Ph.D. arch. Iris Popescu

My work is about:

building inclusion

I am an architect specialised in inclusive design and a firm believer that in order to improve the built environment, reduce the inequalities and exclusion caused by it, we first need to change mentalities regarding accessibility, disability and human diversity.

If you are interested in turning accessibility and inclusion into priorities I can support you with:

five peopel of different ages are sitting around a table and writing something down. One of them is in a wheelchair.

Research & Development

Conducting studies on inclusive design and accessibility within architectural spaces.

Exploring multi-sensory approaches in design to enhance social interaction and sensory perception for people with disabilities.

Analyzing the impact of built environments on diverse user groups, particularly focusing on communities that are facing exclusion caused by the built environment.

Developing tools and methodologies for community engagement in urban planning and design.

Writing books and guides on inclusive design, accessibility, empathy and the built environment.

The playground of the promenade with the concrete sand-table. In the back there is the watch tower made of wood.

Design &
Consulting

Inclusive design and accessibility consulting for public spaces and facilities (e.g., community centers, playgrounds, parks, educational spaces).

Developing user-centered projects that integrate community needs, particularly for vulnerable groups.

Designing play spaces and architectural solutions that prioritize sensory experiences and social inclusion.

Collaborating with other professionals on their projects on inclusive design strategies and ensuring accessibility compliance.

Conducting accessibility analyses on existing projects or spaces.

I am on stage with 6 people and making a presentation.

Public Speaking & Facilitation

Leading workshops and discussions on inclusive design, accessibility, and social responsibility in architecture.

Designing and facilitating empathy-building exercises to promote social cohesion and challenge biases on disability and human diversity.

Speaking at architectural and urban planning events about the importance of creating inclusive, accessible environments.

Engaging with diverse audiences, including professionals, students, and the public, to raise awareness of accessibility challenges in design and architecture.

See entire portfolio

Organisations I have worked with:

accenture
beta
ing
mastercard
mccann
oar
oarb
ps6
salto
sg
uauim
urbact
wb
whp
uia

Want to work together?

Contact me

Recent Work

A render with the book being tilted on one edge.

(Inclusive)Design – Everything Begins With Listening

My PhD thesis focuses on the architect’s social responsibility and the benefits of using empathy in design as a way to enrich the individual/ community relationship with the built environment, while defining a new architecture program based on an “inclusive social context” for segregated communities. The book based on the thesis was published in 2023 at Paideia Publishing house.
Render with three books standing on one edge next to each other.

Inclusive Design: Empathy Exercises for The Design Process

The first inclusive design guide in Romania highlights the experiences of those often overlooked—the "uninvited" and "different from the norm"—who face daily challenges in the built environment. Instead of offering specific solutions, this book serves as a collective manifesto that emphasizes our shared responsibility to the community by reaffirming the importance of inclusive design while reminding us that anyone could become the "uninvited guest" in the conversation about the built environment.
The playground of the promenade with the concrete sand-table. In the back there is the watch tower made of wood.

Inclusive Waterfront on the Danube

Mahmudia, a commune on the edge of the Danube Delta, is attracting increasing tourism, prompting the Local Council to develop the Danube bank into an inclusive public space for both locals and visitors. The project, created through community consultations, focus groups, and feedback sessions, resulted in an accessible infrastructure featuring the Mineral Park, the Communal Promenade, and the Communal Garden. The design prioritizes accessibility, circulation, and orientation, with ongoing assessments planned to ensure ease of use and accessibility for all.
Diverse people, adults and children, play in the pavement fountains. One person is in a wheelchair and it is being pushed by another person.

Empathy Retreat

During 25-29th of August 2022, we organised the Empathy Retreat in Sibiu, an intersectional research project that brought together 32 people from different social and professional categories: architects, urban planners, landscape architects, expert citizens, local councillors from city halls, activists, all of them from the LGBTQIA+ spectrum, or with visual, locomotor or hearing disabilities, neurodivergent and (temporarily) able-bodied people. Inclusive dialogue is the first step for accessibility to become a priority in the design and development of public or private spaces. The goal of the retreat is to challenge individual perspectives on human diversity and how they define our relationship with the environment.