Ulysses Sengupta is Professor of Architecture and Urbanism at the Manchester School of Architecture and founding director of the Complexity Planning and Urbanism research laboratory [CPU]lab, leader of the CPU: Smart and Sustainable Future Cities University Research Group, and leader of the master’s (MArch) design atelier [CPU]ai.

The [CPU]lab uses a complexity framework for transdisciplinary research spanning natural, social and design sciences. This involves new digital tools, computational thinking and theory addressing urban transformations. The research spans Future Cities, Smart Cities, IoT, agile governance and cities as complex adaptive systems (CAS). The lab is a founding member of Data and Cities as Complex Adaptive Systems (DACAS) an international ESRC Strategic Network. CPU and DACAS are on www.complexurban.com

[CPU]ai is a unique research and design integrated course within the M.Arch program at the Manchester School of Architecture. It positions the design studio in architectural education specifically towards learning and formulating new approaches utilising data driven design, machine learning, computational simulation, generative design and metric embedded virtual environments. This builds the capacity for computation enabled complexity-based design thinking in future designers over a two-year immersive process. Design projects make use of information from multiple sources and interdisciplinary theories and methods, to translate theoretical concepts involving complexity, resilience and self-organisation into spatially relevant design strategies. Students explore computation as an extension of design thinking and code their own tools.

Ulysses previously headed Advanced Digital Design (ADD) at the Manchester School of Architecture and collaborated on the EmTech course at the Architectural Association. He was unit leader/master at the University of Nottingham (8 years) and lecturer at the University of East London. He is also Director of Softgrid Limited an architecture and urban research focused internationally networked design practice with previous work in India and China. Ulysses balances a parallel discourse between design theory, methodological innovation and application in practice on the subjects of architecture, urbanism and planning.

Summary of Taught Units at Manchester School of Architecture (Manchester Metropolitan University &University of Manchester) – PG 

2015-           Complexity, Planning and Urbanism (CPU). M.Arch research and design atelier Yr6. Architecture, 20 - 30 students per year. Course Unit Leader. 90 credits. 

2014-           Complexity, Planning and Urbanism (CPU). M.Arch research and design atelier Yr5. Architecture, 20 - 30 students per year. Course Unit Leader. 60 credits. 

2017-19      Transdisciplinary Urbanism, M.Arch, Architecture. Co-lead with Deljana Iossifova. 15 credits.

2016-17      Complexity Theory for Cities, M.Arch, Architecture. Course Unit Leader. 15 credits.

2016-17      Architecture & Urbanism. MA. Contributing lecturer, 30 credits. 

2015-20      Advanced Digital Design, Co-ordinator. BIM, animation, coding and programming provision in support of studio across M.Arch Yr5 and Yr6. Architecture. Related studios consist of 150 credits total.

2015-20      M.Arch Dissertation Supervision. Architecture, 2-6 students per year. 30 credits. 

2013-15      Architectural Technologies, structural and environmental performance, Co-ordinator. Provision in support of studio across M.Arch Yr5 and Yr6. Related studios consist of 150 credits total.

2013-14      ReMAP M.Arch design atelier. Yr6. Architecture, 15 students per year. Atelier Co-lead. 90 credits.

2013-14      ReMAP M.Arch design atelier. Yr5 Architecture, 15 students per year. Atelier Co-lead. 60 credits.

Summary of Taught Units at MSA (University of Manchester) – UG 

2015-16      Urban Theories. Architecture. Contributing lecturer, 15 credits. 

2014–15     World Urbanism, Architecture. Contributing lecturer, 15 credits. 

Summary of Taught Units at the University of Nottingham – PG 

2009-11      Design Unit 6, Masters research and computational design studio Yr6. Architecture, 15 students per year. Course Unit Leader. 90 credits.

Summary of Taught Units at the University of Nottingham – UG 

2008-11      Digital Design Workshops, 3D and Animation. Architecture, 90 students per year. Provision in support of studio across BArch Yr2 and Yr3. Related studios consist of 140 credits total.

2005-13      Design Unit 3, Digital design studio Yr3. Architecture, 35-45 students per year. Course Unit Leader. 70 credits.

Summary of Taught Units at the University of East London – PG 

2009-10      Design Unit 14, masters digital design studio Yr4. Architecture, 20 students per year. Course Unit Leader. 90 credits.

2008-09      Critical theory lecture series. Architecture. Contributing lecturer, 15 credits. 

Other Teaching

2024            Visiting Professor, Tongji University. PhD Workshops, CAUP.

2020-21      Welsh School of Architecture, University of Cardiff. Masters design studio. Architecture and planning, 30 students. Contributing lectures and workshops.

2018-19      Welsh School of Architecture, University of Cardiff. Masters design studio. Architecture and planning, 30 students. Contributing lectures and workshops.

2015-17      Architectural Association London, MSc Emergent Technologies and Design (Em-Tech). 30 students. Collaborator, studio brief design, lectures and workshops.

2014            British Council Sino-UK Higher Education Collaboration on Architectural Design. Third Prize Award for student team tutored in Harbin Railway Station Design Competition. Harbin, China (5 days). Contributing lecturer and tutor.

2012-13      The Bartlett Development Planning Unit (DPU), University College London (UCL). Urban studies, 24 students. Contributing lecturer.

2012            University of Westminster with AESOP/ECTP-CEU/IFHP and ISOCARP. Times of Scarcity: reclaiming the possibility of making. 3^rd European Urban Summer School (EUSS) for 100 planning professionals. London, UK (10 days). Contributing lecturer and tutor.

2010            UN-Habitat and AESOP. 1^st European Urban Summer School (EUSS) – Wroclaw, Poland (10 days). Contributing lecturer and tutor.

PHD Supervision Completions

2018–25    Mahmud Tantoush (Architecture/Computer Science – [CPU]lab): Big Data Analytics for Urban Transformation: Relating urban spatial structures and social data (Principal Supervisor, with Liangxiu Han)

2016–20     Eric Cheung (Architecture – [CPU]lab): A computation-enabled analytical construct for the assessment of alternative urban conditions towards a sustainable transport system and to support sustainable travel activities (Main Supervisor, with Deljana Iossifova)

2016–20     Raqib Abu Salia (Architecture, Ghana Education Trust Fund Scholarship): Sustainability in Slums: An Assessment of the feasibility of customary land consolidation in Semi-Arid Ghana (Second Supervisor, with Deljana Iossifova)

2017– 22    Sigita Zigure (Architecture – [CPU]lab): Autonomous Mobility Futures: Policy, technology and practice as an ongoing socio-technical transition. (Principal Supervisor)

2017– 23    Solon Solomou (Architecture – [CPU]lab): Urban Planning and Simulation: Incorporating economic agent behaviours into urban simulation models (Principal Supervisor)

Current/Starting PHD Supervisions

2024-           Anil Yavuz Nagaoka (Architecture – [CPU]lab): The Potential of Kinetic Architecture for Interactable Experiences at Cultural Heritage Sites. Turkey government funded scholar. (Principal Supervisor).

2022-           Reiji Nagaoka (Architecture – [CPU]lab): Reviving Alternative Future Cities: Cognitive Climate Behaviour in an Urban Environmental Multiplayer Online Game (Eco-MOG). Winner of Leverhulme LuDEC full scholarship. (Principal Supervisor).

2022-           Anas Al Shareef (Architecture – [CPU]lab): Digital Twins - Understanding Mecca through Data. (Principal Supervisor).

2021-           Loretta Lipworth (Architecture): Barriers to the uptake of Policy led Digitisation in the Construction Industry. (1^st supervisor, with Andy Dainty)

2020-           Chao Yin (Urban Studies/Geography): Modelling 3D urban colourscapes to promote public emotional well-being (1st supervisor, with Jon Bannister)

Research

Refereed Academic Papers & Chapters

Tantoush, M., Sengupta, U., Han, L., 2025. ‘Exploring city dynamics through tweets: a framework for capturing urban activities as complex spatiotemporal patterns’, Cities, 162. https:// doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2025.105894

Solomou, S., & Sengupta, U., 2024. ‘Simulating Complex Urban Behaviours With AI: Incorporating Improved Intelligent Agents in Urban Simulation Models’. Urban Planning, 10, Article 8561. https://doi.org/10.17645/up.8561

Tantoush, M., Solomou, S., Sengupta, U., Zigure, S., 2024. ‘Participatory Backcasting Towards Desirable Co-Produced Mobility Futures: A Case Study of MaaS in Greater Manchester.’ Futures, Volume 164, 103463, ISSN 0016-3287. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.futures.2024.103463.

