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Biourbanism Lab

Pioneering Bespoke Digital Twin Solutions for Smart, Resilient Cities, Places & Environments

The Biourbanism Lab is a digital solutions consulting discipline. Underpinned by the Biourbanism model, it is an advanced proptech research team with a wide range of capabilities. The BioLab workshops with clients to understand their project and business processes and provides recommendations for bespoke digital twin technology workflows to enhance efficiencies. They provide ongoing support to develop the solution with the client.

The BioLab’s services are science based and include production of bespoke digital project methodologies, digital twins, simulation tools, forecasting, analysis, metrics, generative design and dashboards. The team uses utilises local and global data sets to produce geospatial and computational intelligence to inform creation of evidence-based, resilient, smart city and place design outcomes. Services include climate change forecasting to enable risk mitigation and resilience planning.

The BioLab creates non-proprietary digital solutions that are readily accessible to the clients own teams. Services can be fully customised to suit specific needs including procurement of data and maintenance of digital solutions.

Clients often engage the BioLab very early at site acquisition and feasibility stage to develop a digital twin for due diligence. These early stage digital twins are then developed to mature alongside the projects development timeframe. Insights from the BioLab are applied to our interdisciplinary practice globally.

Black and white photo of a man smiling while looking slightly to the side. Dr. Yazid Ninsalam has short, dark hair and is wearing a dark suit jacket over a light-colored shirt. The background is plain and light-colored.
Talk to Dr Yazid Ninsalam about Biourbanism Lab
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Projects

Project Groundwater

Project Groundwater

Chiltern Hills and Berkshire Downs, UK

Circular Economy District

Circular Economy District

The Middle East

Bristol Climate Resilience

Bristol Climate Resilience

Bristol, UK

Wollondilly Urban Tree Canopy Plan

Wollondilly Urban Tree Canopy Plan

Picton, Australia

Australia India Water Security Initiative (AIWASI)

Australia India Water Security Initiative (AIWASI)

New Delhi, India

People / Biourbanism Lab

Black and white photo of Michael Cowdy with short hair and a beard, smiling slightly, wearing a dark blazer over a plain T-shirt, standing in front of a plain background.
Black and white portrait of a young man standing and smiling at the camera. He has short hair and is wearing a dark-colored, long-sleeved polo shirt with a small embroidered logo on the chest. The background is plain and white, capturing the essence of simplicity championed by Luca Armezzani.
A black-and-white photo shows Manasi Sabnis standing and looking at the camera, wearing a long-sleeved, belted dress with her hair down and parted in the middle. She has a slight smile on her face. The background is plain and solid.
Black and white portrait of Sean Gyuris, featuring medium-length hair and light facial hair. He is wearing a dark, collared, button-up shirt. The background is plain, adding focus to Sean's face and expression.
Black and white portrait of Sophie Thomas, a smiling person with long hair and glasses, wearing a loose, long-sleeved top. Sophie is looking directly at the camera, exuding a friendly and approachable vibe. The background is plain and light-colored.
Black and white portrait of Thomas Chapman, a man with short hair, wearing glasses, a mustache, and a white button-up shirt with a pocket. He is smiling and looking at the camera with his arms casually crossed. The background is a plain light-colored wall.
Black and white portrait of Ana Abram with shoulder-length hair standing against a plain background. She is looking to her left, wearing a buttoned-up, long-sleeved top and has her arms crossed.
Black and white photo of Dr. Elina Wu with long, dark hair, smiling while looking at the camera. She is wearing a light-colored, checkered shirt with sleeves and has her arms crossed in front of her chest, standing against a plain background.
Black and white portrait of Dr. Hossein Rizeei, a man with short dark hair standing against a plain background. He is wearing a light-colored collared shirt and a dark blazer, looking at the camera with a neutral expression.
A black-and-white photo of Dr. Jorge Sainz de Aja Curbelo, a man with light hair and a beard, wearing a textured, buttoned sweater. He stands with his arms crossed and a slight smile on his face, looking directly at the camera against a plain background.
Black and white photo of a man smiling while looking slightly to the side. Dr. Yazid Ninsalam has short, dark hair and is wearing a dark suit jacket over a light-colored shirt. The background is plain and light-colored.
Black and white photo of a person with shoulder-length hair, smiling and looking at the camera. They are wearing a short-sleeved, patterned shirt and large earrings. The background is plain, capturing Hanny Paing in a timeless moment.
A black and white portrait of Liliana Ructtinger captures her with long hair, smiling and posing confidently. She is wearing a dark, long-sleeved dress with a collar and has one hand on her hip. The background is plain and white.

