معرفی
Dr. Soo J. Ryu is a Lecturer at the School of Landscape Architecture at Lincoln University in New Zealand, where she also serves as an Outreach Coordinator. She is an early career researcher specializing in integrating marine ecologies into the design and planning of coastal cities, with a focus on addressing challenges of unsustainable development and climate change, particularly sea-level rise and storm surge.
Dr. Ryu holds a PhD in Urban Landscapes from Aarhus School of Architecture (2019-2023), an MSc in Urban, Energy & Environmental Planning from Aalborg University (2017-2019), an MArch in Sustainability from Victoria University of Wellington (2009-2010), and a BArch (Hons) from the University of Auckland (2003-2008). Her educational background reflects her deep commitment to sustainability and landscape architecture.
Her research centers on urban seascaping - an interdisciplinary approach that bridges environmental science, architecture, urban planning and landscape architecture. Dr. Ryu investigates how coastal cities can better integrate with marine ecosystems through nature-based solutions, emphasizing more-than-human perspectives and rethinking the boundary between city and sea. Her work has developed design principles that stress the importance of seaweed and other marine elements as catalysts for urban shoreline transformation. Her research directly contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals 10, 11, 13, 14, and 15.
Dr. Ryu's publication record demonstrates a clear evolution from theoretical explorations of coastal ecologies to practical applications of marine nature-based solutions. A unifying theme across her work is the concept of 'urban seascaping' - how cities can live not just by the sea but with the sea. Her research increasingly incorporates indigenous knowledge, particularly te ao Māori worldview (ki uta ki tai - from mountains to the sea), and explores innovative technologies like extended reality for public engagement with marine environments.
- New Zealand Institute of Architects: Post Earthquake Pavilion Competition for the Canterbury branch (NZD $10,000), 2012
- Aalborg University Case Competition 2019 - 1st Prize
- Benson & Cooper Design for Sustainability Award
Dr. Ryu actively supervises students and collaborates on research projects. She teaches courses including Innovative Design (LASC 316), Landscape Analysis, Planning and Design (LASC 215), and serves as an Examiner for Sustainable Design and Planning (LASC 322). She has participated in significant research collaborations, including the Realdania-funded project 'Danske byers tilpasning til havvandsstigning – nye løsningsrum' and served as a Consulting Researcher for the Venice Biennale 2023 Danish pavilion ('Critical Imaginaries'). Dr. Ryu also provides technical expertise to municipalities like Vejle in Denmark for coastal adaptation projects.
Dr. Ryu is a member of research networks focused on coastal adaptation, including Research Lab 1: Transformation at the Aarhus School of Architecture. She collaborates with indigenous knowledge holders (kaitiaki) to integrate traditional ecological knowledge with contemporary design approaches. Her current work explores how extended reality technologies can facilitate more interactive and immersive public engagement with marine environments, addressing the challenge of making inaccessible underwater ecosystems visible and understandable to urban populations.