Castro, M.A.S.d.; Valencio, N.; Iossifova, D.; Santiago, C.D.; Ziglio, L.; Valencio, A.; Pugliesi, E.; Gonçalves, J.C.; Cheung, E.; Sengupta, U., 2024. An Experiment in Transdisciplinary Systems Mapping: Architecture and the Water–Energy–Sanitation Nexus in Brazil. Architecture, 4, 73-88. https://doi.org/10.3390/architecture4010006

Sengupta, U. & Sengupta, U., 2022. ‘SDG-11 & Smart Cities: Contradictions and overlaps between Social and Environmental Justice research agendas’. Frontiers in Sociology, section Sociological Theory. UK.

Sengupta, U. & Sengupta, U., 2022. ‘Why government supported smart city initiatives fail: Examining community risk and benefit agreements as a missing link to accountability for equity-seeking groups’. Frontiers in Sustainable Cities, 4., UK. https://doi.org/10.3389/frsc.2022.960400

Solomou, S., Cheung, E., Sengupta, U., Oredein, O., Hyde, R., 2022. ‘A Strategic Planning Problem: Examining the unpredictability of urban transformation based on the changing temporal order of planned projects’. In edited volume on - The Complex Dynamics of Urban Infrastructure Transitions: Health and Sustainability in the Global South, Springer Nature, UK.

Abu Salia, R., Iossifova, D., Sengupta, U., 2022. ‘Customary Land Tenure and Land Readjustment: Land Administration in Semi-Arid Ghana’. In edited volume on - The Complex Dynamics of Urban Infrastructure Transitions: Health and Sustainability in the Global South, Springer Nature, UK.

Iossifova, D., Zavos, S., Gasparatos, A., Valencio, N., Bhide, A., Baltazar, AP., Sengupta, U., Cheung, E., Baptista, MDS,. Dong, N., Gamal, Y., Lozano Lazo, D., Long, Y. & Ren, Y., 2022. ‘Infrastructuring with Care in Cities of the Global South’. In edited volume on - The Complex Dynamics of Urban Infrastructure Transitions: Health and Sustainability in the Global South, Springer Nature, UK.

Sengupta, U., Cheung, E., Solomou, S., Zigure, S., Tantoush, M., Bassanino, M., 2021. ‘Complex Urban Futures: Design science for flux territories’. In Filippidis, F., Hyde, R. (eds.) Intelligent Control: Disruptive Technologies, Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), UK. 

Sengupta, U., Tantoush, M., Bassanino, M., & Cheung, E., 2020. The Hybrid Space of Collaborative Location-Based Mobile Games and the City: A Case Study of Ingress. Urban Planning, 5(4), 358-370.

Sengupta, U., 2017. ‘ICT, Open Data and the Internet of Things: Potential future trajectories in urban planning’. In De Roo, G., Yamu, C., Dewisch, O. and Poplin, A. (eds.) The Virtual and the Real in Planning and Urban Design: Perspectives, Practices and Applications, Routledge.

Sengupta, U., 2017. ‘Complexity Theory: The urban is a complex adaptive process’. In Iossifova, D., Doll, C. and Gasparatos, A. (eds.) Defining the Urban, Routledge.

Sengupta, U., Rauws, W., De Roo, G., 2016. ‘Planning and Complexity: Engaging with temporal dynamics, uncertainty and complex adaptive systems’, Environment & Planning B, 43(6):970-974

Sengupta, U., Iossifova, D., 2012. ‘Systemic Diagramming: An Approach to Decoding Urban Ecologies’ in Architectural Design 82 (4), 44-51. London: Wiley.

Sengupta, U., Cheung, E., 2013. ‘Acknowledging Complexity in Continuous Urban Change‘. In Iossifova, D. ed. Architecture and Planning in Times of Scarcity: Reclaiming the Possibility of Making the City, p. 221-229. Softgrid Limited in association with AESOP & IFHP.

Sengupta, U., 2011. ‘Urban Morphology: Incorporating Complexity and Variation’ in Mironowicz I and Ryser J, (eds.), Urban Change: The Prospect of Transformation. p. 180-189. UN Habitat, Wroclaw University of Technology. 

Editorials

Sengupta, U., Rauws, W., De Roo, G., 2016. ‘Planning and Complexity: Engaging with temporal dynamics, uncertainty and complex adaptive systems’, Environment & Planning B, 43(6):970-974

Encyclopaedia Entries

Sengupta, U., 2022. ‘Complex Systems’. In the SAGE Encyclopaedia of Theory, Los Angeles, London, New Delhi, Singapore: Sage 

Policy Briefs 

Sengupta U., Tantoush M., Hyde, R., 2025. ‘Net Zero Mobility: Sustainable future concerns for CAV data’. Policy brief for Transport for Greater Manchester, Manchester, UK. 

Solomou S., Tantoush M., Sengupta U., Žīgure S., 2021. ‘DEAS Network Plus Transportation and Mobility Projects – Last Mile Freight integration for TfGM’. Policy brief for Transport for Greater Manchester, Manchester, UK. 

Žīgure S., Tantoush M., Solomou S., Sengupta U., 2021 ‘DEAS Network Plus Transportation and Mobility Projects - MaaS Prototype for TfGM’. Policy brief for Transport for Greater Manchester, Manchester, UK.

Sengupta, U., Doll, C., Gasparatos, A., Iossifova, D., Panagiotis, A., Batiste, M., Shidan, C., Graham, D., Hyde, R., Kraenkel, R., Luo, J., Oren, N., 2018, ‘Sustainable Smart Cities: Applying Complexity Science to Achieve Urban Sustainability’. In UNU-IAS Policy Brief, Tokyo, Japan.

Sengupta, U., Hyde, R., 2014. ‘Convergent City: Imagining Planning in a Digitised Future’. In RIBA Think Piece Series. Digital Planning: Ideas to make it happen, 7, p. 15-16, RIBA, London, UK.

Edited Volume (Academic Journal):

Sengupta, U., Rauws, W. S., & de Roo, G., 2016. ‘Planning and complexity’. Environment and Planning B: Planning and Design, 43(6), 970-974.

Edited Books:

Sengupta U., Solomou S., Tantoush M., ‘Zero Carbon Cities - Volume 1: Policies, Air Quality and Energy’, publisher [CPU]ai, MMU, Manchester, UK. 2022

Sengupta U., Solomou S., Tantoush M., ‘Zero Carbon Cities - Volume 2: Social Transformation, Urban Heat Island, Urban Forest and Accessibility’, publisher [CPU]ai, MMU, Manchester, UK. 2022

Sengupta U., Solomou S., Tantoush M., ‘Zero Carbon Cities - Volume 3: Transportation, Buildings, Carbon Water and Smart Cities’, publisher [CPU]ai, MMU, Manchester, UK. 2022

Solomou S., Sengupta U., Tantoush M., ‘Computing Future Resilient Cities’, publisher MSA, Manchester, UK. 2022

Tantoush M., Sengupta U., Solomou S., ‘Future Campus Dialogues: CPUai + MMU Estates’, Published by MMU Estates, Manchester, UK. 2022

Solomou S., Sengupta U., Cheung E., Tantoush M., Žīgure S., Bassanino M., and Hyde R. ‘CPU Brick research book: Volume 1’, funded and printed by Ibstock, 2019 

Solomou S., Sengupta U., Cheung E., Tantoush M., Žīgure S., Bassanino M., and Hyde R. ‘CPU Brick research book: Volume 2’, funded and printed by Ibstock, 2019 

Solomou S., Sengupta U., Cheung E., Tantoush M., Žīgure S., Bassanino M., and Hyde R. ‘CPU Brick research book: Volume 3’, funded and printed by Ibstock, 2019 

Solomou S., Sengupta U., Cheung E., Tantoush M., Žīgure S., Bassanino M., and Hyde R. ‘CPU Brick research book: Volume 4’, funded and printed by Ibstock, 2019 

Solomou S., Sengupta U., Cheung E., Tantoush M., Žīgure S., Bassanino M., and Hyde R. ‘CPU Brick research book: Volume 5’, funded and printed by Ibstock, 2019

Conference Papers

Tantoush, M., Sengupta, U., Solomou, S., Chueng, E., 2024. ‘Bridging Urban Big Data and Agent-based Modelling: A New Theoretical Framing for Uncovering Complex Patterns and Mechanisms’, AESOP Planning and Complexity - Time/Less Sensing, Planning, Designing In Complex Cities and Regions, Aachen, Germany, 28 – 29 Nov.

Tantoush, M., Sengupta, U., 2024. ‘Cities as hybrid urban and digital spaces: exploring collective urban activities through social media’, ASIST&T European Chapter: Information Science Trends 2024- Living online and offline, in darkness and light, Manchester, 10 Jul.

