Profiles
Miranda Nieboer
Miranda Nieboer
Affiliated researcher
Room 113.1 , IMAS Waterfront, Castray Esplanade
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Dr Miranda Nieboer is an affiliated IMAS researcher in spatial and cultural studies with a background in Architecture and Building Engineering. She has been researching, writing, exhibiting, and lecturing on human inhabitation in extreme environments for more than 20 years. During her PhD research into Antarctic interiors Miranda joined a logistical Antarctic traverse that enabled her to develop an embodied understanding of inhabiting the continent. With an interdisciplinary approach her research builds bridges between different research disciplines that investigate the southernmost continent. Miranda’s work underlines the need for a further spatial and interdisciplinary consideration in Antarctic research. Currently she teaches in research and design in the Master of Architecture.
Biography
Miranda completed her Bachelor degree in Building Engineering (cum laude) and her Master degree in Architecture in the Netherlands. Her graduation project located in the sub-Arctic was nominated for the national and international Archiprix (awards for the best architectural graduation project). Miranda worked as a registered architect for various renowned architectural practices and an experimental design studio in the Netherlands. She also taught Architecture, Urban and Interior design at the Technical Universities of Delft and Eindhoven and architecture analysis courses at the Academies of Architecture in Rotterdam and Arnhem. Prior to moving to Tasmania Miranda was senior lecturer and responsible for the development and coordination of a successful 4 year undergraduate course in Architecture at the faculty of Built Environment and Engineering of the University of Applied Sciences in Zwolle. She joined the University of Tasmania to undertake her doctoral research ‘Antarctic Interiors’. This interdisciplinary research project combined perspectives from the field of the ‘Antarctic humanities’, Antarctic science and understandings from interior design and spatial analysis. Her thesis investigated ways in which Antarctica as a geographical and material place can inform a (re)thinking of the concept of ‘the interior’. Miranda continues to develop and work on collaborative and interdisciplinary projects that have their focus on human inhabitation in extreme conditions, esp. the Antarctic environment.
Career summary
Qualifications
Degree | Thesis title | University | Country | Date of award |
PhD | Antarctic Interiors: Practices of Inhabitation through Embodied Interactions with the Ice | University of Tasmania | Australia | 2020 |
Master in Architecture | Vitastigur 10C, 101 Reykjavik: A Design for a Seasonal Hotel | ArtEZ Academy of Architecture, Arnhem | The Netherlands | 2001 |
Bachelor in Building Engineering | University of Applied Sciences, Utrecht | The Netherlands | 1990 |
Languages (other than English)
- Dutch (fluent)
- German
- French
- Nepali (limited)
Memberships
Professional practice
Affiliated researcher of SCAR Standing Committee on the Humanities & Social Sciences (SC-HASS)
Registered architect in the Netherlands.
Administrative expertise
Miranda has extensive experience in multiple complex and administrative tasks in both academic and industry contexts. As an architect, she co-established the experimental architectural design practice vanHeel + Nieboer architecten. As senior lecturer, she developed and coordinated a four-year Bachelor programme, units, an international course, and various design studios. In this role, she managed a team of four academics. In grant writing, Miranda successfully applied for competitive scholarships, travel grants, ethical approval, and funding for her Antarctic expedition. In 2017, she was a member of the advisory committee of the international Antarctic HASSEG conference ‘Depths and Surfaces’.
Teaching
Antarctic Culture, Space and Materiality, Architectural and Interior Design, Spatial Analysis and Research, Visual Communication, Human inhabitation of extreme environments. For more than 15 years Miranda has taught, researched, and practiced in the transdisciplinary nexus of design, science, and art.
Teaching expertise
Miranda lectured courses on architectural analysis, supervised design studios, and developed workshops at ArtEZ Institute of the Arts, Arnhem, Technical University Delft, Eindhoven University of Technology and the Architecture Academy in Rotterdam. She was an invited critic for student presentations in Cluj, Romania and Dublin Institute of Technology, Ireland.
As senior Lecturer in Architecture at Windesheim University in Zwolle, Miranda coordinated and lectured design studios in Architecture, Urban and Interior design, architectural analysis courses and history courses at first, second and third year levels. She supervised award winning graduation projects at Bachelor and Master levels. Since 2016, Miranda has been teaching design studios at UTAS the School of Architecture. In 2019, she organised the interdisciplinary workshop ‘Antarctica and Architecture’ in collaboration with IMAS and University of Sydney. In 2020, she developed and tutored the research design studio ‘With/In Antarctic Extremes’ as part of the unit KDA720 (coordination Prof. Julian Worrall) at UTAS School of Architecture and Design.
