Education and Research Experience

  • Ph.D. Architecture Science and Engineering
    Ghent University; Ghent, Belgium 2025
  • Master of Design for Health (MDes)
    OCAD University; Toronto, Canada 2018
  • Master of Architecture
    Azad University; Tehran, Iran 2002
  • Bachelor of Architecture
    Azad University; Tehran, Iran 2000
  • Postdoctoral Fellow
    Inclusive Design Research Centre (IDRC); Toronto, Canada 2024–2025
  • Initiated and chaired Session: Soundscape and inclusion, from theory to practice.
    Forum Acusticum; Málaga, Spain 2025
  • “Building and Room Acoustics”, The Autumn School Series in Acoustics (ASSA)
    Eindhoven, Netherlands November 2022
  • Acoustical Society of America (ASA) Summer School
    Denver, USA May 2022
  • Best practices for the design and evaluation of bathing and hygiene spaces for adults over the age of 50 with cognitive impairment in residential care settings: A scoping review (Steering committee for Toronto Rehabilitation Institute; Dementia Care Unit) Dr. Andrea Iaboni
  • Evaluation of Personalized Soundscape effects on Persons with Dementia; a pilot Randomized Clinical Trial, Specialized Dementia Unit – Research Supervisor: Dr. ir. Dick Botteldooren
  • Sound Level Monitoring and Soundscape Approach in Designing Dementia Care Unit: A Case Study
at Toronto Rehab Institute, Geriatric Psychiatry Unit – Research Supervisor: Dr. Andrea Iaboni
  • Social Cognition and Dementia; Inclusive Care – Research Advisor: Dr. Jutta Treviranus
  • MouvMat: An interactive gaming surface designed for older adults Co-researcher

Registration, Accreditations & Membership

  • Registered Architect, OAA
  • MRAIC
  • NCARB Certified
  • Acoustical Society of America (ASA)

Work experiences

Montgomery Sisam Architects | Senior Project Architect, Toronto 2022 – Present
• Long–Term Care facilities, Senior Housing and Retirement Home projects; Ontario
Kasian | Senior Project Architect, Toronto 2019 – 2022
• Institutional and Senior Housing projects; Ontario
Wallman Architects | Designer / Architect, Toronto 2017 – 2019
• Senior Housing and Mixed-Use projects; Ontario and Alberta
Humphreys & Partners Architects | Designer / Architect, Toronto 2015 – 2017
• Student housing and rental properties; Canada and US
Page + Steele / IBI Group Architects | Designer / Intern Architect, Toronto 2013 – 2015
• Mixed-Use, High Rise, Senior Housing projects; Canada and US
HOK | Intern Architect, Toronto 2010 – 2013
• Commercial projects; Canada
Core Architects | Intern Architect, Toronto 2006 – 2010
• Residential and Mixed-Use projects; Ontario

Committee Experience

  • DEI Committee; Montgomery Sisam Architects 2023 – Present
  • Post-Pandemic Mixed–Used Committee; Kasian; 2021 – 2022
  • Sustainability Committee; Kasian 2020 – 2022
  • Communication Committee member; Ontario Association of Architects; 2020 – 2022
  • AGE-WELL HQP Advisory Committee; 2018 – 2021
  • Faculty of Design Hiring Committee; OCAD University 2018
  • Search Committee for Interim Graduate Program Director – DHEA; OCAD University 2018
  • Senate Student Appeals Committee; OCAD University 2017 – 2019

Teaching Experience

  • Major Research Project Proposal | Master of Inclusive Design; OCAD University – Winter 2023 and Winter 2024
  • Inclusive Art, Design & Community | Master of Inclusive Design; OCAD University – Summer 2023
  • Lab 4: Research Colloquium | Master of Inclusive Design; OCAD University – Winter 2022 and Winter 2023
  • Lab 1: Design Opportunities | Master of Inclusive Design; OCAD University – Fall 2022
  • Studio 1: Corporeal | Master of Design for Health; OCAD University – Fall 2021
  • Systems 3: Communication | Master of Design for Health; OCAD University – Summer 2021
  • Teaching Assistant | Environmental Design; OCAD University – Winter 2020