Tantoush, M., Sengupta, U., 2022. ‘Sensing Urban Activities through Tweets: Exploring Dynamic Urban Functions through Crowdsourced Urban Data’, In Sensing the City: AESOP 20th Meeting TG Planning & Complexity, Tallinn, Estonia, 21 – 22 Jul.

Sengupta, U., Solomou, S., Alsharif, A., 2022. Where is the Complexity? Exploring the Theoretical Frameworks in Simulative Urban Modelling. In Dynamics Days Europe – University of Aberdeen, Scotland, UK, 22-26 Aug.

Tantoush, M., Sengupta, U., Han, L., 2021. Analysing Urban Form and Activities for Smarter Cities through Crowdsourced Urban Data. In 2021 International Symposium of Resilient City, The 21st Annual General Meeting of UK-CARE, China, 02 Nov. 

Žīgure, S., Tantoush, M., Solomou, S., Sengupta, U., 2021. Participatory Back casting for Achieving Desired Co-Produced Mobility Futures: A Case Study of MaaS in Greater Manchester. In Data for Policy 2021 special track Systemic engagement: Mobility as a Service (MaaS) and the design challenge of inclusion, sustainability, and data ownership, UK, 14-16 Sept.

Žīgure, S., Tantoush, M., Solomou, S., Sengupta, U., 2021. DEAS Network Plus Transportation and Mobility Projects 2020 - MaaS Prototype for TfGM. In DEAS Research Seminar Series - transportation and mobility. Exeter, UK, 23 Apr.

Žīgure, S., Tantoush, M., Solomou, S., Sengupta, U., 2021. Participatory Back casting for Achieving Desired Co-Produced Mobility Futures: A Case Study of MaaS in Greater Manchester. In NEST Conference 2021 Sustainability Transition pathways. Sofia, Bulgaria, 8-9 April.

Solomou, S., Zigure, Sengupta, U., 2020. Urban Simulation for CAV’s: Simulating Personal Rapid Transportation. In the Future Mobility Symposium 2020, Manchester, UK, 14 Jan.

Solomou, S., Zigure, S., Cheung, E., Sengupta, U., Hyde, R., 2019. Simulating Personal Rapid Transportation: A game to determine the advantages of a Connected Autonomous Vehicle (CAV) system over current Taxi services. In AESOP Planning and Complexity – 18^th  Meeting: Games for Cities. Lisbon, Portugal, 6-8 Nov.

Tantoush, M., Sengupta, U., Cheung, E., Solomou, S., Zigure, S., 2019. Location-Based Games as Crowd-sourced Geographic Information for Urban Planning. In AESOP Planning and Complexity – 18^th Meeting: Games for Cities. Lisbon, Portugal, 6-8 Nov.

Zigure, S., Solomou, S., Cheung, E., Sengupta, U., Hyde, R., Bassanino, M., Tantoush, M., 2019. Exploring Concerns about Autonomous Vehicles in the Public Realm. In Healthy Cities 2019. The University of Manchester, 1-3 May.

Sengupta, U., Khorasani, A., Cheung, E., & Hyde, R. J., 2018., Agile Governance. In AESOP Planning & Complexity - 17th meeting: Emerging Patterns in the Built Environment: Analytical Tools & Responsive Governance, Ben-Gurion University and Tel-Aviv University, Israel.

Zigure, S., Solomou, S., & Sengupta, U., 2018. Developing Scenarios for Connected and Autonomous Vehicle (CAV) enabled sustainable future cities. In AUM 2018. The University of Cambridge.

Cheung, P., & Sengupta, U., 2018. Enabling sustainable mobility: an ICT approach to enabling landscapes for bottom-up processes. In Adaptive Planning for Spatial Transformation, 16th meeting of AESOP Planning & Complexity. University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands. 

Solomou, S., Sengupta, U., Oredein, O., & Hyde, R. J., 2018. A Strategic Planning Problem: Examining the unpredictability of urban transformation based on the changing temporal order of planned projects. In 16th meeting of the AESOP Planning & Complexity group. Theme: Adaptive Planning for Spatial Transformation. Department of Spatial Planning and Environment, Faculty of Spatial Sciences, University of Groningen, the Netherlands.

Iossifova, I., Sengupta, U., 2017. ‘Urban transformations in China: Linking soft and hard urban systems’, 2017 International Conference on China Urban Development, The Bartlett School of Planning – UCL, London, May 05-06, 2017.

Sengupta, U., Cheung, E., Iossifova, D., Hyde, R., 2016. ‘Extrapolating Future Cities: combining hard & soft data’, 2016 Joint DACAS ICTP-SAIFR workshop on modelling urban systems, ESRC Strategic Network: Data and Cities as Complex Adaptive Systems (DACAS), Sao Paulo, Brazil, June 20-24, 2016.

Sengupta, U., Cheung, E., Iossifova, D., Hyde, R., 2016. ‘Gamifying ‘Smarter’ Planning: Adaptive and resilient future cities’, 2016 AAG Annual Meeting: Smart + Sustainable, San Francisco, M.Arch 29 - April 02, 2016.

Sengupta, U., Cheung, E., Iossifova, D., Hyde, R., 2016. ‘Data and Cities as Complex Adaptive Systems’, 2016 DACAS conference on Future City Systems, ESRC Strategic Network: Data and Cities as Complex Adaptive Systems (DACAS), GM Chamber of Commerce, Manchester February 1-3, 2016.

Sengupta, U., 2015. ‘Participation, Governance and Resilience in the Age of Big Data’, Planning & Complexity - 13th meeting: Complexity and digitalization of cities – Challenges for urban planning and design, Tampere University of Technology, Finland, 15-16 January 2015.

Sengupta, U., Chattopadhyay, B., 2014. ‘Convergent City: Extrapolating a Digitised Urban Future’, Urban Futures-Squaring Circles: Europe, China and the World in 2050, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. Lisbon, Portugal, 10-11 October 2014.

Sengupta, U., 2014. ‘Future Cities, Extrapolation and Resilience’, Manchester School of Architecture and RIBA Future Cities Roundtable, Manchester School of Architecture, 16 June 2014.

Sengupta, U., Cheung, E., 2014. ‘My Data My City: Gamification and Participation with Projected Urban Futures’, Confronting Urban Planning & Design with Complexity: Methods for Inevitable Transformation – 12th meeting of Planning & Complexity Group, AESOP, Manchester School of Architecture, January 2014.

Sengupta, U., Cheung, E., 2013. ‘Complexity Thinking: Computational Tools to Temporality & Self Organisation’, Out of the Box: Diverse Tools for Planning, SCUPAD (Salzburg Congress on Urban Planning and Development). Salzburg), May 2013.

Sengupta, U., 2013. ‘Why Complex Adaptive Systems?’, Self-organization and Spatial Planning: In-Depth Analysis, AESOP: Aveiro, May 2013.

Sengupta, U., Cheung, E., 2012. ‘Designing in Potential – Understanding and Incorporating the Inherencies of Complex Spatial Patterns into Urban Futures’, Complexity Science and Social Science at the Interface to the Real World, University of Surrey, September 2012.

Sengupta, U., 2012. ‘Informal patterns’, Cities to be Tamed?, Politecnico di Milano, November 2012.

Sengupta, U., 2012. ‘Loose Fit: A Spatio-temporal Approach to Incorporating Bottom-up Behaviours’, Complexity and the Collaborative Rationale to Planning - 10th meeting of Planning & Complexity group AESOP, University of Groningen, November 2012, in http://www.aesop-planning.eu.

Sengupta, U., 2012. ‘Planning for Unknown Futures & Constant Urban Change’, Rethinking Cities: Framing the Future, Barcelona Congress Centre, at the Fira de Barcelona, October 2012, in http://www.urbanknowledge.org/urks6.html.

Sengupta, U., Cheung, E., 2011. ‘Digital Tools - Flux Territories’, Self-Organizing and Spatial Planning - 9th meeting of Planning & Complexity, AESOP, Istanbul, 2011.

Professional Reports

2011            IIT Jodhpur, Strategic masterplan/guidance for new zero carbon, university campus, Jodhpur, India.

2010            Future Urban Development Report Jin De-Zhen (the Porcelain City), China. 

Working Papers

Sengupta, U., Cheung, P., & Pick, J., 2012. Urban Resilience: A Potential Approach based on Complex Ecological Patterns. In mat.zine #11 resilience. London: mat.zine. Retrieved from https://matzine.org/mat-zine-11/

Other Publications (Non-refereed)

Iossifova, D., and Sengupta, U., 2016. Como ciência e tecnologia podem ajudar a transformar o sistema de saneamento no Brasil. BBC Brazil.

