MUD Seminar: The Practice of Urban Design

This course introduces students to the practice of urban design. The course includes lectures by the instructor that present key issues addressed by urban designers using completed projects, presentations by guest speakers on specialized topics, and a visit to an urban design practice. Students are given weekly reading assignments and must select a book on urban design for review. They are required to prepare two papers and a digital presentation during the semester. Attendance is mandatory and students are encouraged to engage in discussions about the topics during class.

The course explores the roles urban designers play in the design of cities and their leadership responsibilities. The course reviews the nature of urban design as a profession, urban structure, designing the urban design process, public engagement, the three phases of urban design, master plans, design guidelines, pattern books, form-based zoning, visualization of urbanism, and building typologies.