Conferences and Publications

  • Konda, V., Arora, T., Kontos, P., Hinds, B., Desai, M., Arpiainen, L., Talebzadeh, A.,… & Iaboni, A. (2026). Best Practices for the Design and Evaluation of Bathing Spaces for Older Adults With Cognitive Impairment in Residential Care Settings: A Scoping Review. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 27(1), 105971.
  • Talebzadeh, A. & Botteldooren (2025). Auditory scene analysis deficit across dementia subtypes; a framework for environmental design. (2025), Poster. Alzheimer’s Association International Conference, Toronto.
  • Talebzadeh, A., (2025). Utilizing large language models for optimizing sound selection in dementia care environments. Forum Acusticum.
  • Talebzadeh, A., Devos, P., & Botteldooren, D. (2025). AUDITORY processing–driven soundscape design for dementia: a systematic framework for environmental intervention. Forum Acusticum.
  • Van Den Bosch, K. A., Chatburn, K., & Talebzadeh, A., (2025). Diversity in soundscapes studies: a monochromatic case on nature. Forum Acusticum.
  • Talebzadeh, A., Botteldooren, D., Thomas, P., Stewart, S., Van de Velde, D., De Vriendt, P., Devos, P., & Iaboni, A. (2024). Effect of soundscape augmentation on behavioural symptoms in people with dementia: A pilot randomized controlled trial. Innovation in Aging, igae069. https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igae069
  • Talebzadeh, A., Devos, P., & Botteldooren, D. (2024). Soundscape Augmentation in Dementia Care Design; Need for a Guideline. Studies in Health Technology and Informatics, 319, 154–164. https://doi.org/10.3233/SHTI240940
  • Talebzadeh, A., Botteldooren, D., & Devos, P. (2024). Soundscape augmentation for people with dementia requires accounting for disease-induced changes in auditory scene analysis. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 155(3_Supplement), A115-A115.
  • Talebzadeh, A., (2024). Need for an inclusive approach in soundscape research. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 156(4_Supplement), A93-A94.
  • Talebzadeh, A., Botteldooren, D., Thomas, P., Stewart, S., Van de Velde, D., De Vriendt, P., … & Iaboni, A. (2024, October). Soundscape augmentation as a nonpharmacological intervention to reduce the behavioural effect of dementia: a randomized controlled trial. In INTER-NOISE and NOISE-CON Congress and Conference Proceedings (Vol. 270, No. 9, pp. 2038-2048). Institute of Noise Control Engineering.
  • Vriendt Sr, P. D., Talebzadeh, A., Decoutere Jr, I., Mynsbrugge Jr, T. V., Botteldooren Sr, D., Devos Sr, P., … & Van de Velde Sr, D. (2023). The influence of everyday acoustic environments on the challenging behaviour in dementia: a participatory observation study in Nursing Homes. Alzheimer’s & Dementia, 19, e076060.
  • Talebzadeh, A., Iaboni, A., Botteldooren Sr, D., Devos Sr, P., Vriendt Sr, P. D., & de Velde Sr, D. V. (2023). Validation of the effect of soundscape on the well­–being and behaviour of people with dementia: a randomized clinical trial. Alzheimer’s & Dementia, 19, e077298.
  • Talebzadeh, A., Neilsen, T. B., Wage, K. E., & Diedesch, A. (2023). Effective Leadership. Acoustics Today, 19(4), 63. https://doi.org/10.1121/AT.2023.19.4.63.
  • Talebzadeh, A., Botteldooren, D., Van Renterghem, T., Thomas, P., Van de Velde, D., De Vriendt, P., Vander Mynsbrugge, T., Hou, Y., & Devos, P. (2023). Sound augmentation for people with dementia: Soundscape evaluation based on sound labelling. Applied Acoustics, 215, 109717.
  • Talebzadeh, A., Renterghem, T. Van, Thomas, P., Devos, P., & Botteldooren, D. (2023). Soundscape augmentation for people with dementia. Forum Acusticum.
  • Talebzadeh, A., Decoutere, I., Mynsbrugge, T. Vander, Botteldooren, D., Devos, P., Aletta, F., Van De Velde, D., & De Vriendt, P. (2023). The Influence of Everyday Acoustic Environments on the Challenging Behavior in Dementia: A Participatory Observation Study in Nursing Homes. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 20, 4191.
  • Talebzadeh, A. (2022, September 16). Promoting Healthy and Supportive Indoor Soundscapes [Webinar], MDPI
  • Talebzadeh, A., De Vriendt, P., Devos, P., & Botteldooren, D. (2022). Use of virtual reality in designing and developing soundscape for dementia care facilities. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 151(4), A250-A250.
  • Talebzadeh, A., & Botteldooren, D. (2022). Designing personalized soundscape for care facilities. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 151(4), A72-A72.
  • Talebzadeh, A., & Botteldooren, D. (2021). Soundscape design for people with dementia; The correlation between psychoacoustic parameter and human perception of safety and mood. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 149(4), A71-A71.
  • Talebzadeh, A., Iaboni, A., Devos, P., Botteldooren, D., Van de Velde, D., & De Vriendt, P. (October 2020). Randomized clinical trial in soundscape research, Presentation at INTER-NOISE and NOISE-CON Congress, (e-Congress)
  • Talebzadeh, A. (June 2020). Soundscape, human perception, and the built environment, Presentation at Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC), Edmonton, AB, Canada (Virtual Conference)
  • Talebzadeh, A. (May 2020). Scientific Approach in Designing Soundscape in Dementia Care Units, Invited Presentation at Acoustical Society of America (ASA), Chicago, Illinois, US. (Postponed)
  • Talebzadeh, A., Behboudi, R. & Iaboni, A. (May 2019). Soundscape in dementia care environment, Presentation at Acoustical Society of America (ASA), Louisville, Kentucky, US.
  • Talebzadeh, A. & Iaboni, A. (January 2019). Soundscape and Dementia, Presentation at Toronto Rehabilitation Institute Research Day, Toronto, ON, Canada.
  • Talebzadeh, A. & Iaboni, A. (2018). Soundscape and Dementia. Poster. AGE-WELL’s 4th Annual Conference Innovation in Action, October 16–18, 2018 Vancouver: BC, Canada.
  • Chu, Sultana, Talebzadeh, A., Gautier-Beaupre & Biss (2018). User-centered study design protocol for an exergaming technology for older adults in long-term care. Poster. AGE-WELL’s 4th Annual Conference Innovation in Action, October 16–18, 2018 Vancouver: BC, Canada.
  • Massicotte, K., Saby, A. & Talebzadeh, A., (May 2018). Evolution of the Digital Healthcare Record, Exploring Visualization through Synthesis Mapping. Poster. e-health Conference 2018, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
  • Talebzadeh, A., Massicotte, K., & Saby, A. (October 2017). Evolution of the Digital Healthcare Record. Poster presented at RSD6, 2017 Symposium, Oslo, Norway.
  • Sultana, A., Biss, R., Gauthier-Beaupré, A., Talebzadeh, A. & Chu, C. H. (October 2017). The application of user-centred design to develop an interactive digital gaming surface for older adults in nursing homes. Poster presented at the Canadian Association on Gerontology 2017 Conference, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
  • Biss, R., Chu, C. H., Gauthier-Beaupré, A., Talebzadeh, A., & Sultana, A. (October 2017). Exergame inter­ventions for institutionalized older adults: A review of motivational, cognitive, emotional, and social effects. Poster presented at the Canadian Association on Gerontology 2017 Conference, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
  • Talebzadeh, A., & Ashourinia, K. (November 2017). How to design an Inclusive Care, based on Individual’s Social Cognition to improve quality of life for people with Dementia? Poster presented at the 9th Canadian Conference on Dementia, Toronto, ON, Canada.
  • Gauthier-Beaupré, A., Biss, R., Sultana, A., Talebzadeh, A., & Chu, C. H. (November 2017). The effects of exergaming interventions on cognition and physical activity of institutionalized older adults: A systematic review. Poster presented at the 9th Canadian Conference on Dementia, Toronto, ON, Canada.
  • Talebzadeh, A., & Lang, A. (November 2017). Sensory for Dementia. Light and sound in long term care environment. Poster presented at This is Long Term Care, Toronto, ON, Canada.