Iossifova, D., and Sengupta, U., 2016. Exhibition catalogue: [61] Harmonica Alley, Yokohama. Manchester: SoftGrid.

Exhibitions

Iossifova, D., and Sengupta, U., 2017. Exhibition (co-curator & contributor): [61] Harmonica Alley, Yokohama. 25 November – 17 December. Studio Site A Gallery. Yokohama, Japan 

Iossifova, D., and Sengupta, U., 2016. Exhibition (co-curator & contributor): [61] Harmonica Alley, Yokohama. 8-19 February. Grosvenor Gallery, Manchester, UK 

Sengupta, U., Hyde, R., 2014. Exhibition and workshops (curator & contributor): Complexity Planning & Urbanism. Biennale Sessions, Venice Architecture Biennale, Italy.

Sengupta, U., 2013. Exhibition (contributor): Seamless: The Digital in Design. Exhibition, Museum of Architecture and Design, Ljubljana, Slovenia.

Sengupta, U., 2011. Exhibition and workshops (curator & contributor): Unplannable City – Approaches to Urban Emergence & Complexity. Exhibition, lectures, panel discussions and workshops. Studio X Mumbai (Columbia University). Mumbai, India.

Sengupta, U., 2011. Exhibition (curator & contributor): Mega-City vs. Identity - Territory, Architecture, Culture in Istanbul. Exhibition, Istanbul Metropolitan Planning Department. Istanbul, Turkey.

Research Dissemination Reports (Industry and Policy Makers)

Solomou, S., Zigure, S., Cheung, P., Bassanino, M., Sengupta, U., Hyde, R., 2020. Urban Simulation: CAV Resource Competition and Service Performance Model. Innovate UK CCAV2 – Connected Autonomous Vehicles - Synergy Report 7.3 & 7.4 – Connected autonomous vehicles and platooning. Print and web public/industry briefing report.

Tantoush, M., Sengupta, U. 2019. Use Case Evaluation and Workshop Findings. EU H2020 Digital Single Market for IoT-enabled Smart Cities - Synchronicity Report 3.8. Print and web public/industry briefing report.

Tantoush, M., Sengupta, U., Khorasani, A., 2019. Agile Governance & Community Policy Suite App Functionality Testing and Evaluation. EU H2020 Digital Single Market for IoT-enabled Smart Cities - Synchronicity Report 3.6. Print and web public/industry briefing report.

Solomou, S., Zigure, S., Sengupta, U. 2018. Discourse Analysis: Autonomous Vehicle Concerns. Innovate UK CCAV2 – Connected Autonomous Vehicles - Synergy Report 7.2 – Connected autonomous vehicles and platooning. Print and web public/industry briefing report.

Solomou, S., Zigure, S., Sengupta, U. 2018. Platooning Concept Transfer. Innovate UK CCAV2 – Connected Autonomous Vehicles - Synergy Report 7.1 – Connected autonomous vehicles and platooning. Print and web public/industry briefing report.

Sengupta, U., Khorasani, A., 2017. A Methodology to Develop Urban IoT Based Agile Governance. EU H2020 Digital Single Market for IoT-enabled Smart Cities - Synchronicity Report 3.1. Print and web public/industry briefing report.

Cheung, P., Sengupta, U. 2018. Final Journey Planner App Development. Innovate UK Smart City Demonstrator - CityVerve Report 12.6.7 – Innovative tools to enable greener travel. Print and web public/industry briefing report.

Cheung, P., Sengupta, U. 2017. End User Feedback Assessment. CityVerve Report 12.6.6 – Innovative tools to enable greener travel. Print and web public/industry briefing report.

Cheung, P., Sengupta, U. 2017. Prototype Digital Product. CityVerve Report 12.6.5 – Innovative tools to enable greener travel. Print and web public/industry briefing report.

Cheung, P., Sengupta, U. 2017. Alpha Digital Product. CityVerve Report 12.6.4 – Innovative tools to enable greener travel. Print and web public/industry briefing report.

Cheung, P., Sengupta, U. 2017. Journey Sustainability Analysis Report. CityVerve Report 12.6.3 – Innovative tools to enable greener travel. Print and web public/industry briefing report.

Cheung, P., Sengupta, U. 2016. Occupancy/Emissions Sustainability Metric Matrix. CityVerve Report 12.6.2 – Innovative tools to enable greener travel. Print and web public/industry briefing report.

Cheung, P., Sengupta, U. 2016. Analysis of Journey Planner Apps and Best Practice Features. CityVerve Report 12.6.1 – Innovative tools to enable greener travel. Print and web public/industry briefing report.

Academic Lectures and Events:

Plenary/Keynote Speaker:

Sengupta, U., 2025. ‘UN-SDGS: Fractured, Complex and Relational’. Keynote at the First International Conference on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Built Environment, and Southern Urbanism, USM’s KRVIA (Mumbai, India) and University of Florida International (USA), Jan 8-9.

Sengupta, U., 2024. ‘Digging into the UN-SDGs: From statistics to social-practices’. Relational mapping tool at the transdisciplinary collaborations workshop (policy makers, NGOs, industry, and academia) at the Tongji University (Shanghai, China).

Sengupta, U., 2023. ‘Urban data modelling & digital twins’. Keynote at the Urban Futures Data Workshop, Royal Society of Art, Online, UK. Sept 22.

Sengupta, U., 2023. ‘Mobility Integrated Zero Carbon Future Cities’. Keynote at Actions Towards Greening the City (Romania and Bulgaria) on behalf of the British Embassy – UK Science and Innovation Network – Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, Cluj, Romania. 

Sengupta, U., 2021. ‘Urban Complexity: Problem structuring, temporal dynamics & transdisciplinarity’. Keynote at the British Council – UK-Brazil Researcher Links, Infrasystems - Towards Healthy Brazil: Sustainable Urban Nexus (Water-Energy-Sanitation) in the Tiete River Basin.

Sengupta, U., 2021. ‘Simulation for Future Cities’. Keynote at the Manchester School of Architecture, Future Mobility Symposium, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK. January 14.

Sengupta, U., Cheung, P., Bassanino, M., Hyde, R., Solomou, S., Zigure, S., Tantoush, M., 2020. ‘Modelling and Simulation: ABM Vs. MSM for Practice and Infrastructure in Transitions’. Keynote (web) at Towards Healthy China 2035: Sustainable Urban Infrasystems – International Newton Fund Researcher Workshop co-hosted by Tongji University and University of Manchester. British Academy November 27-29.

Sengupta, U., 2020. ‘Simulation for Future Cities’. Keynote at the Manchester School of Architecture, Future Mobility Symposium, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK. 14^th Jan.

Sengupta, U., Iossifova, D.,Cheung, E., 2018. ‘Data and Cities as Complex Adaptive Systems: Challenges and Opportunities’. Keynote in Unbiasing Citizen Science Workshop, University of Antwerp. 5th July.

Sengupta, U., Cheung, E., Khorasani, A., 2018, ‘Data and Cities for Agile Governance’. Keynote in the Modernisation of Social Governance: Shared growth through discussion and collaboration. Hosted by China Academy of Education and Social Development, Organized by China Academy of Social Management, Beijing Normal University, Beijing. 28th March.

Sengupta, U., Cheung, E., 2017. ‘Digital Tools for Urban Transformation’,. Keynote in Digital Tools for Urban Challenges joint DACAS and Wuhan University workshop, China, ESRC Strategic Network: Data and Cities as Complex Adaptive Systems (DACAS), Wuhan, China, April 18-21.

Sengupta, U., 2011. ‘Unplannable City: Approaches to Urban Emergence & Complexity’. Keynote in Unplannable City conference/exhibition opening Studio X Mumbai, Columbia University.

Sengupta, U., Cheung, E., Wong, L., Matsuda, N., Lynch, J., 2010. ‘Urban Patterns & Spatial Memory’. Keynote in the Complex Urban symposium, United Nations University (IAS) Yokohama, 2010, in http://videoportal.unu.edu/408.

Sengupta, U., 2010. ‘Contemporary Techniques in Architecture’. Open lecture in the University of Hanover, Germany.

Invited Lectures at International Academic/Research Institutions (Selected)

Sengupta, U., 2024. ‘Designing with AI: Complex approaches to sustainable futures - part 2’, at the Urban Ethnography & Digital Urbanism symposium, inaugural event for the Asian Architectural Archive Centre at Southeast University China (SEU), Nanjing, China.

Sengupta, U., 2023. ‘Designing in Complexity: Time, change and emergence towards Future Cities’. Keynote at KRVIA Mumbai, Online, Mumbai, India.

