Three Doctoral Positions in History and Theory of Urban Design and Architecture
Three fully funded PhD positions exploring the architectural and urban history of European cities within the ERC Co-opolis project.
Best for:Best for master's graduates in architecture, art history, or social history with strong historical research skills and proficiency in relevant European languages.
Overview
The Chair of the History and Theory of Urban Design at ETH Zurich invites applications for three fully funded doctoral positions as part of the ERC Advanced Grant project "Co-opolis: Another Architectural History of the European City (1890–1990)." Successful candidates will investigate how third-sector actors such as cooperatives and mutual aid societies co-produced urban spaces in Sweden, France, and Switzerland. The four-year appointments begin in March 2027 and involve archival research, writing a dissertation, participating in project events, and contributing to teaching activities at the gta Institute.
What you'll do
- Conduct original doctoral research on architectural and urban case studies in France, Sweden, or Switzerland within the timeframe of 1890 to 1990
- Complete and successfully defend a PhD dissertation within the four-year timeframe from March 2027 to March 2031
- Contribute actively to ERC project activities, including workshops, seminars, academic publications, conference presentations, and website maintenance
- Engage with courses and seminars at the gta Institute doctoral programme and contribute occasionally to teaching activities, reviews, and examinations
Requirements
Degree required: MSc degree in Architecture, History of Art, Social History, or closely related fields in the humanities
Degree offered: PhD
Language: English working language; proficiency in the language of the chosen case-study country (French, German, Italian, or Swedish)
Instruction: English
- Strong background in architectural history, urban studies, art history, or social history
- Ability to formulate independent research directions aligned with the Co-opolis project framework
- Proficiency in English as the working language
- Proficiency in the language relevant to the selected case-study country (French for France, German plus French and/or Italian for Switzerland, or Swedish for Sweden)
- Must complete the required Master's degree by the start of the position
Funding & terms
How to apply
Deadline: 2026-11-22
Prepare all required application documents including a motivation letter, CV, research description, and reference contacts. Submit the complete application exclusively through the ETH Zurich online application portal before the deadline.
- Motivation letter
- CV
- Short description of possible research direction
- Two reference contacts
Contact
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