Stuart Weitzman School of Design

Banff National Park, Alberta

‘Design with Nature,’ 50 years later

Beginning on the Summer Solstice, the Ian L. McHarg Center for Urbanism and Ecology at the Weitzman School is presenting Design With Nature Now, a multi-platform exploration of the legacy of visionary environmental planner and landscape architect Ian L. McHarg.

Penn Today Staff ・

Rachel Kyte stands at a podium speaking, the sign on the podium reads "Kleinman Center for Energy Policy."

A unique perspective on renewable energy

In a conversation with Rachel Kyte, the U.N. special representative and CEO of Sustainable Energy for All discusses how this energy sector has changed in the past decade and what happens when political will doesn’t match the science.

Michele W. Berger ・

George Nakashima’s Arts Building, the facade of the house with a portico and a small pond surrounded by stones.

Protecting historic places at various life stages

A new Master of Science in Design with a concentration in Historic Preservation degree program kicked off at the Weitzman School in the fall of 2018. Now, members of the inaugural class are working on a capstone project on the George Nakashima House.

Lauren Hertzler ・

Bike rider in the rain coming down a street with cars and trucks in the opposite lane

The beauty of the two-wheeled commute

On Bike to Work Day, Penn will fete two-wheeled commuters with snacks, showers, and swag. For many at the University, commuting by bike is a way of life. Five Penn staff and faculty share how they make it work and why they keep riding.

Katherine Unger Baillie ・



In the News


WHYY (Philadelphia)

Not over the hill: ‘Design With Nature,’ Ian McHarg’s landmark book of ecological design turns 50

Bill Whitaker of the Stuart Weitzman School of Design spoke about Penn landscape architect Ian McHarg’s influence on ecological design and city planning. “He realized that people paid attention when you had scientific information and you had hard facts,” said Whitaker.

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Philadelphia Inquirer

E-scooters may be rolling into Pa., but are Philly streets prepared? Pro/Con

Megan Ryerson and Carrie Sauer of the Stuart Weitzman School of Design co-authored the pro-side of a debate over e-scooters in Philadelphia. They argued that concerns over scooter safety reveal a double-standard in the way car traffic is regulated.

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Fast Company

The Green New Deal could change the way America builds—here’s how

Billy Fleming of the Stuart Weitzman School of Design discussed some possible outcomes of the Green New Deal. In addition to its ecological effects, Fleming anticipates accompanying structural changes. “We’re going to need to do many different things in terms of injecting design expertise into the federal bureaucracy,” he said. “Some of that will involve simply just creating more pathways for designers coming out of graduate school to take jobs in the federal government that are already there.”

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The Washington Post

To reform the credit card industry, start with credit scores

Lisa Servon of the Stuart Weitzman School of Design co-authored an opinion piece about the U.S. credit system. “To make affordable credit accessible to a broader group, let’s fix the flawed scoring system that allocates credit,” the authors wrote.

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Philadelphia Inquirer

Radicalizing the vote: 10 ideas that just might save democracy

The Stuart Weitzman School of Design’s Mark Alan Hughes proposed weighting each vote based on the voter’s age, making a person’s first vote their most significant one. The diminishing impact of a person’s vote over time would boost participation and empower those most affected by the long-term consequences of election outcomes, he said.

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