Sengupta, U., 2023. ‘Flux Territories 4: Complexity and computation for emergent urbanism’, Tokyo City University, Tokyo, Japan

Sengupta, U., 2021. ‘Flux Territories 3’: Design Science for Future Cities. Open lecture at the Liveable Urbanism Studio, Welsh School of Architecture (WSA), University of Cardiff. 18^th Oct.

Sengupta, U., 2020. ‘Urban Transformation: Frameworks for digital tool development’. Invited Lecture at the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), University of York, UK.

Sengupta, U., Cheung, E., 2020. ‘Artificial Intelligence for Future Cities’. Open Lecture at the CAUP, Tongji University, Shanghai, China. 3^rd Jan.

Sengupta, U., 2019. ‘CityVerve: Greener Transport Planning with IoT’, Invited Lecture, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo University. Japan.

Sengupta, U., 2019. ‘Smart City Manchester: Lessons and approaches’, Invited Lecture, Nomura Foundation Headquarters, Tokyo. Japan.

Sengupta, U., Cheung, E., 2018. ‘Flux Territories 2: Complexity and Computation for Emergent Urbanism’. Open lecture at the Welsh School of Architecture (WSA), University of Cardiff. 23^rd Jan.

Sengupta, U., Cheung, E., Iossifova, D., Hyde, R., 2017. ‘Data and Cities as Complex Adaptive Systems’, Lecture at the Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, Shanghai.

Sengupta, U., Cheung, E., Iossifova, D., Hyde, R., 2016. ‘Data and Cities as Complex Adaptive Systems’, California College of the Arts (CCA), San Francisco, USA.

Sengupta, U., Cheung, E., Iossifova, D., Hyde, R., 2016. ‘Data and Cities as Complex Adaptive Systems’, UCLA CityLAB, Los Angeles, USA.

Sengupta, U., 2016. ‘Modelling for Emergence’. Open lecture at the Architectural Association, London.

Sengupta, U., 2015. ‘Governance resilience and open data platforms’, Invited Lecture, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo University. Japan.

Sengupta, U., 2015.  ‘Integrated City: Modelling and Big Data’, Lecture at the University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Sengupta, U., 2014. ‘Big Data & Open Government: Structural Shifts in Urban Governance’, Invited Lecture, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo University. Japan.

Sengupta, U., 2013. ‘Addressing Complicity & Helplessness: Urban Design & Spatial Planning Between Theory & Practice’, The Bartlett Development Planning Unit, UCL, London.

Sengupta, U., 2013. ‘Change and Resilience: Combining Research & Practice’, Shanghai Xiandai (Contemporary) Design Institute, Shanghai, China.

Sengupta, U., 2013. ‘Moving Towards Level 4 Systems: Experimental & Evolutionary Design Tools’, Space Syntax, London, UK.

Sengupta, U., 2012. ‘Cities as Complex Systems ‘, Ningxia Institute of Architectural Design, Ningxia, China. 

Sengupta, U., 2012. ‘Gamification – SIM City 4 and BBB Generator’, EUSS/AESOP Summer School, London, UK.

Sengupta, U., 2012. ‘Pattern Morphology – New Techniques for Continuous Urban Change’, EUSS/AESOP Summer School, University of Westminster, London, UK.

Sengupta, U., 2011. ‘Designing Emergent Urban Systems’. Open Lecture at KRVIA, Mumbai, India.

Sengupta, U., 2010. ‘Digital Methods for the Informal City’. Open lecture at the University of Dundee, Scotland.

Public Profile (Invited Expert Speaker/Panellist):

Sengupta, U., 2024. ‘Facades of the Future’, Competition judge, ARUP, UK.

Sengupta, U., 2023. ‘Design Science for Smart & Sustainable Cities’ , Nikken Sekkei Ltd., Tokyo, Japan.

Sengupta, U. 2021 ‘Future Mobility and Electric Car Infrastructure’, Expert Presenter, British Embassy – Sofia, Bulgaria. Online.

Sengupta, U. 2020, ‘IoT and Big Data: Co-evolution with Governance’, Expert Panellist and Presenter, Deeper-COVI-City-3.0 workshop on collective urban intelligence and how to use it. University of Manchester, September 11.

Sengupta, U. 2017, ‘Digital Tools for Urban Challenges’, Expert Panellist and Presenter, Collaboratory for Urban Resilience and Energy - Resilience Workshop, University of Manchester.

Sengupta, U., 2016. ‘Extrapolating Future Cities: Combining hard and soft urban data’, Public Lecture, Smart IoT London: Urban IoT Showcase, ExCeL, 12-13 April 2016.

Sengupta, U., 2015. ‘Smart Cities’, TMRW Conference, Panel Chair, Manchester Central, 20 May 2015.

Sengupta, U., 2014. ‘A Digitised Planning System’, Expert Panellist, RIBA, ARUP & ODI Roundtable Meeting.

Sengupta, U., 2014. ‘A Digitised Planning System’, Expert Panellist, RIBA London, Roundtables.

Sengupta, U., 2014. ‘A Digitised Planning System’, Expert Panellist, ManMet, Manchester City Council & RIBA, Roundtable Meeting.

Sengupta, U. 2010, ‘Istanbul, City of Islands’, Expert Panellist, this is not a Gateway, UCL MSc. Building and Urban Design in Development.

Impact

Impact and Knowledge Exchange:

Invited Lectures for Knowledge Exchange with Practices/Policy Makers (Selected)

2021            ‘Embedding sustainability metrics into early-stage design processes’, Talk to TP-Bennett – Sustainability Group, London, UK.

2021            ‘Are Zero Carbon Future Cities possible?’, Presentation/lecture to Manchester City Council Strategic Planning Team for Victoria North/Northern Gateway, Manchester, UK.

2021            ‘Engaged Urban Transformation: Opportunities co-production through digital engagement’, Presentation/lecture to Manchester North Hospital Redevelopment Trust, Manchester, UK.

2021            ‘Smart City platforms and data commons’, Presentation/lecture to Manchester City Council – Strategic Lead for the Manchester Digital Strategy, Manchester, UK.

2020            ‘Sustainable Development: Embodied energy and BIM based construction’, Lecture to Bryden Wood (UK’s industry leader in BIM based construction), London, UK.

2020            ‘Design Automation: Bespoke digital tools for DfMA housing’, Lecture to Modulous (start-up exploring digital tool development collaborations with CPU), France.

2020            ‘Smarter Planning with Simulation’, Lecture to Shanghai Municipal Engineering Design Institute (Group) Co., Ltd., Shanghai, China.

2019‘The Third Way: Designing the digital design tools for open ended urbanism’, Invited Lecture, Nikken Sekkei Global Headquarters, Tokyo. Japan.

2019            ‘Smart(er) Cities: Testing urban futures’, Lecture to Gumi City Government, Manchester City Council, UK.

2019            ‘Using Digital Technologies to Test Urban Futures’, Lecture to Manchester’s Northern Gateway Development (Government) Stakeholders, CPU-Lab in MMU, UK.

2019            ‘Digital Tools: Custom tools for urban transformation’, Lecture to North Manchester Regeneration Team, Manchester City Council, UK.

2018            ‘Smarter Planning Strategies: Moving beyond predict and provide’, Lecture to Perkins Eastman (and 6 other global office locations via video link), New York, USA.

2018            ‘Smart Cities: CityVerve and greener mobility strategies’, Lecture to the Nomura Foundation and Japan Development Bank, Manchester City Council, UK.

2017            ‘Smarter Data Use & Future City Models’, Lecture to the China Academy of Urban Planning and Design, CPU-Lab in MMU, UK.

2017            ‘Retaining Ties: A systems approach to socio-spatial transformations’, Lecture to the Miyakobashi, Yokohama Planning Department, Yokohama, Japan.

2017            ‘Urban Transformation and Transport Simulation for Sustainable Mobility Planning’, Lecture to the UK Department for Transport (DfT), London, UK.

2017            ‘Data and Cities as Complex Adaptive Systems’, Lecture to the Future Cities Catapult (FCC), London, UK.

2017            ‘Exploring Sustainable Transitions in Future Mobility’, Lecture to the TIP-NW Consortium, Transport Catapult, Transport for Greater Manchester, Department for Transport UK and Highways Agency UK, Liverpool, UK.

2016            ‘Smarter Data Use & Future City Models’, Lecture to ARUP Associates Manchester, UK.

2016            ‘Smarter Data Use & Future City Models’, Lecture to ESRI, Redlands, California, USA.

2016            ‘Gamifying Smarter Planning: Adaptive and resilient future cities’, Lecture to Gensler Los Angeles, USA.

2016            ‘Gamifying Smarter Planning: Adaptive and resilient future cities’, Lecture to Morphosis Architects, Los Angeles, USA.

