Welcome to the online hub for urban graduate programs at Parsons School of Design—Design and Urban Ecologies and Theories of Urban Practice.
At Urban@Parsons, we reframe the study of urbanism, design, urban policy and social justice, and configure critical courses of action and research which attempt to redefine cities and urbanization in fundamental ways.
We believe this is a critical moment to examine the global situation which is affecting every aspect of urban life from food, education, and housing, to jobs, mobility, and urban infrastructure. There is an unprecedented urgency to engage, through design and research, in the conceptualization and implementation of radically new approaches that can transform the socially, economically and environmentally unsustainable forms of urbanization that have dominated policy and politics for decades.
Urban@Parsons is a very unique design-based graduate learning environment with a committed engagement with the city, which places questions of social, spatial, and environmental justice at its forefront. Therefore, we believe we are in the best position to tackle the ongoing and ever-changing challenges of cities and, most importantly, the role that citizens and residents play in making cities more resilient and sustainable through collective action.
Our students, faculty, and researchers work across New York City with local grassroots initiatives, community-based groups, not-for-profit organizations and city agencies, in areas facing rapid changes and therefore challenges: waterfront development, gentrification and displacement, migration and resettlement, food justice, housing and school overcrowding, new transit-oriented development, just to mention a few. In addition, students have opportunities to be involved in a range of projects, nationally and internationally. Through our Global Intensive Studio, students and faculty have traveled and engaged in projects with universities, civil society partners, and community organizations across the world: Hong Kong, Macau, Shenzhen, New Delhi, Rio de Janeiro, Venice, as well as in Medellin.
Leah Goodridge was appointed to the New York City Planning Commission in 2021 by Public Advocate Jumaane Williams. Leah is the Managing Attorney for Housing Policy at Mobilization for Justice, where she oversees a team which provides legal representation to tenants in eviction proceedings. Leah also served on the New York City Rent Guidelines Board…
Chase Louden (DUE ’23) has been selected a 2022-23 Fellow of the Robert L. Heilbroner Center for Capitalism Studies at The New School for Social Research. Chandler Louden earned a BA degree in Anthropology at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. Chandler has developed an interest in community planning with a focus on assisting in the…
Public Space Lab, guest talk: Ana Traverso-Krejcarek October 25 @ 7PM Location: L1108, Parsons the New SchoolZoom: https://NewSchool.zoom.us/j/91965245814 Ana Krejcarek is the Senior Manager at The Highline Network, a consortium working to transform underutilized infrastructure into new urban landscapes. Krejcarek is a strong advocate for community development and public spaces, and designs citizen-driven initiatives in…
Public Space Lab, guest talk: Urban Machines: Public Space in a Digital Culture October 11 @ 7PM Marcella Del Signore is an architect, urbanist, educator, scholar, and the principal of X-Topia, a design-research practice that explores the intersection of architecture and urbanism with technology and the public, social and cultural realm. She is an Associate…
Martha Kenton serves as the Executive Director of Federal Homeless Policy at the NYC Department of Social Services. She began her career working in child welfare in Chicago before moving to New York City for graduate school in 2001. After completing her Masters, she joined the NYC Department of Homeless Services focusing on long staying…
M. E. O’Brien writes on gender freedom and communist theory. She co-edits two magazines: Pinko, on gay communism, and Parapraxis, on psychoanalytic theory and politics. Her work on family abolition has been translated into Chinese, German, Greek, French, Spanish, and Turkish. Previously, she coordinated the New York City Trans Oral History Project, and worked in HIV and AIDS activism…
Quilian Riano (pronounced: Killian) is an architectural and urban designer, researcher, writer, and educator. He is the Interim Dean of Pratt Institute’s School of Architecture, working across the school’s architecture, landscape, urban design, planning, and management programs. Quilian founded and leads [DSGN AGNC](http://dsgnagnc.com/), a design studio exploring new forms of political design, engagement processes, urbanism,…
Public Space Lab, guest talk: Vikas Mehta December 1 @ 7PM Zoom: https://NewSchool.zoom.us/j/96929689560 Vikas Mehta is Professor of Urbanism and the Fruth/Gemini Chair, Ohio Eminent Scholar of Urban/Environmental Design and Coordinator for the Urban Design Certificate. Dr. Mehta’s work focuses on the role of design and planning in creating a more responsive, equitable, stimulating and…
Lynn Lewis works at the intersection of community organizing, oral history and popular education, focusing on documenting grassroots leadership in social justice movements. Currently, she teaches the Advanced Seminar in Urban and Public Policy and Homelessness and Public Policy course in the Milano School. She received her MA in Oral History from Columbia, after working…
Jackson (He/Him/His) joined Open Plans in June of 2020 and now serves as the Director of Advocacy and Organizing. Jackson has led the advocacy efforts for Open Plan’s proposal to create an Office of Public Space Management (OPSM) that would coordinate efforts across agencies to simplify permitting processes for open streets and other public initiatives.…
Join the final presentations of Class 2022 of the MS Design and Urban Ecologies on Tuesday, May 3rd, from 12:00 to 5:30pm in Room 404, 66 W 12th Street, New York, NY. For more information, please take a look to the agenda below. If you can’t make it in person, join us via zoom: Join…
As part of the Urban Colloquium 2 guest talks, we are hosting the alumni panel and discussion on Critical Urban Praxis, on April 27 at 4pm. This event will take place on campus and also online. Room TBA. Zoom link: https://NewSchool.zoom.us/j/97922827400 Guest panelists: Sabrina Dorsainvil, Director of Civic Design, Mayor’s Office of New Urban…
