicated to preparing the next generation of urban designers to be the agents of change, instilling in them the importance of daring, innovative thinking, and the critical role of spatial design in shaping the future. Irene believes that the future of our discipline lies in empowering these future agents to challenge the status quo and harness the full potential of spatial design to impact decision-making across multiple domains.