Claudia Sinatra

Claudia Sinatra is an urban designer and researcher with a background in architecture and social science. Her expertise lies at the intersection of urban design and spatial planning, with a particular focus on socio-spatial practices and their influence on city-making. Her research interests include justice and equity in (public) spaces, urban geographies of care, and intersectional feminist spatial practices.

Since July 2022, Claudia has been part of the SPUR Group, contributing to the Master's program in Spatial Development and Infrastructure Systems. In February 2023 she launched the Urban Design Studio for Planners which she co-teaches. Before returning to academia, she gained nearly ten years of professional experience in London and Zurich. In London, she worked at multidisciplinary design firms and urban research centers, focusing on the intersection of socio-spatial research and design. Her portfolio includes complex masterplans, public realm schemes, environmental graphics, and placemaking strategies across Europe, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. In Zurich, she led urban analyses, potential studies, and strategic spatial concepts at a spatial planning firm, and facilitated design competitions and planning processes for public and private sector clients on complex urban transformation projects.

Claudia holds an MSc in City Design and Social Science from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE – Cities Programme) and an MSc in Architecture from the University of Ferrara (Italy), where she graduated with honors. She also studied at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and is a licensed architect in Italy (RIBA/SIA equivalent). She is actively involved in professional network such as the Academy of Urbanism - Young Urbanists Network, Frau + SIA, and LARES Gender- und Alltagsgerechtes Planen & Bauen, through which she deepens her engagement with gender-sensitive spatial development.

In addition to her academic and professional work, Claudia practices as an independent graphic designer. Her approach integrates visual storytelling with urban research, within the pursuit of a critical debate around cities, communities, and places.