This seminar course, open to students in the School of Architecture and the School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, investigates the ecological, social, and cultural factors that inform urban design. Teams, comprised of students from both schools, explore these factors through lectures, workshops, and field trips. Students measure, record, and map out biological processes to see how these factors inform the built environment. By exploring ecological and social drivers that impact hydrology, microclimates, corridors, connectivity, and biodiversity, students discover how these drivers interface with urbanized areas including public spaces, neighborhoods, and green infrastructure strategies. Using the model of designed experiments, teams craft effective and adaptable experiments to test, monitor, and adapt urban design approaches for people and cities. Using current land-planning projects to connect with stakeholders and establish real-world strategies, students learn how to connect ecological science with site analysis and land use planning and propose innovative strategies—from landscape architecture and urban ecology—for shaping and managing urban ecosystems. Limited enrollment.
