Be part of the transition towards brighter, better urban landscapes

The UNESCO Chair in Urban Landscape is proud to announce the publication of a new chapter by Aleksandra Mostovaja and Shin Koseki in the forthcoming volume … but, who are we building for?, published by Building Diversity and the Danish Architectural Press. This second book by Building Diversity brings together more than thirty international contributions that critically reflect on inclusivity, equity, and belonging in architecture and the built environment.

The IVADO consortium on research on AI has confirmed the appointment of Professor Shin Koseki, holder of the UNESCO Chair in Urban Landscape at the Université de Montréal, as an IVADO Researcher. This five-year affiliation integrates him into a leading scientific community bringing together researchers in artificial intelligence, data science, and optimization.

The Evadia+ team of the UNESCO Chair in Urban Landscape had the pleasure of leading the AI Freskworkshop, proposed by Frédérique Roy and Hugo Berard during a collaborative session.

In Habitat International (Vol. 164, Oct 2025), Rashid Mushkani and Shin Koseki present Street Review, a participatory method that blends interviews, focus groups, and a structured image-rating exercise to assess 20 Montréal streets (60 vantage points) across four criteria: Accessibility, Inclusivity, Aesthetics, Practicality.

Happy back-to-school season to all!

Applause for Andreanne Bernard!

Rashid Mushkani (UdeM, Mila) and his co-authors, Shravan Nayak, Hugo Berard, Allison Cohen, Shin Koseki, Hadrien Bertrand presented LIVS (Local Intersectional Visual Spaces) at the ICML 2025 (International Conference on Machine Learning) in Vancouver.

We are pleased to share our latest study, “Public perceptions of Montréal’s streets: Implications for inclusive public space making and management”, published in the Journal of Urban Management and co-authored by Rashid Mushkani, Hugo Bérard, Shin Koseki (Université de Montréal, Mila – Quebec AI Institute) and Toumadher Ammar (Université de Montréal).

Eddy Nono, a master’s student in Environment and Sustainable Development (specializing in planning), has been awarded the research scholarship of Regroupement 5 – Éthique, EDI et engagement autochtone as part of IVADO’s IAR 3 program.

After completing an internship at the UNESCO Chair in Urban Landscape last year and earning her bachelor’s degree in architecture from the Royal Danish Academy in Copenhagen, Aleksandra Mostovaja is now continuing her academic journey at the Urban School of Sciences Po Paris, within the master’s program Governing the Large Metropolis.

Adele Kremer, master’s student in Urban Landscape and Planning at the Faculty of Environmental Design at the Université de Montréal, received a distinction for her master’s thesis titled: “Perceptions and Experiences of Women Experiencing Homelessness in Montreal’s Public Spaces.” Supervised by Shin Koseki, her work explores crucial social and spatial issues.

Rashid Mushkani, PhD student at the UNESCO Chair in Urban Landscape, won the third prize for his presentation “Locked Out by Design” during the grand finale of Mila’s Speed Science contest on June 5, 2025.

Eddy Damaris, as a student member of OBVIA, presented the core issue of his research during the “Fresque de la relève” session.

Joignez-vous à nous le 7 juillet prochain pour la première Fresque critique de l’IA ouverte au public!

Shin Koseki, UNESCO Chair in Urban Landscape at the Université de Montréal and affiliate member of Mila – Quebec’s AI Institute – took part in the XVIII UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) Conference, held in Paris on June 23–24, 2025. The annual gathering brought together cities and experts from around the world to exchange ideas on culture, creativity, and urban sustainability.

Developed through immersive, sensory research and dialogue with residents, the proposals present small-scale, low-tech interventions aimed at renewing connections to the river and enhancing the quality of life for all who call its banks home.

Participate in the future of your neighbourhood!

A PhD candidate at the UNESCO Chair in Urban Landscape, Leandry Jieutsa has received an Honourable Mention at the AI and Cities: An International Forum for Innovation and Collaboration (May 9–10, 2025), hosted by the University of Florida. His presentation on urban AI governance through the lens of innovation ecosystems was commended for its depth and originality.

Eddy Damaris and Frédérique Roy, graduate students at the UNESCO Chair in Urban Landscape presented their respective master project at the Colloque interordre de la recherche étudiante en sciences sociales et humaines, en arts et en lettres, that took place on the 23 may at the Université du Québec à Montréal.

Frédérique Roy, master’s student at the UNESCO Chair in Urban Landscape, Hugo Berard, postdoctoral researcher at the UNESCO Chair in Urban Landscape, and Émile Pronovost, master’s student at the Institut national de la recherche scientifique, will be presenting the AI Critical Fresco on May 30 at the conference The Great Transition: Reviving post-capitalist solidarities

The UNESCO Studio New Orleans aims to enhance the quality of living environments along the Mississippi River through design and planning practices grounded in sensory data collection.

On May 9th and 10th, the EVADIA+ project team participated in the participatory urban planning workshop organized in the Centre-Sud region around the Victoria Précision site.

We’re excited to join the 15th edition of the UNESCO Studio, taking place in New Orleans (USA) from May 19 to 31!

At today’s AI and Cities: An International Forum for Innovation and Collaboration, Shin Koseki, Assistant Professor at the University of Montreal and Chairholder of the UNESCO Chair in Urban Landscape, presented Évadia+, a groundbreaking AI-driven platform for inclusive urban participation. The project exemplifies how artificial intelligence can be co-designed with communities to strengthen civic engagement, ensure transparency, and build more equitable urban futures. Drawing from real-world applications in Montreal, the tool allows citizens to track how their input shapes development projects—redefining public consultation through weighted synthesis, source traceability, and multimodal participation.

Recap of the Fourth Meeting of the EVADIA+ Project Partners

The UNESCO Chair in Urban Landscape at the Université de Montréal is proud to announce a new collaboration with photographer-researcher Alexandre Campeau-Vallée for a groundbreaking exhibition at the @niagarafallsmuseums Set to open in summer 2026, the exhibition will explore the interwoven political and ecological tensions of the Niagara Falls region through an immersive, research-creation approach. The project will transform the museum space into a working landscape architecture studio, inviting visitors into an evolving dialogue between past and present.

Online Lecture – Sensory Approaches to Cities Ahead of the upcoming UNESCO Studio in New Orleans (May 19–30), we are pleased to welcome Kelvin E.Y. Low, Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at the National University of Singapore, for an online lecture on May 13.

Congratulations Eddy!

Sarah Tannir and Frédérique Roy, graduate students from the UNESCO Chair in Urban Landscape, presented their respective research work at the 15th edition of the Colloque Perspective 360°, organized by @acsa_udem

The UNESCO Chair in Urban Landscape is pleased to share that Professor Shin Koseki was recently invited to take part in the academic examination of the architecture program at Université Laval. Programs under review were the research master of architecture, the master of urban design and the PhD in architecture. His participation in this international delegation reflects the recognition of his expertise in urban design and the growing contribution of the Chair to conversations on architectural education.