Associated researcher at the LRA (Laboratoire de Recherche en Architecture)

EN The LRA is the research department of the Toulouse School of Architecture ENSA (Ecole Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture). It is a multi-disciplinary group of researchers and scientist who work on various subjects in the fields of architecture, the built environment, town planning, art history, social geography and sustainable development. The scale of the research projects varies widely from the environmental performance of building materials to architectural design and renovation of individual buildings, to city renewal and rehabilitation of whole urban areas, and from archeology to the modelling of energy and climate patterns in contemporary cities and metropolitan areas.

According to their skills and interests, associated researchers exchange ideas and work experience in six working groups: environment and landscape; art, architecture and design; building heritage; spatial and social forms; history of urban areas ; digital architecture. Besides scientific research, the projects also aim to provide knowledge and expertise and to develop design and decision-making tools for architects, town planners, engineers, governments, schools and universities. There is a direct link between the research department and the School of Architecture where most researchers also teach. The LRA hosts several PhD students as well as post docs. In the last decades there has been a clear focus on environmental issues related to the built environment, e.g. thermal simulation, life cycle analysis, building morphology, bio-climatic design, energy saving and the benefits of vernacular building methods and natural materials.