Aino Hirvola (M.Sc. in architecture) is a university teacher and a doctoral candidate in urban planning. Aino’s doctoral thesis examines professional lobbying in urban planning and politicization as a source of democratic legitimacy of planning. Her main research interest is planning theory, within which she studies politicization, populism, emancipation, and transparency in planning. Currently she works in two research projects. ‘Transforming Anatomies of Democratic Planning: Combining Planning-Theoretical and Legal Perspectives on Flexible Regulation in Finnish Land-Use Law’ (TRANAPLAN) is a consortium project with the University of Eastern Finland Law School and funded by the Academy of Finland (2020-2024). The CITY AS SPACE OF RULES AND DREAMING is a project coordinated by the Helsinki University Faculty of Law. Other partners are the Academy of Fine Arts and the Theatre Academy in Uniarts Helsinki and Aalto University Department of Built Environment. The projects is funded by KONE Foundation (2021-2024).

Aino teaches in the Master’s Programme ‘Spatial Planning and Transportation Engineering’ (e.g. Planning Theory) and in the Bachelor’s Programme in Built Environment (e.g. Basics of Land Use Planning).