Optically enhanced solar façades as public art

This is one of several fully-funded PhD studentships available within the College of Arts, Technology and Environment (CATE) at UWE Bristol.

Although many doctoral projects are being advertised across the College, CATE will only fund up to eight studentships in total. Projects selected for funding will be determined based on applicant merit through the selection process outlined below.

The proposed project explores how architectural façades can serve as visually engaging public artworks while enhancing buildings’ use of sunlight for energy generation through photovoltaic (PV) technologies. Current needs for more sustainable and culturally meaningful building designs motivate the search for ways to integrate optical performance enhancements inspired by natural phenomena and PV technologies into facades with artistic value to increase renewable energy generation, an area that remains underexplored. Computational simulation and visualisation methods allow architects to choreograph sunlight and conceive façades that are both energy‑productive and experientially significant.

Aim

The proposed project aims to develop a design framework for conceiving architecturally expressive façade designs that leverage optics to manipulate sunlight and create visually engaging effects that enhance energy generation through PV‑based technologies. The research will employ computational geometric modelling and physics‑based simulations of sunlight behaviour and PV performance, along with architectural visualisation methods, to investigate facade design possibilities for sunlight manipulation through variations in geometry and material qualities, complemented by qualitative evaluation of visual effects and spatial experience.

The expected outcomes of the research include not only a range of facade design possibilities, but also a transferable computational design framework and methodology for integrating artistic intent with considerations on PV facade performance in early architectural design. The project will contribute to sustainable architectural innovation by showing optically enhanced PV facades' potential as public artworks supporting net-zero energy ambitions, and by offering architecture industry stakeholders actionable tools for designing active solar building envelopes with improved performance.

For more information about the studentship please contact Eleonora Nicoletti at Eleonora.Nicoletti@uwe.ac.uk.

• A master's degree in Architecture or closely related field.
• Proficiency in computational design and environmental analysis using Grasshopper 3D and Ladybug Tools.
• Proficiency in digital architectural visualisation techniques.

The studentship is available from 1 October 2026 for a period of three years, subject to satisfactory progress and includes a tax-exempt stipend, which is currently £20,780 (2025/26) per annum.

In addition, full-time tuition fees will be covered for up to three years.

Please submit your application online. When prompted use the reference number 2627-OCT-CATE19. 

Application deadline

The closing date for applications is 12 June 2026.

Apply now

Applicants shortlisted for this project will be invited to interview with a panel comprising of members of the supervisory team and the School's Postgraduate Research (PGR) Lead and/or a senior researcher from the School or College. Successful candidates will be offered a studentship following the interview.

Supporting documentation

You will need to upload your research proposal, all your degree certificates and transcripts and a recognised English language qualification is required.

You will need to provide details of two referees as part of your application.

Interview dates

It is expected that interviews will take place in early June. If you have not heard from us by July, we thank you for your application but on this occasion you have not been successful.

Candidates who meet the entry requirements for doctoral study at UWE Bristol but are not awarded one of the funded studentships may be offered the opportunity to take up a self-funded PhD place.