CV in short:
Charis Christodoulou studied architecture at the School of Architecture, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Dip MA 1995 – Thesis project: “Regeneration of 12 Apostles’ Byzantine Church Urban Quarter in the Historic Centre of Thessaloniki”). She pursued post-graduate studies in Urban Design at the Joint Centre for Urban Design, Schools of Architecture & Planning, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford (MA 1996 - Thesis title: “Urban Regeneration and Cultural Interventions in European Cities at the Turn of the Century”). Her doctoral research grounded the hypothesis of a new socio-spatial order discernible in European cities in the period following the ‘70s - and in specific its variation in the South, in which the concentration of new forms of poverty and exclusion go hand-in-hand with that of globalized business activities (PhD 2008, Dpt. of Architecture AUT – Title of Doctorate Thesis: “Urbanization and Spaces of Social Exclusion: Habitation Patterns in the Periphery of Thessaloniki, 1980-2000”).
She has taken part in several research projects in the field of urban regeneration, urban design and urban planning in Greek cities. Her work as a professional architect – urban designer – planner includes mainly consultancy to local authorities on issues of ekistics, urban strategies and participatory design, as well as architectural interventions, in the framework of national and European funds. In the past, she taught urban design and urban planning, theory and urban synthesis in architectural and urban scale, and space – place - gender discourse in the School of Architecture, University of Thessaly in Volos (lecturer on contract, 2001-2005). She has been teaching urban design and urban planning in the School of Architecture, Aristotle University Thessaloniki since 2009. Her work within a number of teams has received distinction in several international architectural and urban design competitions.
Knowledge field:
Urban planning, urban design, urban geography: theory and practices, socio-spatial transformation of the contemporary city, networking actors, gender perspectives, social housing.
Research interests:
Urban planning: sprawl, statutory framework and urbanization processes, Greek cities’ specificities.
Urban design: urban regeneration strategies and sustainability – issues of planning, management, implementation and effects, urban design processes and participation, environmental urban design.
Socio-spatial transformation of the city in the framework of globalization - internationalization: urban dispersion, segregation, spaces of social exclusion, urban resilience – fragility, habitation of vulnerable groups and communities.
Gender mainstreaming urban design and urban planning.
European policies on the urban environment and social exclusion.
