Background

ArcK is the research group of the Faculty of Architecture and Arts at UHasselt, focusing on research in architecture and interior architecture. We conduct fundamental and applied research on the built environment, addressing significant societal challenges such as adaptive reuse of heritage, inclusion of diverse groups in spatial transformation, environmental impact of our built environment, inclusive design, and design for wellbeing and experience. These challenges are covered in five research domains: ‘spatial capacity building’, ‘sustainability’, ‘designing for more’, ‘Trace: heritage & adaptive reuse’, and ‘FRAME’.

More information: www.uhasselt.be/arck

Job Content

The FRAME research cluster at the Faculty of Architecture and Arts, UHasselt, offers a full-time doctoral position for 2 years, extendable by 2 years after a positive interim evaluation. This position is for candidates interested in working on spatial representations and imaginations through image-making. The PhD research will focus on media such as photography, video, drawing, or a combination of these in hybrid constellations. The project should engage with art-as-research-practice, integrating both theoretical and practical approaches. Applicants are required to upload a portfolio and a PhD proposal describing their proposed project.

We welcome proposals exploring spatial representations, montage and assemblage methodologies, photography and moving images as critical practices, or drawing and other visual arts as mediums of reflection. Thematically, proposals can relate to landscapes and embodied knowledge, deep time perspectives, borders and liminality, or fragile environments. The topic will be refined in consultation with the PhD supervisor. The research should also consider its potential to contribute to societal and spatial transformation processes and shape the future of education in related fields.

As part of this project, you will collaborate with researchers, architects, and artists from the FRAME domain, which focuses on creative-critical writing, photography, video, maquettes, and drawing. You will also work with other research groups of ArcK and PXL-MAD.

Deliverables for application:

• CV
• Letter of motivation + contact details of up to 2 referees
• Portfolio (max 5 MB or link to online portfolio) uploaded in the online application module
• PhD proposal with a description of the project (problem statement, methodology, artistic and/or theoretical references, expected outputs, max 4 pages, 10,000 characters) uploaded in the online application module

Profile

• Master's degree in (interior) architecture or visual arts (or equivalent)
• Artistic practice or experience in architectural design (demonstrated through a portfolio)
• Demonstrable research skills
• Affinity with the proposed research methodologies
• Strong oral and visual communication and presentation skills
• Fluent in English; knowledge of Dutch is an asset
• Proficiency with ICT applications and visual communication software (e.g., Adobe suite)
• Willingness to take on limited teaching assignments
• Interest in interdisciplinary research
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team

Offer
You will be appointed and paid as a PhD student.
PhD fellowship for 2 x 2 years with mid-term evaluation.

Selection Procedure
Apply online by 15 October 2024.
The selection procedure includes a preselection based on the application file and an interview. The PhD start date is 01.01.2025.

Further Information
Prof. dr. Nicoletta GRILLO, nicoletta.grillo@uhasselt.be
For questions about the selection procedure, please email jobs@uhasselt.be.