Dr Laura Maftei

- Research and teaching in the area of digital technology and digital practices across the School of Construction Management and Engineering and the School of Architecture.
Areas of interest
My research draws a broader trajectory around the use and application of digital technology to design and construction.
It focuses on the use, integration and implications of digital technology (virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), building information modelling (BIM) etc.) across construction design practice. It also focuses on how the technology may be incorporated into teaching while accounting for innovative teaching methods.
Research centres and groups
University of Reading Organisations, People and Technology Research Group
Background
I am a fully qualified architect, with over eight years of practice experience.
In 2015 I completed a PhD on the use of digital technology for design practice within the School of the Built Environment at the University of Reading, where I continued to be involved in both research and teaching around the use of digital technologies in the practices of built environment professionals.
Academic qualifications
- PhD, School of the Built Environment, University of Reading, UK, 2011–15
- MArch, Architecture Institute Ioan Mincu, Romania, 1996–2002.
Professional bodies/affiliations
- UK Architects Registration Board (ARB)
- Romanian Architects Registration Board (OAR).
Publications
- Maftei, L. and Harty, C. (2021) Surprise: challenging design perceptions in immersive virtual reality environments? The case of designing a hospital project using a CAVE (Cave Automatic Virtual Environment). Archnet-IJAR: International Journal of Architectural Research ISSN: 2631-6862 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1108/ARCH-03-2021-0067
- Roupé, M. , Johansson, M. , Maftei, L. , Lundstedt, R. , Viklund-Tallgren, M. (2020) Virtual collaborative design environment: supporting seamless integration of multitouch table and immersive VR. Journal of Construction Management and Engineering , 146 (12). ISSN: 1943-7862 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)CO.1943-7862.0001935
- Nikolic, D. , Maftei, L. , Whyte, J. (2019) Becoming familiar: how infrastructure engineers begin to use collaborative virtual reality in their interdisciplinary practice. Journal of Information Technology in Construction , 24 pp. 489-508. ISSN: 1874-4753 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.36680/j.itcon.2019.026
- Maftei, L. , Nikolic, D. , Whyte, J. (2018) Challenges around integrating collaborative immersive technologies into a large infrastructure engineering project. Proceedings CIB W78 2018 pp. 315-321. (ISBN 9783030002206)
- Maftei, L. , Roupé, M. , Johansson, M. , Harty, C. (2018) Power plays: designers, users and interactive digital technology. 34th Annual ARCOM Conference, 3-5 September 2018, Belfast, UK
- Maftei, L. (2015) The use of immersive virtual reality technology in the design process: a reflective practice approach.
- Maftei, L. and Harty, C. (2015) Designing in caves: using immersive visualisations in design practice. International Journal of Architectural Research: ArchNet-IJAR , 9 (3). pp. 53-75. ISSN: 1938-7806 | doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.26687/archnet-ijar.v9i3.693 (special issue “Design Creativity: "Future Integrated Visualisation Directions”)
- Maftei, L. and Harty, C. (2013) Accounting for users: design team work in immersive virtual reality environments. pp. 157-166.