Michael Cowdy

UK Director

Michael’s passion rests in achieving healthy, smart, living and locally responsive environments. With 20 years international experience, Michael adopts a systematic design approach to his projects ...

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Luca Armezzani

GIS Technician

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Manasi Sabnis

Senior Geospatial Analyst

Trained as an urban planner and architect, Manasi works at the nexus of data science and urban design. She has experience working in cross-disciplinary teams where she has supported urban planning ...

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Sean Gyuris

Geospatial Analyst

With expertise spanning physical geography, spatial analysis, environmental data management, and IT systems, Sean excels at leveraging geographic information to inform resilience planning. His backgro ...

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Sophie Thomas

Narrative Designer

Sophie is a UK-based Set & Costume Designer with ten years of experience in theatre: film, interiors, and live events. Recognised for critically assessing project needs and developing designs with ...

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Thomas Chapman

Computational Design Lead

Thomas is a Computational Designer whose work explores the intersection of design and programming. With a formal education in Landscape Architecture (BDes, MLA), Thomas brings a rare mix of practi ...

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Ana Abram

Senior Associate

Ana is a designer, researcher, and educator. Her research focuses on the creation and use of sustainable materials in landscape design and construction considering deep time and natural resources. Whi ...

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Dr Elina Wu

Senior Geospatial Modeller

Elina is an accomplished GIS specialist with over a decade of experience in geospatial projects. She excels in team empowerment, leadership, and collaboration. With expertise in spatial data engineeri ...

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Dr Hossein Rizeei

Geospatial Leader

Hossein is a highly qualified Senior Geospatial Scientist with 17 years’ academic and industry experience. He has designed, developed, and implemented several GIS-based methodologies to assess n ...

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Dr Jorge Sainz de Aja Curbelo

Associate Director, Computational Design

Dr. Jorge Sainz De Aja Curbelo is an accomplished Urban Computational Design Senior Associate at McGregor Coxall, bringing over a decade of experience leveraging generative techniques to enhance archi ...

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Dr Yazid Ninsalam

Global Discipline Lead, Biourbanism Lab

Yazid holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Architecture and was awarded concurrent degrees in Master of Landscape Architecture and Bachelor of Arts (Architecture) with honours from th ...

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Hanny Paing

Computational Designer

Hanny has a background in Landscape Architecture, Graphic Design, and Painting, she believes that Landscape Architecture is an art form that grows, lives, and breathes. Bringing a unique perspective t ...

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Liliana Ructtinger

Senior Associate, Research Operations Lead

Liliana is a social researcher with a strong commitment to the evidence-based design of healthy and sustainable built environments. Her interdisciplinary background in psychology, sociology, and u ...

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Our Clients

Are leading decision makers who are planning the future of major global cities, revitalisation of urban centres, developments to grow thriving regional cities or custodians of significant natural environments.

They face increasingly complex and challenging problems, in diverse sectors including urbanism, infrastructure, tourism, transport, environmental sustainability, disaster mitigation or housing supply.

Each client is unique, what they have in common is they are tackling large-scale issues that require comprehensive analysis and informed solutions.

A human hand and a robotic hand are nearly touching fingers, reminiscent of Michelangelo's "The Creation of Adam." Surrounding them in the lab are translucent digital screens displaying various technological data and futuristic graphics, symbolizing the synergy of human and AI technology in biourbanism.

Data with a human perspective

The BioLab has the power to process large interlinked data sets to reveal solutions that will build resilience into every project and improve prosperity within communities.