Teaching responsibility
- KDA714 Urban Futures: Studio ‘Extreme Presents’
- KDA720 Professional Project: Studio ‘With/In Antarctic Extremes’
Research Invitations
Miranda has been invited to present her research at universities and other institutions in Europe and Australia:
- Exhibition ‘Ice Blink’ in the Maritime Museum of Tasmania. A collaborative project with Dr Frederique Olivier. (scheduled 2021)
- Australian Antarctic Festival in Hobart as part of the program on ‘The Arts & Antarctica: Understanding Antarctica through the arts’. (2018)
- ArtEZ Academy of Architecture in the Netherlands as part of the ‘Experience‘ lecture series’. (2018)
- Design Forum at UTAS School of Architecture and Design. (2018)
- Openings lecture at the international architectural conference Zilele Arhitecturii, Romania. (2015)
- University of Western Australia (UWA), Perth. (2013)
View more on Dr Miranda Nieboer in WARP
Expertise
Research expertise:
- Living and working in extreme environments/conditions
- Human presence and activities in Antarctica
- Spatial and cultural studies
- Architectural and Interior Design
- Space, Mobility and Materiality
- Spatial analysis
- Interdisciplinary and Cultural Studies
- Embodied and Creative Research Methods
Fields of research:
- Architectural Design (120101)
- Social and Cultural Geography (160403)
Research objectives:
- Expanding Knowledge through Studies of Human Society (970116)
- Expanding Knowledge in Built Environment and Design (970112)
Research Themes
Miranda’s interdisciplinary research links to the University’s research themes of Marine, Antarctica and Maritime; Creativity, Culture and Society; and Environment, Resources and Sustainability. Her research interests are located at the intersections of spatial and cultural studies, Antarctic humanities, and science. Miranda’s investigations include the human presence and activities in Antarctica in relation to the materiality and mobility of the continent; human inhabitation of Antarctica as analogue of outer space; embodied knowledge into voyaging to and through Antarctica; how the material and spatial complexities of the ice inform a reconceptualization of conventional architectural understandings of the interior and boundaries; and spatial representations of Antarctica in visual culture. Miranda’s research involves spatial and visual analysis, critical cultural readings, participant observation, archival research, and creative methods.
Awards
Recipient of:
- fully funded Antarctic expedition of 2 months by the French Polar Institute Paul-Emile Victor (IPEV) to join as traverse member and researcher the Antarctic logistic expedition to cross the continent to resupply Concordia station. (2017-2018)
- Tasmania Graduate Research Scholarship (2015 – 2019)
- Elite Research Top Up Scholarship (2015 – 2019)
Current projects
Miranda is currently working on the following projects:
- Research on human presence and activities in Antarctica in relation to the materiality and mobility of the continent.
- Research with Dr. Frederique Olivier on the environmental intensities and human perceptions encountered when voyaging towards Antarctica. This enquiry investigates experiential aspects of physicality, materiality, temporality, and movement through visual and non-traditional research methods.
- Research on inhabitation of Antarctica and Outer Space explores the conditions of present human settlement in Antarctica and applies future scenarios informed by extra-terrestrial inhabitation. This investigation with Craig McCormack contributes to the emergent and transdisciplinary field of Antarctic futures.
- Research with Tobias Stål on how Wilkes Subglacial Basin transitions as a place of abstract obscurity to a site of emerging significance for global climate research.
- Research on spatiality and the concept of boundaries related to glacial and subglacial tectonic processes in collaboration with Tobias Stål.