Scholarships and GRANTS

  • AGE-WELL Travel Grant; 2025 ­— $500 CAD
  • Mobility Found (CWO) Ghent University; 2024&25 ­— 1000 €
  • AGE-WELL ACCESS Award; 2022 ­— 450 €
  • ASA Best Paper Young Investigator Award in Noise; 2021 — $250 US
  • HEAD-Genuit-Stiftung; Acusticare-clinical – Validation of the effect of soundscape modification on well-being and behaviour of people with dementia in a clinical context; 2020–2021 — 101,000 €
  • ASA Early Travel Subsidies; 2019 ­— $500 US
  • AGE-WELL ACCESS Award; 2018 ­— $1,850 CAD
  • Centre for Aging and Brain Health Innovation; SPARK Program Funding; 2018 ­— $50,000
  • AGE-WELL EPIC Summer Institute Pitch Award; 2017 — $1,500 CAD
  • AGE–WELL & OCADU Graduate Scholarship; 2016 — $5,000 CAD
  • The Manchee Family, OCADU Graduate Scholarship; 2016 — $9,500 CAD

Creative Projects

Podcast Producer | Quantization; 2016 – Present
Light Installation | Nuit Blanche; Toronto 2012
Video Installation | Future of Architecture, OAA; Toronto 2012

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