Valentina Soana

Valentina Soana serves as Lecturer in Architectural Design and Architectural Computation at University College London's Bartlett School of Architecture, where she leads Research Cluster 2 – Soft Robotic Architecture and supervises MSc students. Concurrently, she is completing her PhD in soft robotics and lightweight materials within UCL's Department of Mechanical Engineering.

Education:

• Master of Architecture, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm (Distinction)
• Master of Science, Integrative Technologies and Architectural Design Research (ITECH), University of Stuttgart (Distinction)

Her pioneering research centers on Elastic Robotic Structures (ERS) – large-scale intelligent systems that leverage material elasticity to achieve shape-morphing capabilities through strategic robotic actuation. This work bridges computational design and physical behavior to create adaptive architectural environments that respond dynamically to human interaction and environmental stimuli, minimizing resource consumption while enabling complex transformations.

Analysis of her publication trajectory reveals consistent innovation in bending-active systems, pneumatic-hybrid structures, and aerial robotics since 2020. Her Nature-published work on autonomous construction drones demonstrates cross-disciplinary impact, while recent 2024-2025 papers establish foundational frameworks for shape-morphing elastic systems in architectural applications.

Professional Recognition:

• Master's degrees earned with Distinction from two leading European institutions
• Commissioned work exhibited at Venice Biennale (2021)
• International presentations across robotics, physics, and architecture venues

As academic supervisor for MSc students and leader of Research Cluster 2, Soana develops next-generation designers through hands-on exploration of robotic architecture. Her research methodology combines theoretical frameworks with physical prototyping, resulting in over 20 functional ERS demonstrations that inform both academic discourse and practical applications.

Her experimental work operates through dual UCL laboratories: the Soft Haptics and Robotics Lab and the Mechanics of Lightweight Materials and Structures Lab, where interdisciplinary teams advance the integration of material science, robotics, and architectural design.