4/22
Urban Planning
Penn students present work to help rebuild Ukrainian city
With the two-year anniversary of the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine looming, city planners begin to strategize solutions to rebuild, sustainably.
Weitzman’s Sarah Lopez on migration, architectural history, ethnography, and urban and spatial justice
The architectural historian and migration scholar is part of the Department of Historic Preservation as well as the Department of City & Regional Planning, focusing on both the material and social connections of labor between Mexico and the U.S.
Who, What, Why: Lifelong learner Bernadette Butler
Bernadette Butler, a student in the School of Arts & Sciences, leapt into her studies later than most, but with just as much eagerness to learn.
Following I-95 collapse, attention turns to public transit alternatives
In a Q&A, Jay Arzu, a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of City & Regional Planning, discusses how investment in public transit would alleviate travel stress caused by incidents like the I-95 bridge collapse.
Design and build, but first, collaborate
The Weitzman School’s spring design-build studio was a collaboration between students, community leaders, and residents to develop a key site as a visible distillation of the New Freedom District in West Philadelphia.
In a warming world, chief heat officers help adapt, prepare, and protect
In advance of Perry World House’s Global Shifts Colloquium on extreme heat in urban areas, Penn Today spoke with chief heat officers about their role in influencing public awareness, preparedness, and policy.
Weitzman’s celebration of visionary architecture and planning returns to New York
Held at The Shed in New York City, and hosted by Weitzman Dean Fritz Steiner, Penn President Liz Magill joined the celebration with awards and prizes for innovative architecture and planning.
Understanding India’s urban future
A two-year project supported by Penn Global and the Center for the Advanced Study of India takes a deep dive into the political workings of India’s rapidly urbanizing landscape.
Using urban spatial analytics to solve city planning conundrums
The Weitzman School’s Elizabeth Delmelle, director of the Master of Urban Spatial Analytics program, discusses neighborhood change, urban inequality, and urban transportation.
At Engaging Minds, three Penn Integrates Knowledge Professors take the stage
Alumni heard Lance Freeman examine racial equity in city planning, Dolores Albarracín talk about how conspiracy theories take hold, and Kevin Johnson discuss the importance of clear science communication.
In the News
Comcast’s Sports Complex plan for South Philly would make our city less livable
In an Op-Ed, Vukan R. Vuchic of the School of Engineering and Applied Science says that Philadelphia should make transit more accessible rather than striving to accommodate more cars.
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Philadelphia’s Market Street East searches for growth and renewal — with or without a new Sixers arena
Akira Drake Rodriguez, Rashida Ng, and Dominic Vitiello of the Weitzman School of Design say there should be a more robust and inclusive conversation about the future of Philadelphia’s Market Street East.
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Bus Revolution would bring frequent bus service to 1 million SEPTA riders
In an Op-Ed, graduate student Jonathan Zisk of the Weitzman School of Design says that SEPTA should green-light the Bus Revolution project and allow the rollout of transformative bus service across the Philadelphia region.
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In a city defined by history, Chinatown’s champions fear new arena for 76ers
Domenic Vitiello of the Stuart Weitzman School of Design comments on sports projects that have not revitalized downtowns or added substantially to cities’ tax bases.
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How will Philadelphia finance climate change?
In an Op-Ed, Eugenie Birch of the Weitzman School of Design, William Burke-White of Penn Carey Law, and Mauricio Rodas of the Penn Institute for Urban Research write that Philadelphia will need to blend public and private climate financing to adapt to ever-growing climate risks.
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The Biden administration is trying to make it easier to convert offices to apartments post-pandemic
In a Q&A, Vincent Reina of the Weitzman School of Design discusses a new White House initiative to incentivize commercial-to-residential conversion projects, especially as the office market continues to struggle.
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