Design

A black and white image of high-rise buildings collapsing in a cloud of dust

Urban planning and politics in Atlanta

Akira Rodríguez’s new book, “Diverging Space for Deviants: The Politics of Atlanta’s Public Housing” explores how the intersection of race and public housing development planning in Atlanta created a politics of resistance.

Kristina García ・

Philly cityscape at night.

Reviving Philadelphia’s nighttime economy

Even before COVID-19 curtailed public nightlife in Philadelphia, members of the Weitzman School’s PennPraxis have been working on a civic engagement project to articulate a better, more progressive Philly nightlife.

From the Weitzman School of Design ・

Colorful design structure made of wood and colored glass panels in the middle of Özgürlük Park in Istanbul..

Orkan Telhan’s ‘Microbial Fruits of Istanbul’

“Microbial Fruits of Istanbul” is a collaboration between Orkan Telhan, associate professor of fine arts, and the architecture firm elii which explores the complex histories of Istanbul community gardens from the perspective of microorganisms.

From the Weitzman School of Design ・

Screen shot of Yuri Stone overlayed over several screens of visual artwork behind the first.

Yuri Stone on curating the MFA thesis exhibitions

While the Weitzman School’s thesis exhibitions for the Classes of 2020 and 2021 will be on view in person, curating the two projects happened entirely online.

From the Weitzman School of Design ・

Main lobby inside Moynihan Train Hall

Marilyn Jordan Taylor on Moynihan Train Hall

The Weitzman Schools former dean and professor of architecture and urban design talks about her experience with the multidecade Train Hall project, working with Weitzman students on subway, rail and airport projects, and the prospects for more infrastructure investment in the U.S. 

From the Weitzman School of Design ・

A digital image of Ursula Rucker standing at the base of the Philadelphia Art Museum steps with three people walking behind her.

Monument Lab app expands space and time at Art Museum steps

OverTime, a new augmented reality app that weds public art and history in a personal visual format gives users access to interactive, self-guided tours of public spaces, and invites users to add stories of their own.

From the Weitzman School of Design ・



Media Contact


Louisa Shepard

Louisa Shepard News Officer
lshepard@upenn.edu

In the News


The Washington Post

The new American status symbol: A backyard that’s basically a fancy living room

Witold Rybczynski of the Stuart Weitzman School of Design commented on the popularity of exterior decorating in U.S. households. “All these alternative spaces, the sunroom, the parlor, create variety,” he said. “There are wonderful pleasures in being able to eat in different places. It brings a richness into your life.”

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The New York Times

They are their own monuments

Paul Farber of the Stuart Weitzman School of Design spoke about Monument Lab’s collaboration with the Village of Arts and Humanities. The organizations developed and installed art exhibitions celebrating influential community members in Philadelphia public parks.

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The New York Times

As buildings’ life spans shrink, developers try to adjust

Gilles Duranton of the Wharton School said the commercial construction industry can best adapt to a changing world by creating buildings with modular elements that can be easily disassembled or demolished. “Sometimes the right thing will involve tearing things down and rebuilding from scratch,” he said.

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Philadelphia Inquirer

Universities are schooling future architects to consider community and history as they design

The Stuart Weitzman School of Design was mentioned for its historically grounded, intersectional, and interdisciplinary approach to teaching design and architecture. “You need to know history to be avant-garde,” said Winka Dubbeldam.

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The Washington Post

Latest rail plan would put tunnel under Long Island Sound

Planning studios within the Stuart Weitzman School of Design developed a plan for a new North Atlantic Rail, a high-speed speed train connecting New York and Boston. “There are 36 tunnels of this length or longer that have been built or are under construction around the world in the last 10 years alone—over 100 in the last 20 years,” said planner and Professor Emeritus Robert Yaro. “This is what the world is doing.”

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Philadelphia Inquirer

Philly transportation needs a universal way to measure racial equity

Stuart Weitzman School of Design grad students Seunglee David Park and Emily Kennedy wrote an op-ed about how Philadelphia can implement a universal transportation equity measure to identify vulnerable communities and establish a coordinated citywide process for factoring equity into city transit projects.

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