Fields of Research
- Architectural design (330102)
Research Objectives
- Expanding knowledge in human society (280123)
- Expanding knowledge in built environment and design (280104)
Publications
Total publications
16
Journal Article
(1 outputs)| Year | Citation | Altmetrics |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Nieboer M, McCormack CW, 'Under geodesic skies; a cultural perspective on the former South Pole Dome and geodesic domes in outer space', Polar Journal, 7, (2) pp. 351-373. ISSN 2154-896X (2017) [Refereed Article] DOI: 10.1080/2154896X.2017.1373914 [eCite] [Details] Citations: Scopus - 2 |
Chapter in Book
(1 outputs)| Year | Citation | Altmetrics |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Nieboer M, McCormack CW, '16 - Do(o)med Interiors', Antarctic Resolution, Lars Muller Publishers, G Foscari / UNLESS (ed), Zurich, Switserland, pp. 570. ISBN 9783037786406 (2021) [Research Book Chapter] |
Conference Publication
(7 outputs)| Year | Citation | Altmetrics |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | McCormack C, Nieboer M, 'Intersecting Voyages: Inhabitation of Antarctica and Outer Space', SCAR Open Science Conference 2020 ISBN 978-0-948277-59-7 (2020) [Conference Extract] | |
| 2020 | Nieboer M, 'Traversing Antarctica: Inhabitation on the Move', SCAR Open Science Conference 2020 ISBN 978-0-948277-59-7 (2020) [Conference Extract] | |
| 2020 | Nieboer M, 'Icy Interiors: Materiality, Spatiality, and Atmospherics', SCAR Open Science Conference 2020 (2020) [Conference Extract] | |
| 2020 | Staal T, Nieboer M, 'Wilkes Subglacial Basin: From a White Spot on the Map to Global Tipping Point', SCAR Open Science Conference 2020 (2020) [Conference Extract] Co-authors: Staal T | |
| 2017 | Nieboer M, '80 08' S, 163 57' W: Ice, Interior and Inhabitation', HASSEG Conference 2017: Depths and Surfaces: Understanding the Antarctic Region through the Humanities and Social Sciences, 5-7 July 2017, Hobart, Tasmania (2017) [Conference Extract] | |
| 2016 | Nieboer M, 'The South Pole dome: An architect's perspective', Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research: Biennial Meetings and Open Science Conference 2016, 20-30 August 2016, Kuala Lumpur ISBN 978-0-948277-32-0 (2016) [Conference Extract] | |
| 2015 | Nieboer M, 'Human inhabitation of Antarctica', Architecture Ecologies, 2015, Cluj Romania (2015) [Keynote Presentation] |
Major Creative Work
(4 outputs)| Year | Citation | Altmetrics |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Nieboer M, Olivier F, 'Ice Blink Ahoy!' (2020) [Other Exhibition] Co-authors: Olivier F | |
| 2018 | Alexander K, Barrett JA, McCormack F, Nieboer M, Rosevear M, 'Indelible Antarctica', UTAS, Mawson Exhibition Space (2018) [Other Exhibition] Co-authors: Alexander K; Barrett JA; McCormack F; Rosevear M | |
| 2018 | Nieboer M, 'Antarctic Interiors, Architecture and Ice Exhibition', Australian Antarctic Festival, Mawson Exhibition Space (2018) [Other Exhibition] | |
| 2004 | Nieboer M, Masselink P, Prins A, 'Koele', Archipuncturale04, Ulft, The Netherlands (2004) [Published Creative Work] |
Other Creative Work
(1 outputs)| Year | Citation | Altmetrics |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | van Heel G, Nieboer M, Holleman A, 'Giro 9575', SUNpublishers, Nijmegen, The Netherlands, pp. 44-49 (1999) [Catalogue] |
Thesis
(1 outputs)| Year | Citation | Altmetrics |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Nieboer M, 'Antarctic Interiors: Practices of Inhabitation through Embodied Interactions with the Ice' (2020) [PhD] |
Other Public Output
(1 outputs)| Year | Citation | Altmetrics |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Nieboer M, 'Traversing to the continental interior of Antarctica', Breakfast with Ryk Goddard, ABC Local Radio, Hobart, Tasmania (2018) [Media Interview] |
Fully-funded Antarctic expedition of 2 months by the French Polar Institute Paul-Emile Victor (IPEV) to join as traverse member and researcher the Antarctic logistic expedition to cross the continent to resupply Concordia station. (2017-2018)
Miranda has supervised a wide range of Bachelor and Master graduation projects in Architecture, Interior and Urban Design to successful completion. Various supervised projects were nominated for and received institutional and national student awards. In general the topics of the graduation projects (among others) have their focus on inhabitation of extreme conditions – such as the Antarctic, the Arctic, the African desert, flooding areas, post-industrial derelict regions, and high density urban environments.
Miranda is especially interested in supervising students with interdisciplinary projects which are located at the intersection of extreme environment studies (e.g. Antarctica, Artic, space), sciences, humanities, and architecture. She also is keen to co-supervise as a member of interdisciplinary supervisory panels or teams.