Professor of architecture and urban studies with an international academic and professional background spanning Europe and Japan. Her research has provided valuable insights into  new urban landscapes oriented toward promoting social values, health and the notion of public space. At UdeM, Professor Covatta focuses on interdisciplinary research and teching around three axes: (1) the integration of health in the architectural project, (2) the exploration of new urbanities in the context of globalization, and (3) the temporal urbanism of the city.

Alice graduated with honors from the IUAV University of Venice and a doctorate in architecture with the highest distinction from the University of Udine. In 2016, she obtained the Japan Foundation Fellowship postdoctoral fellowship. She subsequently worked as a researcher at Keio University in Tokyo until 2019. In this hyperdense city, her postdoctoral work focused on the habitability of its architecture and public spaces.

Since 2009, she has acquired professional experience in architecture and urban design (among others with Andrea Caputo, Kengo Kuma and Associates, Albert Abut Architecture),  earning several awards and distinctions. In 2018, she co-founded her own agency CoPE, which has been successful in various architectural competitions, including being awarded 1st prize for Europan14 “Productive Cities” 2019, focusing on the urban development of the city of New-Ulm, and the Europan16 “Living Cities” 2021, for a new residential sector in Wernigerode; both projects are underway.

Alice Covatta is currently a visiting professor at the co+lab: Urban Architecture Research & Design Laboratory, Keio University, a member of the Center for Urban Design and Mental Health and the JSAC Japan Studies Association of Canada, and director of MedialabAU. In Japan she was a contributor to  Domus magazine and a consultant for Warehouse TERRADA in Tokyo. Her works have been exhibited at the Venice Biennale and the MAXXI Museum in Rome, among other places.

In order to increase the life quality of people, my work centers on spatial justice and sustainability in and outside cities, computational urban design approaches to resilience and the integration of citizens’ participation in design and legislation.

I hone my expertise in the combination and the articulation of emerging issues-at-stakes that are central to society today: climate, the environment, new technology, democracy and education. In my work, I analyze massive, quantitative and qualitative data, and conduct prospective design and policy-making.

My research and my teaching thus contribute to questioning how data (digital, analogue, visual, historical, etc.) generate knowledge on cities, society and the environment.

Do not hesitate to contact me by email if you have any questions or would like to collaborate.

My research interest is focused to define 'Social Value', the most intangible aspect of any architecture, built environment, and settlement.  

Currently, according to common practice in architecture, the design value of any architecture in the built environment is widely accepted to be the sum of environmental, economic, and social value. But we can question, argue, and debate with this definition in stating that ‘A whole is greater than the sum of its parts.’ While environmental value is generally measured in embodied and operational carbon (sometimes with the addition of biodiversity), there are several recognized methods for measuring economical value. Although architects often do not like to see themselves as an increment of economic gain, they create a huge amount of social value that they very often fail to record or capture. It is noteworthy that, though there are existing practices (albeit‑awed) for measuring economic and environmental value, there are no agreed measures of social value. Until this value is expressed in a format that can be fed into policy and procurement, it will remain invisible and ignored, leaving economic and environmental value as the sole dominant currency of built environment transactions.

Owing to this problem my research objective is to create a ‘Social Value Index’ for ensuring inclusive architecture.