The Spitzer School of Architecture at the City College of New York has been challenging the strictures of traditional design education for decades. Now, the esteemed school’s revamped Master of Urban Design program continues this trend of innovative education by reframing the urban environment as a laboratory where students play active research roles.
In the cultural heart of Upper Manhattan, sitting at the confluence of historically marginalized communities, the expansive City College campus and its innovative Spitzer School have a singular advantage in the investigation of how we can make our built environment work for everyone in it.
This program recognizes that interdisciplinary competency is fundamental to the design and planning of our shared spaces, particularly in the face of the many interrelated crises that manifest in greatest potency in densely populated areas. Students benefit from collaborations with many partners near and far, which may include Designing Resilience in Asia (DRIA), Urban Design Forum, the Association for Neighborhood & Housing Development, the J. Max Bond Center for Urban Futures, the University of Miami, and others as the program continues to network with communities, agencies, nonprofits, and universities.
Above: Towers in the Soup by Steven Kaminski, Katie Kenny, Nathan Laveau, Xiaoneng Tang– UD Spring Semester 2022
Importantly, and very differently from other local institutions, the program also recognizes that the rich and diverse stories its students bring to campus are typically not those of immense wealth; the Spitzer School of Architecture is internationally recognized as a uniquely accessible institution for those of all financial backgrounds, continuing to ensure that an elite education does not require an elite background. Our faculty and staff are committed to continually evolve our teaching practice to include more of the cultures and history of our student body.
UD at Spitzer culminates in a semester-long capstone research project where students put to use the robust skillset developed over the previous year. With the direct guidance of award-winning faculty, students explore the elements, problems, and solutions of urbanity most salient to them as new practitioners.
Please click here to come visit us and learn more about the MUPUD program at Spitzer. Applications submitted in January will get priority for the Fall 2023 semester. Click here to learn how to apply.