Stefanie Dens is trained as a Civil Engineer - Architect, specialized in Urban Projects, at the University of Leuven, Belgium. Her expertise lies within the field of human settlements, more specifically Urban Disaster Resilience, Water Urbanism, and building with local materials. She has experience in Europe and Asia, in projects often within development contexts (often in collaboration with local NGO's). Stefanie feels at stake in urban projects that cross scales and disciplines, pursuing an architectural design and urban practice that are rooted in socio-cultural, economical, spatial and territorial explorations. She believes in the power of a well-crafted context-specific design based on the reinterpretation of local knowledge working as a common ground for inhabitants, stakeholders and different expertises. She was assigned by KULeuven and UN Habitat to make an ActionPlan for the Revitalization of Bungamati, Nepal, after the 2015 Earthquake, which was approved by a multitude of stakeholders within the community itself, as well as on the official ranks (see Studio Kathmandu). Stefanie currently combines her design practice with PhD work on Urban Disaster Resilience, focussing on Asia.