2015            ‘Smarter Data Use & Future City Models’, Lecture to ARUP Associates London, UK.

2014            ‘Complexity & Simulation for Urban Futures’, Lecture to GOV.UK, Department for Business Innovation & Skills, Foresight: The Future of Cities. Lecture in MMU to panel.

Community and Public Engagement:

2016.03       [61]. Co-organiser, curator & contributor. Side-event ‘JustFest Manchester’. Funded by the University of Manchester Public Engagement Fund, Manchester, UK 

2016.02       [61]. Co-organiser, curator & contributor. Exhibition of research findings and collaborative work in the form of artwork and an exhibition catalogue. Funded by Daiwa Foundation, Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation and the University of Manchester Public Engagement Fund. Grosvenor Gallery, Manchester, UK 

2015.07       Revealing Old and New Miyakobashi. Co-organiser. Collaborative event to discuss initial findings from fieldwork in Yokohama with the local community. Koganecho Community Centre, Studio Site-C, Yokohama, Japan

Mass Media Coverage:

BBC Brazil article about research: Como ciência e tecnologia podem ajudar a transformar o sistema de saneamento no Brasil. http://www.bbc.com/portuguese/brasil-37641804

Strade Italy article about research: Da smart cities a città intelligenti, attraverso una piattaforma web. http://stradeonline.it/terza-pagina/471-un-nuovo-modo-di-inventare-le-smatr-cities

Guardian UK article about research: Want a smarter city? Then it’s time to indulge in time travel. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/feb/17/want-a-smarter-city-then-its-time-to-indulge-in-time-travel

UK REF2021 4* Impact Case Study (renewed for REF2029): 

As part of the UK REF2021 (Research Excellence Framework 2021) assessment, I have formulated an original Impact Case Study (ICS) on the work undertaken in my lab ([CPU]lab). The criteria for assessment are reach (extent and/or diversity of the beneficiaries) and significance (the degree to which the impact has enabled, enriched, influenced, informed or changed the performance, policies, practices, products, services, understanding, awareness or wellbeing). My research impact has been framed in terms of the ICS: Complex Sustainable Futures: Disruptive technologies in urban transformation.

The impact of the [CPU]lab research is based on developing system-level approaches and computational models to assess implications of disruptive technologies in urban transformation to inform ‘ex-ante’ strategic policy formulation. In collaboration with public bodies and civic leaders, the Lab utilises innovative data modelling and technologically advanced methods to understand and explore urban transformation, enhance the ability of policy makers to undertake data-led smart city planning, and co-create citizen choice for future mobility strategies. Funded collaborations with partners in the North West have shaped strategic policy formulation that 1) informed the development of Manchester’s digital strategy; 2) incorporated IoT data in Smart City mobility planning; 3) integrated Connected Autonomous Vehicles into TfGM’s Future Mobility Strategy; and 4) guided the sustainability agenda of one of the largest regeneration projects in the UK (the Northern Gateway Strategic Regeneration Programme) through new forms of technology-driven architectural design practice. Supported by an interdisciplinary network in Brazil, China, Japan and the UK, the Lab ultimately co-produces intelligent decision making towards sustainable and liveable cities.

Research Funding/Awards

2022        British Council (£16,633), Co-PI, ‘British Council Partnership and Consultancy supporting Philippine Higher Education Consortium Smart Cities Project’ 

2021        EPSRC Digitally Enhanced Advanced Services (DEAS) (£9,901), PI, ‘Mobility as a Service: Last Mile Freight for Greater Manchester’

2020        EPSRC Digitally Enhanced Advanced Services (DEAS+) (£95,195), PI, ‘Mobility as a Service Prototype for Transport for Greater Manchester’

2019        Royal Society Challenge-led Grants/GCRF (£41,180), Co-I, ‘Towards Sustainable Sanitation in India and Brazil (TOSSIB)’

2019        NERC Towards a Sustainable Earth (£101,985), Co-I, ‘A Systems Approach to Sustainable Sanitation Challenges in Urbanising China (SASSI)’

2017        Innovate UK Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV2) (£251,198), PI, ‘Synergy’.

2017        H2020 IoT- Large Scale Pilots, (£217,719), PI, ‘Synchronicity’.

2016        Innovate UK Internet of Things (£232,562), Co-I, ‘CityVerve’

2015        ESRC Strategic Network(£14,192), Co-I, ‘Data and Cities as Complex Adaptive Systems’

2015        British Council Researcher Links. Participation in workshop ‘Integrative Research: Challenges of Complex Systems for Technological Applications’, in Sao Paulo, Brazil

2014        British Council ‘Sino-UK HE Collaboration on Architectural Design 2014’, in Harbin, China

Publications

Exhibitions

Sengupta, U., Iossifova, D., Imai, H., Atanasova, M., Kempski, D., Kowalska, P., Muresan, D., Tosheva, I., Walker, M., Weinmann, L., 2016. [61] Harmonica Alley, 8/2/2016 - 19/2/2016.

Sengupta, U., Hyde, R.J., 2014. 'Transdisciplinary Tools for Urban Change', Venice Biennale, Italy, 1/11/2014.

Sengupta, U., Cheung, P., 2013. Seamless: The Digital in Design, Museum of Architecture and Design, Ljubljana, Slovenia., 19/9/2013 - 3/11/2013.

Sengupta, U., 2011. Unplannable City - Approaches for Urban Emergence & Complexity, Studio X Mumbai (Columbia University, GSAPP), 3/9/2011 - 30/6/2011.

Sengupta, U., 2009. Mega-City vs. Identity - Territory, Architecture, Culture in Istanbul, Istanbul Metropolitan Planning, 1/7/2009.

Books

Iossifova, D., Sengupta, U., 2016. '[61] Harmonica Alley, Yokohama', Softgrid Limited.

Book Chapters

Solomou, S., Sengupta, U., Cheung, E., Oredein, O., 2022. 'A Strategic Planning Problem: The Relationship Between Urban Transformation Outcomes and the Temporal Order of Planned Projects'. In Iossifova, D., Gasparatos, A., Zavos, S., Gamal, Y., Long, Y. (eds.) Urban Infrastructuring: Reconfigurations, Transformations and Sustainability in the Global South, pp. 241-264, Springer.

Solomou, S., Sengupta, U., Cheung, E., Oredein, O., 2022. 'A Strategic PlanningStrategic planning Problem: The Relationship Between Urban TransformationTransformations Outcomes and the Temporal Order of Planned Projects'. In Sustainable Development Goals Series, pp. 241-264.

Sengupta, U., Ren, Y., 2022. 'Architecture, Sanitation and COVID-19'. In Urban Infrastructuring, Springer.

Iossifova, D., Baker, J., Byrom, H., Gao, J., Law, Z.H., Stewart, B., Yang, Y., Dewoolkar, P., Gamal, Y., Nelson, T., Ren, Y., Sengupta, U., 2022. 'Architecture, Sanitation and COVID-19: Design Interventions in Resource-Limited Settings (Accra, Ghana)'. In Sustainable Development Goals Series, pp. 277-295.

Iossifova, D., Zavos, S., Gasparatos, A., Valencio, N., Bhide, A., Baltazar, A.P., Sengupta, U., Cheung, E., da Silva Baptista, M., Dong, N., Gamal, Y., Lazo, D.L., Long, Y., Ren, Y., 2022. 'Infrastructuring with CareCare in Cities of the Global SouthGlobal South'. In Sustainable Development Goals Series, pp. 309-319.

Sengupta, U., Cheung, E., Solomou, S., Zigure, S., Tantoush, M., Bassanino, M., Hyde, R., 2021. 'Complex Urban Futures: Design Science for Flux Territories'. In Design Studio Vol. 2: Intelligent Control Disruptive Technologies, Riba Publishing.

Ulysses, S., 2017. 'Complexityscience'. In Defining the Urban, pp. 249-265, Routledge.

Sengupta, U., 2017. 'ICT, Open Data and the Internet of Things'. In The Virtual and the Real in Planning and Urban Design, pp. 69-90, Routledge.

Sengupta, U., 2017. 'ICT, Open Data and the Internet of Things: Potential future trajectories in urban planning'. In Yamu, C., Poplin, A., Dewisch, O., De Roo, G. (eds.) The Virtual and the Real in Planning and Urban Design: Perspectives, Practices and Applications, pp. 69-90, Routledge.

Sengupta, U., 2013. 'Acknowledging Complexity in Continuous Urban Change'. In Iossifova, D. (eds.) Times of Scarcity: Reclaiming the Possibility of Making the City, 35-39, Primedia e-Launch LLC.

