martha
Giannakopoulou
Validated Lead Expert
Generic Skills
B.1. Understanding of integrated and sustainable urban development:
I am a registered and qualified architect with 15 years of professional experience in urban planning, architecture, and innovative urban approaches with a strong focus on current European participatory methodologies and programmes. I hold a BA and Riba 1 & 2 diplomas in Architecture and Urbanism from The Architectural Association (London, UK), and I was awarded a Fulbright scholarship as an Urban Research Fellow at the Cooper Union Institute of Sustainable Design (New York, USA).My extensive work experience spans from academic research and training to urban policy with governmental bodies including European municipalities, UNagencies, NGOs and CSOs. I have developed knowledge transfer publications and drafted urban agendas, social innovation strategies, action plans and participatory toolkits I am currently a UIA Expert on Housing for the ICCARus project (Ghent, Belgium) and a UNDP International Urban Expert on urban integration development (Chisinau, Moldova). In 2017-2019, I was Project Manager on POLIS 2 (Athens, Greece) on urban integrated planning for public interventions, working with community groups, civil society and local authorities. I was also an Urban Advisor on Urbact/Refill to the Vice Mayor of Athens on the temporary use of public municipal buildings.In 2015-2017, I was Lead Coordinator for Catholic Relief Services’ urban shelter scheme. In 2015, I was the Lead Coordinator for Urban Think Tank Reactivate Athens in collaboration with ETH Zurich.
B.2. Understanding of exchange and learning processes at transnational level:
For the past eight years, I have worked in close collaboration with UNDP, CRS and the Municipality of Athens, gaining in-depth understanding and knowledge of European and national programmes, policies and funds. My work includes representing local authorities and international development organizations in European conferences and workshops, as well as being the lead coordinator in transatlantic seminars.Exchanging and capturing knowledge through collaborative workshops and peer-to-peer learning has been very important in my work to process and co-create actions, plans and visions. Transnational exchanges between cities have become vital in the process of creating sustainable urban strategies and ultimately improving urban development policies. My relevant professional experiences are: UNDP Urban Expert on Urban Mobility; sustainable development with municipalities in Belarus and Moldova in the creation of the Green Urban Lab in Chisinau; Urbact/Refill technical advisor; peer-to-peer mentoring and learning with the cities of Bremen, Ghent and Athens; Housing Expert with CRS’ (Catholic Relief Services) refugee and migrant urban accommodation programme in Athens in collaboration with Belgrade and Turkey; Local Advisor to the R.O.C.K. programme’s facilitated peer-to-peer learning and exchange of expertise in the fields of consultation, democratic processes and accessibility to culture with cities such as the municipalities of Bologna, Lisbon and Skopje.
B.3. Proficiency in English:
I am fluent and proficient in English, and most of my academic and professional career has been carried out in English. I hold an O level in English, studied for 5 years at a British university (Architectural Association UK, specializing in Architecture and Urbanism) and worked in London for an additional 6 years in the urban design field. In addition, I have worked as an urban researcher at the Cooper Union Institute(New York) and have given many lectures and presentations at academic and public institutions throughout Europe and the US, including as a visiting critic and architectural lecturer at London Metropolitan University, Cooper Union, Cass, Pratt and Columbia. I have produced a range of different typologies of reports, articles, on-line media and assessments in English, including reports, online media posts, scholarly articles, assessments and specialized articles.
Expertise for the design and delivery of transnational exchange and learning activities:
Summary Expertise for the design and delivery of transnational exchange and learning activities:
Over the past 10 years, I have been involved in many projects of transnational exchange in a variety of urban environments, each with its own particularities. Projects differ in terms of cultural environment, stakeholders and goals ; however, by listening and collaborating with participants to understand their needs, learning programmes can be tailored to different contexts while enriching the experience of participants. For example, as the Project Manager for Polis 2, a project on sustainable urban regeneration in Athens, I built capacity through exchanges with the municipalities of Athens, Vienna and Amsterdam.
Enabling participation by engaging partners is key to transnational learning. Accessible communication helps to build the trust needed for productive exchange. Participants must be supported to articulate their needs and aspirations. As the lead housing consultant for Catholic Relief Services’ Urban Emergency Housing Solutions for Refugees project, I developed a mentoring and employment scheme to build trust in the local neighborhood, where relationships among stakeholders (host community, municipalities and refugees) were complicated and engagement was crucial. Capturing knowledge through reporting ensures that all participants have access to learning gained during exchanges. As an international urban development expert for UNDP’s Green Urban City Lab, I led public consultations with diverse stakeholders to draft guidelines on street design in Chisinau.
Thematic expertise:
Theme / Policy:
Sustainable Housing
Summary Thematic expertise:
As a professional architect and urban designer for past 15 years, I have been dedicated to the theme of sustainability in urban housing, particularly housing models for different beneficiary groups and vulnerabilities. My recent work with NGOs and the Greek public sector has focused on refugee integration through different urban housing models, which requires an understanding of participatory processes and engagement with refugees as well as host communities and municipalities. As part of this work, I produced thematic inputs with Catholic Relief Services (CRS), such as an analysis of emergency shelter strategy options available to the CRS global response team. As good practices should be shared to encourage further implementation, my project outputs include summary reports and external broadcast messaging: I wrotea report in a Global Shelter Cluster publication on different housing strategies used in refugee response to an audience of humanitarians and urban practitioners.Publications summarize project research or results; however, innovation allows for a wider reach. As a UIA expert on Housing, I am investigating a new type of housing renovation model that creates a recurring fund, and I disseminate project outputs through the UIA Knowledge Lab. In another example, through the POLIS 2 project, I worked to revitalize areas of urban decay. I maximized the reach of the project through information sessions, public workshops, media publicity, and launching a digital presence.
