SPUR-Members

Daniels Saakjans

Daniels is a doctoral candidate in European Land-Use Planning at the Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL. He works in the research project "Bringing urban land-change simulation to the next level (SILAR)". He holds a BA in Urban Studies and Planning from the University of Sheffield and a MSc in International Planning (Smart Cities Specialism) from the University College London UCL. 

Daniela Sanjinés 

Daniela Sanjinés has been a researcher at the ETH Wohnforum and lecturer of the MAS ETH in Housing since 2018. Currently she is pursuing a PhD within the framework of the SNSF funded project titled "Negotiating space for housing cooperatives in Latin America. The case of post-conflict Colombia and El Salvador". She holds an MSc in International Cooperation and Urban Development from TU Darmstadt and an MSc in Sustainable Emergency Architecture from the Universitat Internacional de Catalunya. Previous work includes the design and implementation of affordable housing policies in Colombia and the design of participatory camp improvement plans for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the West Bank (UNRWA).

Cynthia Döös

Cynthia Döös completed her Bachelor's degree in Geography, Social Sciences and Sustainable Development at the University of Bern and is now studying for her Master's degree in Spatial Development and Infrastructure Systems at ETH Zurich. At SPUR, she mainly works on the Grundzüge Raum- und Landschaftsentwicklung lecture and contributes to various other projects. Her main interests are area developments and understanding its social impacts, especially how to create urban spaces that are sustainable, inclusive and balanced between infrastructure and community needs.  

Arturo Franco

Arturo Franco completed his bachelor in International Relations in Mexico, where he also pursued additional studies in Applied Statistics and Econometrics. Starting October 2024, he collaborates as a student research assistant in the Spatial Development and Urban Policy research group in hand with his masters studies in Political Science at ETH Zürich. Arturo is interested in empirical research and its application to subject areas like the political economy of development, international regime theory and political ecology.  

Alessio Guidon

Alessio is a research assistant in the Spatial Development and Urban Policy research group since October 2024. He completed his bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Mathematics at the University of Zurich. Currently, he is pursuing a master’s degree in Comparative and International Studies at ETH Zurich.

Aura Huang

Aura Huang is an MSc student in Spatial Development and Infrastructure Systems and a Research Assistant at SPUR. Prior to joining, she worked as an architect at Lina Ghotmeh’s office in Paris on diverse international projects, focusing on culturally specific and socially aware design. She grew up in China and graduated from the Technical University of Munich with a BA in Architecture. She has worked in multiple architecture offices in Germany and France, gaining experience in both competition and construction stages. Within the field of urban studies, her research interests include housing affordability and spatial equity, with a side mission to prove that socially conscious design can also look fabulous.

Peppino Müller

Peppino Müller is a research assistant in the Spatial Development and Urban Policy research group. He studies Geography along with Spatial Planning & Landscape Development. He is particularly interested in the subjects of green and socially responsible urban development as well as the elaboration and development of solutions for future challenges in urban areas.

Janine Ritter

to come

Aimée Schmid

to come

Sofía Uribe

Sofía Uribe joined SPUR in 2024 to contribute to the research project Housing in Urban Humanitarian Crises, which aims to generate new perspectives on the housing conditions and strategies of displaced populations in Bogotá, Colombia, and Beirut, Lebanon.  She holds a BSc in Architecture from ETH Zürich and is currently completing her MSc in Architecture at the same institution. As a Colombian, she has worked on different research projects across different regions of Colombia, engaging with local communities and field-based methods. Her research interests span sustainable construction techniques, the everyday dynamics of public space, the challenges and achievements faced by displaced people in accessing adequate housing, and the role of design and architecture in post-conflict scenarios.

Maria Wani

Maria Wani did her bachelor's in Political Science from NYU Abu Dhabi in 2025. Now, she is pursuing her Master's in Comparative and International Studies at ETH. She is specifically attached as a graduate assistant to SPUR's Humanitarian Planning Hub. She is deeply interested in the intersection of conflict studies, forced displacement and development in the Global South.