Sengupta, U., Cheung, E., 2013. 'Acknowledging Complexity in Continuous Urban Change'. In Iossifova, D. (eds.) Architecture and Planning in Times of Scarcity: Reclaiming the Possibility of Making the City, pp. 221-229, Softgrid Limited, London.

Sengupta, U., Iossifova, D., 2012. 'Systemic Diagramming: An Approach to Decoding Urban Ecologies'. In Goodbun, J., Till, J. and Iossifova, D. (eds.) Scarcity: Architecture in an Age of Depleting Resources, 44-51, Architectural Design, Wiley.

Sengupta, U., Cheung, P., Pick, J., 2012. 'Urban Resilience: A Potential Approach based on Complex Ecological Patterns'. In mat.zine #11 resilience, mat.zine, London.

Sengupta, U., Cheung, E., Wong, L., Matsuda, N., Lynch, J., 2011. 'Urban Morphology: Incorporating Complexity & Variation'. In Mironowicz, I. (eds.) Urban change: the prospect of transformation, pp. 180-189, UN-HABITAT & Wroclaw University of Technology, Nairobi/Wroclaw..

Reports

Cheung, P., Sengupta, U., 2017. 'Journey Sustainability Analysis Report', MMU: Manchester School of Architecture.

Sengupta, U., Doll, C., Gasparatos, A., Iossifova, D., Angeloudis, P., da Silva Baptista, M., Cheng, S., Graham, D., Hyde, R.J., Kraenkel, R., Luo, J., Oren, N., 2017. 'Sustainable Smart Cities: Applying Complexity Science to Achieve Urban Sustainability - [United Nations University, Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability , Policy Brief]', United Nations University, Tokyo, Tokyo.

Cheung, P., Sengupta, U., 2016. 'Analysis of Journey Planner Apps and Best Practice Features', Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester.

Cheung, E., Sengupta, U., 2016. 'Occupancy / Emissions Sustainability Metric Matrix', MMU: Manchester School of Architecture, Manchester, UK.

Sengupta, U., Hyde, R., 2014. 'Convergent City: Imagining Planning in a Digitised Future', RIBA.

Internet Publications

Sengupta, U., Cheung, E., Pick, J., 2012. 'Urban Resilience: A Potential Approach based on Complex Ecological Patterns', Mat.zine, http://matzine.org/2012/08/04/resilience-11-out-now/.

Journal Articles

Tantoush, M., Zigure, S., Solomou, S., Bassanino, M., Sengupta, U., 2026. 'Participatory Back Casting for Desired Co-Produced Mobility Futures: A Case Study of Greater Manchester', Data & Policy Journal.

Tantoush, M., Sengupta, U., Han, L., 2025. 'Exploring city dynamics through tweets: a framework for capturing urban activities as complex spatiotemporal patterns', Cities, 162.

Castro, M.A.S.D., Valencio, N., Iossifova, D., Santiago, C.D., Ziglio, L., Valencio, A., Pugliesi, E., Gonçalves, J.C., Cheung, E., Sengupta, U., 2024. 'An experiment in transdisciplinary systems mapping: architecture and the water-energy-sanitation nexus in Brazil', Architecture, 4 (1), pp. 73-88.

Tantoush, M., Solomou, S., Sengupta, U., Zigure, S., 2024. 'Participatory backcasting towards desirable co-produced mobility futures: A case study of MaaS in Greater Manchester', Futures, 164.

Solomou, S., Sengupta, U., 2024. 'Simulating Complex Urban Behaviours With AI: Incorporating Improved Intelligent Agents in Urban Simulation Models', Urban Planning, 10.

Sengupta, U., Sengupta, U., 2022. 'SDG-11 and smart cities: contradictions and overlaps between social and environmental justice research agendas', Frontiers in Sociology, 7, pp. 995603-995603.

Sengupta, U., Sengupta, U., 2022. 'Why government supported smart city initiatives fail: examining community risk and benefit agreements as a missing link to accountability for equity-seeking groups', Frontiers in Sustainable Cities, 4, pp. 960400-960400.

Sengupta, U., Tantoush, M., Bassanino, M., Cheung, E., 2020. 'The Hybrid Space of Collaborative Location-Based Mobile Games and the City: A Case Study of Ingress', Urban Planning, 5 (4), pp. 358-370.

Sengupta, U., Rauws, W.S., de Roo, G., 2016. 'Planning and complexity: Engaging with temporal dynamics, uncertainty and complex adaptive systems', Environment and Planning B: Planning and Design, 43 (6), pp. 970-974.

Sengupta, U., Iossifova, D., 2012. 'Systemic diagramming: An approach to decoding urban ecologies?', Architectural Design, 82 (4), pp. 44-51.

Conference Papers

Tantoush, M., Sengupta, U., 2025. 'Towards Complex Spatiotemporal Patterns: A Theoretical Framework for Capturing and Analysing how Cities Function', Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Built Environment, and Southern Urbanism, Mumbai, 8/1/2025 - 9/4/2025.

Chakrabarti, D., Sengupta, U., Dusa, S., 2025. 'WASH infrastructure adaptations v. peri-urban aspirations: Complexities of planning, provisioning, and implementing within the lived realities of Global South cities', Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden, 27/11/2025 - 28/11/2025, in AESOP The Dynamics Of Panarchy 2025 Book Of Abstracts, pp. 34-35.

Tantoush, M., Sengupta, U., Solomou, S., Chueng, E., 2024. 'Bridging Urban Big Data and Agent-based Modelling: A New Theoretical Framing for Uncovering Complex Patterns and Mechanisms', AESOP Planning and Complexity - Time/Less Sensing, Planning, Designing In Complex Cities and Regions, Aachen, Germany, 28/11/2024 - 29/11/2024.

Tantoush, M., Sengupta, U., 2024. 'Cities as hybrid urban and digital spaces: exploring collective urban activities through social media', ASIST&T European Chapter: Information Science Trends 2024- Living online and offline, in darkness and light, Manchester, 10/7/2024 - 10/7/2024.

Tantoush, M., Sengupta, U., 2022. 'Sensing Urban Activities through Tweets: Exploring Dynamic Urban Functions through Crowdsourced Urban Data', In Sensing the City: AESOP 20th Meeting TG Planning & Complexity, Tallinn, Estonia, 21/7/2022 - 22/7/2022.

Sengupta, U., Solomou, S., Alsharif, A., 2022. 'Where is the Complexity? Exploring the Theoretical Frameworks in Simulative Urban Modelling', Dynamics Days Europe, University of Aberdeen, 22/8/2022 - 26/8/2022.

Tantoush, M., Sengupta, U., Han, L., 2021. 'Analysing Urban Form and Activities for Smarter Cities through Crowdsourced Urban Data', 2021 International Symposium of Resilient City, Bejing, China, 3/11/2021 - 4/11/2021.

Zigure, S., Tantoush, M., Solomou, S., Sengupta, U., 2021. 'DEAS Network Plus Transportation and Mobility Projects 2020 - MaaS Prototype for TfGM', DEAS Research Seminar Series - transportation and mobility, Exeter, UK.

Tantoush, M., Zigure, S., Solomou, S., Sengupta, U., 2021. 'Participatory Backcasting for Achieving Desired Co-produced Mobility Futures: A Case Study of MaaS in Greater Manchester', NEST Conference 2021: Sustainability Transition pathways, Sofia, Bulgaria.

Zigure, S., Tantoush, M., Solomou, S., Sengupta, U., 2021. 'Participatory Backcasting for Achieving Desired Co-produced Mobility Futures: A Case Study of MaaS in Greater Manchester', Data for Policy 2021 special track Systemic engagement: Mobility as a Service (MaaS) and the design challenge of inclusion, sustainability, and data ownership, London, UK.

Tantoush, M., Sengupta, U., 2021. 'Urban Morphology in the Big Data Age: Exploring Aspects of Urban Form through Crowdsourced Urban Data', International Seminar on Urban Form: ISUF, Glasgow, Scotland.

Tantoush, M., Sengupta, U., Macbeth, A., Norfiqri, R., 2019. 'Big Data and City Infrastructures: Exploring Airbnb's Digital Urban Disruption', Healthy Cities 2019: Urbanisation, Infrastructures & Everyday Life, Manchester, UK.

Zigure, S., Solomou, S., Cheung, E., Sengupta, U., Hyde, R., Bassanino, M., Tantoush, M., 2019. 'Exploring Concerns about Autonomous Vehicles in the Public Realm', Healthy Cities 2019: Urbanisation, Infrastructures & Everyday Life, Manchester, UK.

Tantoush, M., Sengupta, U., Cheung, E., Solomou, S., Zigure, S., 2019. 'Location-Based Games as Crowd-Sourced Geographic Information for Urban Planning', AESOP 18th Meeting TG Planning & Complexity: Games for Cities, Lisbon, Portugal.

