Distributed Presence in Buildings (PhD)
Date of publication: March 19th, 2026 ; I&I research group (Prof. Denis Lalanne)
I&I research group (Prof. Denis Lalanne)
This PhD investigates how buildings can become active mediators of distributed human presence — moving beyond screens as mere substitutes for co-location toward genuine, embodied presence across space. The research will design multimodal architectures that operate across three dimensions: (1) presence gradation, from ambient awareness to high-fidelity immersion; (2) spatial anchoring, from portable personal artifacts to large-scale shared installations; and (3) AI mediation, from minimal to active facilitation of attention and mutual understanding. Design studies and in-the-wild deployments will explore configurations ranging from foldable personal presence kits to lab-to-lab wall portals, examining how fluid transitions between nomadic and co-present occupants can be supported while preserving privacy and user agency. Expected outcomes: Nomadic and multimodal prototypes, controlled and in-the-wild user studies, and publications in venues such as CHI, CSCW, TOCHI, and TEI.
Profile sought: CS or Engineering background with strong HCI orientation and advanced prototyping skills (wearables, sensors, interactive displays) — a Maker-type HCI researcher.
The project is embedded in a collaborative network spanning the Smart Living Lab (with EPFL) and international partners in the US and Japan.
Start: as soon as possible. Applications reviewed from April 1st, 2026.
Location: I&I research group, Human-IST Institute, University of Fribourg, Switzerland — with Prof. Dr. Denis Lalanne, Website: Application: Upload a single PDF (motivation letter, CV, publication list, selected publications) named PhD_Presence_YYMMDD_YourName.pdf to Date of publication: March 19th, 2026 ; I&I research group (Prof. Denis Lalanne) Complex design decisions (whether reshaping a neighborhood, reimagining a workplace, or planning a building renovation)
involve dozens of actors with competing values, uncertain constraints, and long-lasting consequences.
Yet these decisions remain largely intuition-driven, fragmented, and poorly supported by computational tools.
This PhD investigates how interactive intelligence (genuine cognitive dialogue between humans and AI) can enable all actors
to jointly navigate such complexity.
Rather than positioning AI as an autonomous recommender that humans passively validate, this research explores genuine
cognitive partnership: stakeholders and AI continuously co-explore design spaces together, surfacing trade-offs, uncovering unseen
possibilities, and negotiating competing objectives in real time. At the core is the design of interactive trade-off
visualizations that make creative, sustainable, and participatory dimensions legible and negotiable for all — with AI as an active exploration partner while humans retain agency over values and final judgment.
Through iterative design studies and real-world deployments, the PhD will produce validated interactive prototypes,
empirical evidence on human-AI co-exploration, and theoretical contributions to participatory design and interactive intelligence.
Applications within the Smart Living Lab (University of Fribourg + Engineering school of Fribourg + EPFL) will be considered. Expected outcomes: Interactive prototypes, controlled and in-the-wild user studies,
and publications at CHI, CSCW, UIST, and venues such as Design Studies or Automation in Construction.
Profile sought: CS or Engineering background with strong HCI orientation, interest in visualization and participatory methods, and solid prototyping skills. Experience with LLMs or information visualization is a plus. No domain expertise in architecture or engineering required.
The project is embedded in the Human-IST Institute and the Smart Living Lab collaborative network, with access to real deployment contexts and interdisciplinary expertise in human-building interaction.
Start: as soon as possible. Applications reviewed from April 1st, 2026. Location: I&I research group, Human-IST Institute, University of Fribourg, Switzerland — with Prof. Dr. Denis Lalanne, Website: https://lalanne.human-ist.ch Application: Upload a single PDF (motivation letter, CV, publication list, selected publications if any) named PhD_CoExploration_YYMMDD_YourName.pdf to https://drive.switch.ch/index.php/s/ccZJP6b6umrkEJj (password: Humans_are_Best_2026!!), then send a brief notification to denis.lalanne(AT)unifr.ch.
Only applications submitted via the link will be considered; applications sent by email will not be accepted.
Co-Exploring Design Spaces: Human-AI Dialogue and Trade-off Visualization (PhD)