What makes our BioLab unique is the ability to assess impacts through a human lens. Our solutions account for the diversity of human cultures, age and ability needs, and aspirations for community safety and prosperity. The ability to incorporate community engagement and behavioural data into our systems and strategies to incentivise people to interact differently with the built environment sets us apart from our competitors.

McGregor Coxall projects are underpinned by rigorous evidence-based research conducted within BioLab. This research forms the bedrock of our work across our disciplines of Climate Resilience, Landscape Architecture, and Urban Design, ensuring that our solutions are not only visionary but firmly grounded in empirical data.

A 3D illustration depicts layers of geospatial data analysis. The top layer shows a device emitting signals, reminiscent of smart home technology. The middle layers include colorful heat maps and data points, while the bottom layer represents a grayscale map with varied topography. Connections link the layers.

What is a Digital Twin?

In today’s world, data is everywhere, yet its potential remains untapped without a strategic framework to harness and organise it effectively.

We empower clients by creating robust digital twins complemented by dynamic city dashboards. The city dashboard makes the data held within the digital twin readily accessible and legible. Operating in tandem, dashboard and digital twin present a comprehensive simulation environment powered by real-world data. Users can explore and predict the consequences of design interventions and policies. Leveraging advanced technologies such as machine learning and AI, the digital twin has potential to adapt to meet evolving needs and challenges.

Furthermore, our expertise extends to geographic information systems (GIS), which serve as powerful tools for capturing, analysing, and visualising data. By overlaying diverse datasets onto maps, GIS enables stakeholders to discern patterns, relationships, and trends critical for informed decision-making.

Our Approach

Value through Research

We’re committed to continuous learning and advancing sustainable urban development through global research collaborations with universities and governments

Science Meets Design

We understand that having access to precise data is crucial for our decision-making across various fields. This approach bolsters our precision, cost-efficiency, and speed in developing sustainable communities.

Generative Optimisation

We employ generative systems to deliver solutions that streamline design optimisation and spatial analysis, blending engineering and environmental considerations into our sophisticated designs

Benchmarking Liveability

We benchmark our performance using key performance indicators and science-based metrics, enabling us to make data-driven decisions and maintain accountability in achieving our objectives.

Integrated Dashboards

Access to precise geographic and demographic data is crucial for decision-makers across fields. This approach enhances the precision, cost-efficiency, and speed in developing sustainable cities and communities.

Adaptive Resilient Environments

We’re forging impactful, climate-smart spaces rooted in their local context, utilising cutting-edge technology and data insights to ensure our designs are resilient and seamlessly integrated with the environment.

A dark globe is enveloped in glowing, interconnected lines and points, representing a network. The lines are bright orange, yellow, and blue, linking various regions with the precision of a lab experiment, suggesting digital connectivity or data transmission across the essence of biourbanism.

Latest news at McGregor Coxall

A modern glass building with white supports stands elegantly in a lush garden at the Royal Botanic Gardens. People stroll nearby, and a golf cart glides along the path. Towering city skyscrapers, including a needle-like tower, rise majestically in the background under a cloudy sky.

Elevated leaders across McGregor Coxall’s global footprint

November 20, 2024 General
We are pleased to announce the promotions of several outstanding team members across our global business. These promotions reflect their commitment and dedication to our mission of creating sustainable and resilient cities, places, and environments. Jorge Sainz De Aja Curbelo – Associate Director, London Jorge’s work on significant projects...
A group of four people stand on stage at an awards ceremony. Three hold a framed certificate, proudly acknowledging the PIA Commendation. Behind them is a banner with the Planning Institute Australia logo, while a presentation slide showcasing the Inner West Blue-Green Grid Strategy award winner is projected above.

The Inner West Blue-Green Grid Strategy picks up PIA Commendation

November 15, 2024 Awards
McGregor Coxall is delighted to announce that the Inner West Council’s Blue-Green Grid Strategy has received a commendation at the Planning Institute of Australia NSW Awards. This forward-thinking project addresses the expected population growth and infrastructure challenges in the Inner West over the next 20 years. The strategy focuses...
The image captures the Parramatta Aquatic Centre, a feat of bold architecture, with colorful smoke effects in the background. Yellow umbrellas dot the pool area, and a clock and sign proudly display its name. Trees and a modern building enhance this venue that's truly the envy of the world.