Solomou, S., Zigure, S., Sengupta, U., Cheung, E., Tantoush, M., Hyde, R., 2019. 'Simulating Personal Rapid Transportation: A game to determine the advantages of a Connected Autonomous Vehicle (CAV) system over the current Taxi system', AESOP 18th Meeting TG Planning & Complexity: Games for Cities, Lisbon, Portugal.

Solomou, S., Sengupta, U., Oredein, O., Hyde, R.J., 2018. 'A Strategic Planning Problem: Examining the unpredictability of urban transformation based on the changing temporal order of planned projects', 16th meeting of the AESOP Planning & Complexity group. Theme: Adaptive Planning for Spatial Transformation, Department of Spatial Planning and Environment, Faculty of Spatial Sciences, University of Groningen, the Netherlands, 23/5/2018 - 25/5/2018.

Zigure, S., Solomou, S., Sengupta, U., 2018. 'Developing Scenarios for Connected and Autonomous Vehicle (CAV) enabled sustainable future cities', AUM 2018, The University of Cambridge, 27/6/2018 - 29/6/2018.

Cheung, P., Sengupta, U., 2018. 'Enabling sustainable mobility: an ICT approach to enabling landscapes for bottom-up processes', Adaptive Planning for Spatial Transformation, 16th meeting of AESOP Planning & Complexity, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands, 23/5/2018 - 25/5/2018.

Sengupta, U., Cheung, P., 2017. 'Keynote Lecture: Digital Tools for Urban Transformation', Digital Tools for Urban Challenges, Workshop in Wuhan, China, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China, 18/4/2017 - 21/4/2017.

Iossifova, D., Sengupta, U., 2017. 'Urban transformations in China: Linking soft and hard urban systems', 2017 International Conference on China Urban Development, London, 5/5/2017 - 6/5/2017.

Sengupta, U., Cheung, P., Iossifova, D., Hyde, R., 2016. 'Data and Cities as Complex Adaptive Systems', 2016 DACAS conference on Future City Systems, Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, 1/2/2016 - 3/2/2016.

Sengupta, U., Cheung, P., Iossifova, D., 2016. 'Extrapolating Future Cities: combining hard & soft data', DACAS ICTP-SAIFR workshop on modelling urban systems, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil, 20/6/2016 - 24/6/2016.

Sengupta, U., 2016. 'Extrapolating Future Cities: Combining hard and soft urban data', Smart IoT London: Urban IoT Showcase, ExCeL, 12-13 April 2016.

Sengupta, U., cheung, P., iossifova, D., Hyde, R., 2016. 'Gamifying 'Smarter' Planning: Adaptive and resilient future cities', AAG Annual Meeting: Smart + Sustainable, San Francisco, 29/3/2016 - 2/4/2016.

Sengupta, U., Cheung, E., Hyde, R., Iossifova, D., 2016. 'Gamifying ‘Smarter’ Planning: Adaptive and resilient future cities', 2016 AAG Annual Meeting: Smart+sustainable, San Francisco, MArch 29 - April 02 2016.

Sengupta, U., 2015. 'Participation, Governance and Resilience in the Age of Big Data', Planning & Complexity - 13th meeting: Complexity and digitalization of cities - Challenges for urban planning and design, Tempere, Finland, 5/1/2015 - 6/1/2015.

Sengupta, U., Chattopadhyay, B., 2014. 'Convergent City: Extrapolating a Digitised Urban Future', Urban Futures-Squaring Circles: Europe, China and the World in 2050, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. Lisbon, Portugal, 10/10/2014 - 11/10/2014, in http://www.ufsc2050.ics.ul.pt/.

Sengupta, U., 2014. 'Future Cities, Extrapolation and Resilience', Manchester School of Architecture and RIBA Future Cities Roundtable, Manchester School of Architecture, 16/6/2014 - 16/6/2014.

Sengupta, U., 2014. 'Future Urbanisms: Technology, Science Fiction and Extrapolated Cities', XVIII ISA World Congress of Sociology, Facing an Unequal World: Challenges for a Global Sociology, Pacifico Yokohama, Japan, 14/7/2014 - 19/7/2014.

Sengupta, U., Cheung, P., 2014. 'My Data My City: Gamification and Participation with Projected Urban Futures', 12th meeting of Planning & Complexity Group, AESOP, Manchester School of Architecture, 16/1/2014 - 17/1/2014.

Sengupta, U., Cheung, E., 2012. 'Designing in Potential – Understanding and Incorporating the Inherencies of Complex Spatial Patterns into Urban Futures', Complexity Science and Social Science at the Interface to the Real World, University of Surrey, September 2012.

Presentations

Sengupta, U., 2016. 'Modelling for Emergence - Architectural Association', Architectural Association, London, 17 February 2016.

Sengupta, U., 2015. 'Smart Cities - TMRW Conference', TMRW Conference, Manchester Central, 20 May 2015.

Sengupta, U., 2014. 'Big Data & Open Government: Structural Shifts in Urban Governance', Invited Lecture, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo University. Japan, 14 July 2014.

Sengupta, U., Cheung, E., 2013. 'Complexity Thinking: Computational Tools to Temporality & Self Organisation', Out of the Box: Diverse Tools for Planning, SCUPAD (Salzburg Congress on Urban Planning and Development). Salzburg), May 2013.

Sengupta, U., 2013. 'Why Complex Adaptive Systems?', Self-organization and Spatial Planning: In-Depth Analysis, AESOP: Aveiro, May 2013.

Sengupta, U., 2012. 'Informal patterns', Cities to be Tamed?, Politecnico di Milano, November 2012.

Sengupta, U., 2012. 'Loose Fit: A Spatio-temporal Approach to Incorporating Bottom up Behaviours', Complexity and the Collaborative Rationale to Planning - 10th meeting of Planning & Complexity group AESOP, University of Groningen, November 2012, in http://www.aesop-planning.eu.

Sengupta, U., 2012. 'Planning for Unknown Futures & Constant Urban Change', Rethinking Cities: Framing the Future, Barcelona Congress Center, at the Fira de Barcelona, October 2012, in http://www.urbanknowledge.org/urks6.html.

Sengupta, U., Cheung, E., 2011. 'Digital Tools - Flux Territories', Self-Organizing and Spatial Planning - 9th meeting of Planning & Complexity, AESOP, Istanbul, 2011.

Sengupta, U., Cheung,, E, Wong, L., Matsuda, N., Lynch, J., 2010. 'Urban Patterns & Spatial Memory', Complex Urban symposium, United Nations University (IAS) Yokohama, 2010, in http://videoportal.unu.edu/408.

Other Outputs

Sengupta, U., Hyde, R., 2017. 'Funding: H2020 (IoT) - Large Scale Pilots, (£217,719 of EUR 20M), PI, 'Synchronicity'.'.

Sengupta, U., Iossifova, D., 2016. 'Smarter Data Use & Future City Models', Lecture at Gensler Los Angeles, USA.

Sengupta, U., 2014. 'Complexity & Simulation for Urban Futures', GOV.UK, Department for Business Innovation & Skills, Foresight: The Future of Cities.

Sengupta, U., Hyde, R., 2014. 'Convergent City: Imagining Planning in a Digitised Future', Digitised Planning System: RIBA Roundtable Meeting.

Sengupta, U., 2013. 'Addressing Complicity & Helplessness: Urban Design & Spatial Planning Between Theory & Practice', The Bartlett Development Planning Unit, UCL, London.

Sengupta, U., 2013. 'Change and Resilience: Combining Research & Practice', Shanghai Xiandai (Contemporary) Design Institute, Shanghai, China..

Sengupta, U., 2013. 'Moving Towards Level 4 Systems: Experimental & Evolutionary Design Tools', Space Syntax, London, UK.

Sengupta, U., 2012. 'Gamification – SIM City 4 and BBB Generator', EUSS/AESOP Summer School, London, UK.

Sengupta, U., 2012. 'Pattern Morphology – New Techniques for Continuous Urban Change', EUSS/AESOP Summer School, London, UK.

Sengupta, U., 2011. 'Report on Aternative Urban Policy Approaches', Report on alternative policy approaches for 5 year urban development plan, Jingdezhen, China..

Sengupta, U., Verma, A., 2011. 'Report on urban and environmental strategies for a new campus IIT', Report on urban and environmental strategies for a new campus (Indian Institute of Technology) in a desertified location, Jodhpur, India..

Sengupta, U., 2010. 'Critique of 5 year urban development plan Jingdezhen', Critique of 5 year urban development plan Jingdezhen, China..