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Urban Planning

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Changing neighborhoods, changing times
Lance Freeman stands with hands in pockets outside of a building.

Penn Integrates Knowledge Professor Lance Freeman, of the Weitzman School of Design and the School of Arts & Sciences, studies how people interact with the built environment. 

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Changing neighborhoods, changing times

Penn Integrates Knowledge University Professor Lance Freeman of the Weitzman School of Design and School of Arts & Sciences studies how people interact with the built environment.

Kristina García

Expert Voices 2025: Access to sustainable and affordable housing
Tiny homes under construction in Baltimore.

New development of affordable tiny houses in East Baltimore.

(Image: iStock/Robbie Becklund)

Expert Voices 2025: Access to sustainable and affordable housing

Twelve leading voices in housing policy, urban planning, and finance were asked to share their perspectives on the challenge of affordable housing in the country.

From Penn IUR

Turning the desert into an oasis
People gather around a large map placed on the floor.

In Senegal, the ambitious Dakar Greenbelt project seeks to create an extensive network of ecological infrastructure in and around the city to sustainably address environmental concerns and enhance urban life. With support from David Gouverneur and Ellen Neises, Ph.D. candidate Rob Levinthal in the Weitzman School of Design led two courses that included a field trip to Dakar, that culminated in students presenting their visions for parts of the Greenbelt.

(Image: Courtesy of Chaowu Li)

Turning the desert into an oasis

Students from the Weitzman School of Design journeyed to Senegal to help with a massive ecological and infrastructural greening effort as part of their coursework. The Dakar Greenbelt aims to combat desertification and promote sustainable urban growth.
Lisa Servon wins award for community partnership
Lisa Servon talks with students in her practicum course.

Lisa Servon talks with students in her practicum course. 

(Image: Weitzman School of Design)

Lisa Servon wins award for community partnership

A professor in the Stuart Weitzman School of Design, Lisa Servon was recognized for her work with the Kensington Corridor Trust. The honor was presented by Provost John L. Jackson Jr. and Netter Center director Ira Harkavy on Dec. 16.

Kristina García

Using data to make city planning more safe and accessible
Xiaoxia Dong.

Xiaoxia “Summer” Dong is an assistant professor of city and regional planning in the Weitzman School.

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Using data to make city planning more safe and accessible

Assistant professor of city & regional planning Xiaoxia “Summer” Dong is a former transportation planner who uses data to make sound transit plans based on people’s actual need.

From the Weitzman School of Design

Decoding Trump’s climate priorities—or lack thereof
Philadelphia Inquirer

Decoding Trump’s climate priorities—or lack thereof

In an opinion essay, Sanya Carley of the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the Weitzman School of Design examines the implications and possibilities of Donald Trump’s energy and climate agenda.

Why do we keep developing in climate disaster zones?
Dwell

Why do we keep developing in climate disaster zones?

Jessica Varner of the Weitzman School of Design says that the federal buyout timeline for homes destroyed by natural disasters opens the door to predatory buyers. William “Billy” Fleming of Weitzman says that adaptation requires various types of interventions that deal with the urgent effects of climate change.

Penn IUR, the United Nations Environment Programme unveil new framework to address gap in urban nature finance
Farmers in rural Peru.

(Image: Courtesy of UN Environment Programme)

Penn IUR, the United Nations Environment Programme unveil new framework to address gap in urban nature finance

The Penn Institute for Urban Research has released a report for the United Nations Environment Programme Cities Unit’s State of Finance for Nature in Cities, From Grey to Green: Better data to finance nature in cities, during COP16 Colombia.

From Penn IUR

How food moves around cities
Penn students walking through Norris Square Neighborhood Project’s community garden.

(On homepage) Students walk through the Norris Square Neighborhood Project’s community garden.

(Image: Eric Sucar)

How food moves around cities

Domenic Vitiello, an urban and regional planning expert, teaches classes that invite students to locations in and around Philadelphia to better understand how its denizens dine.
What happened to crash rates when one state legalized speed cameras?
NextCity.org

What happened to crash rates when one state legalized speed cameras?

A study by Erick Guerra of the Weitzman School of Design and colleagues suggests that speed cameras lead to a substantial and statistically significant reduction in fatalities and crashes.