Expertise support to local authorities and other stakeholders in designing & delivering integrated and participatory policies
E.1. Knowledge on participatory methods and tools for co-production and implementation of local polices :
I have more than 10years of experience in urban planning, architecture, and innovative urban planning practices with a strong focus on current European participatory methodologies. My expertise includes projects with diverse groups of stakeholders including the Athens Municipality in Greece, the Mayoral Office of Athens, international NGOs and civil society organizations. Relevant example:POLIS 2- Municipality of Athens:I was the key coordinator and designer in the Polis 2 urban renewal project, which I project managed. The city and citizens come together to co-create their neighborhoods and occupy public spaces and private shop fronts. This project was implemented between2018 and 2019, and it was the first time that theMunicipality had done a project that involved a diversity of stakeholders within a very complex context. More than 40 workshops were realized throughout the project. Stakeholder analysis was carried out initially to understand and map interests within the context. As a result, various participation types were designed during the project. Initially the project launched with information events for initial presentations and discussions, then moved to consultation events with citizens with an initial interest, and then moved to interactive and one-on-one support to design and apply for the programme. Through this process, Polis2 became a programme that was co-produced and created from the city and its citizens.
E.2. Knowledge on integrated approach for the design, delivering, monitoring and evaluation of urban strategies/policies:
As an International Urban Housing Consultant for CRS (Catholic Relief Services), I was responsible for setting up the Emergency Housing Programme for asylum seekers, funded by UNCHR. The project included housing market surveys, urban planning strategies of densification, building capacities, architecture design, supervision and infrastructure set-up for 600 refugees. The total number of buildings and units examined came to more than 150 over a six month period. I was involved in the organization and delivery of monitoring plans in relation to refugees and housing. We conducted focus groups meetings to discuss housing conditions and integration to the area. As the programme continued, I also organized reflection events between social workers in the programme, refugee representatives, translators and officers. I additionally used household satisfaction surveys during the programme to gauge success. These anonymous satisfaction surveys could be completed online digitally or via a hardcopy that was sent to each housing unit.
Complementary to the housing programme, I developed a mentoring and employment programme involving community development and trust building activities with the local neighborhood to bring different stakeholders (refugees and host community members) together.
E.3. Awareness of the main policy and funding schemes for sustainable urban development at EU and national level:
For the past eight years I have worked in close collaboration with a variety of agencies: United Nations(UNDP), international organizations(CRS) and government(the Municipality of Athens). Working with this broad group has allowed me to gain in-depth understanding and knowledge of European and national programmes, policies and funds from different perspectives. Through my work, I have represented these perspectives at European conferences and workshops.
Sustainable urban development is complex and involves many dimensions of urban life: environmental, economic, social and cultural. An integrated method is necessary to approach challenges, and, as the EU cohesion policy tables out, it is important to achieve consistency throughout Europe's regions on issues such as affordable and adequate housing, sustainable development, employment, economic growth, education and innovation. I actively participate in networks and conferences that allow the exchange of knowledge, best practices and current trends. I follow the EU’s Urban Agenda and the objectives of the Europe 2020 Strategy, staying in touch with trends and funds.
I have also kept up to date by leading and taking part in urban research labs in Athens, through which I have gained a broad understanding of current issues. In addition, I keep strong and active relationships with academic institutions in Europe and the US as a visiting critic or workshop facilitator, thus keeping in touch with current academic research themes.
E.4. Ability to understand specific local situations and adapt tools and content to different local realities:
Main Author, Urban Street Guide: Asan International Urban Expert with UNDP on urban integration development for Chisinau, Moldova, Idrafted the SUMP (Sustainable Urban Mobility Planning) agenda, applying transfer knowledge skills and good practices to design integrated guidelines on street design, public spaces and urban mobility. Within the design phase, SUMP guidelines and urban mobility guidelines had to be adapted to the city of Chisinau,Moldova. As Chisinau isa city built with Soviet guidelines, the challenge was adapt city development to ensure equally accessible streetscape for all. The guide aimed to facilitate the design of safe, walkable and livable streets. It also provided specific examples and solutions to real problems in Chisinau city, and has taken into account all European norms, standards and policies to best provide a framework of action and policy change. Improving accessibility and safety for all and promoting modal equality are critical to reinforcing this vision of cities, which I applied to Chisinau through the Urban Street Guide. I conducted a series of semi-structured interviews with municipal department officials, academic institutions, civil groups etc. in order to understand the local conditions and co-create the guide with stakeholders’ inputs.
Summary Expertise:
I have more than 10 years of experience using participatory methodologies. My expertise includes bringing diverse groups of stakeholders together to co-produce a programme. For example, the POLIS 2 programme brought Athens municipality officials together with civil groups to engage all stakeholders in owning and addressing urban renewal. I have worked with full project cycles, for example for the Emergency Housing Programme for asylum seekers with Catholic Relief Services.I conducted housing market surveys, urban planning strategies of densification, building capacities and infrastructure set-up to deliver housing options.Monitoring included focus group meetings and reflection events, and household satisfaction surveys were anonymized and distributed both digitally and in hard copy to gain feedback. My collaboration with a variety of agencies has allowed me to gain in-depth understanding and knowledge of European and national programmes, policies and funds from different perspectives. It has also provided opportunities for me to actively participate in transnational networks and conferences that allow the exchange of knowledge and best practices. While I have broad view of current trends, I have also adapted regional tools to local context. For the Urban Street Guide, I adapted the SUMP guidelines to recommend solutions to Chisinau’s challenges, using inputs from semi-structured interviews with stakeholders as the basis for identifying local needs and goals.
Informations
Residence location:
Greece
Languages:
Greek - Mother tongue
Foreign Languages level:
Foreign languages:
Email:
mgiannak68@gmail.com