Mirian Calvo

Mirian Calvo is a Lecturer in Participatory Architecture at Lancaster University's Lancaster Institute for the Contemporary Arts, within the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Her work focuses on interdisciplinary research that bridges participatory design, urban planning, and policy-making to address societal challenges like climate change and social inequality. She holds expertise in placemaking, co-design methodologies, and sustainable futures.

Calvo’s research has been supported by external funding as a Principal Investigator and Co-Investigator, including projects like Local Planning Policy for Sustainable Soils (Local-Soils) and IN PLACE: Connecting Design and Policy for Net-ZERO targets. She collaborates with organizations such as Lancaster City Council to translate research into actionable policies. Her teaching includes modules on Architectural Humanities and Design Studio, emphasizing student-led inquiry and community engagement.

Key research interests include participatory architecture, co-construction of sustainable cities, and egalitarian power dynamics in urban design. Her work has been showcased in RTPI’s documentary Planning for Tomorrow’s Environment, reaching 600,000+ views. Calvo’s activities span international conferences, workshops, and exhibitions, fostering dialogue between academia and communities.

Her research groups include Imagination Lancaster and the School of Architecture, focusing on spatial and environmental innovation.