Leader of the PAC – pool’s bold design the envy of the world

November 11, 2024 Awards Media
Parramatta Aquatic Centre (PAC) is the talk of the architectural world both globally and locally with the City’s iconic pool winning three prestigious awards in just three days last week. PAC claimed the title of Best Completed Building – Sport at the World Architecture Festival, fending off challenges from...
Aerial view of the circular Parramatta Aquatic Centre with a swimming pool, surrounded by trees and urban high-rises. A large yellow banner featuring

Parramatta Aquatic Centre Wins World Architecture Prize

November 7, 2024 Awards
In positive news overnight, The Parramatta Aquatic and Leisure Centre by Andrew Burges Architects & Grimshaw with McGregor Coxall for the City of Parramatta has been awarded at the World Architecture Festival in Singapore. Winning the the Completed Building – Sports category in Day 1 of the annual “Olympics...
A woman with braided hair points at a wall covered in colorful sticky notes and charts during a brainstorming session on community flood resilience in a bright room. Another woman, an expert in groundwater, sits nearby, actively engaged in the activity.

Project Groundwater Summit Unites Experts to Advance Community Flood Resilience

November 7, 2024 General
The McGregor Coxall UK team recently attended the Project Groundwater Annual Summit where they led an insightful participatory design exercise for the delegate workshop. Project Groundwater is a six-year Defra-funded programme aimed at transforming how communities in high-risk flood areas of the Chiltern Hills and Berkshire Downs prepare for...
Michael, a man with short hair and a beard, stands against a plain white background. He is wearing a dark blazer over a teal shirt and has his hands resting on his hips. He appears to be looking slightly off-camera, exuding an air of casual confidence.

Michael Cowdy joins High Streets Panel at London Build 2024

November 6, 2024 Event
What does the future hold for the UK High Street? Michael Cowdy, McGregor Coxall UK Founding Director and New London Architecture High Streets Expert Panellist, takes the stage alongside industry leaders to explore the next chapter for the UK high street at London Build Expo later this month. From...
A landscape featuring a grassy mound with stone walls beneath a cloudy sky. Birds soar in the distance, and a few people, including Clare Mayberry, walk near the site. A tree stands on the right, lending its serene ambiance to this Karl Langer-inspired scene.

Karl Langer winner Clare Mayberry to present “Returning Country”

October 30, 2024 Event
As the 2021 Karl Langer winner and University Medallist, Clare’s Landscape Architecture Honours project ‘Returning Country’ focussed on the repatriation of Australian First Nations Ancestral remains, and considered a design proposition for the National Resting Place in Kamberri, Canberra, Ngunnawal and Ngambri Country. The work culminated in her integral...
Aerial view of a large sports stadium, resembling the Olympic Park, surrounded by green fields and urban development. Nearby, a winding river, modern buildings by McGregor Coxall, and a unique red sculpture enhance the cityscape under a clear blue sky.

McGregor Coxall Joins LLDC Framework to Shape Future Design for Olympic Park Site

October 16, 2024 New Project
We’re proud to announce that Mcgregor Coxall has been appointed to the newly launched London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) Landscape and Public Realm Framework (Lot 2 Design Services). We are joined by a talented, multidisciplinary group of consultants undertaking research, studies, landscape and public realm design in the area,...
A brass band performs beside an outdoor swimming pool at Parramatta Aquatic Centre. A boy makes a big splash as he jumps into the clear blue water, delighting spectators. The brightly lit pool area is lively, resembling a world stage and creating a festive atmosphere.

Parramatta Aquatic Centre makes a splash on the world stage

October 16, 2024 Awards
The already highly awarded and widely recognised Parramatta Aquatic Centre is now receiving global recognition, having been shortlisted in two global award programs. Domestically recognised this year at the NSW AIA Architecture Awards with the prestigious Sulman Award for public architecture and the urban design category award, the project...