Urban Design with Nature

Undergraduate / Graduate

This course will use the Chicago region as the setting to evaluate the social, environmental, and economic effects of alternative forms of human settlement. Students will examine the history, theory and practice of designing cities in sustainable ways - i.e., human settlements that are socially just, economically viable, and environmentally sound. Students will explore the literature on sustainable urban design from a variety of perspectives, and then focus on how sustainability theories play out in the Chicago region using a range of social science approaches and urban design tools. In Autumn 2026, the class will focus on how various tenets of sustainable urbanism-affordable housing, mobility justice, and equitable green space planning, amidst myriad pressures and risks associated with climate change. Students enrolled in Autumn 2026 must be willing to spend time outdoors, moving about campus and its surroundings, and on occasional field trips.