Juan Álvaro Alayo

Juan Alayo has been studying cities for the last 25 years. After graduating in Architecture and Urban Design at the University of Navarra, Spain, and obtaining an MSc in Advanced Architectural Studies (Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London), he started his professional career as a researcher at University College London, analyzing urban form and how people used it.

He then worked at Ove Arup and Partners International for 15 years. Based at the Planning group in London, he acquired significant international experience on urban and regional planning issues, integrating transport systems and infrastructure in urban areas and developing Spatial Morphology models for a variety of cities.

In 2005, he was invited to join Bilbao Ría 2000, a publicly owned urban regeneration company, as Development Planning Director, where he was responsible for the planning of new development opportunities, integrating key transport infrastructures within dense urban environments, managing the interests and expectations of a diverse range of public administrations and ensuring physical, social and financial viability of the projects.

In 2014, he established himself as an independent consultant and is currently advising on strategic urban projects internationally.

He also collaborates with a number of academic institutions in research and training matters and has been invited to participate and give presentations in numerous conferences and events.