YOU ARE THE FUTURE OF URBAN DESIGN

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1 YOU ARE THE FUTURE OF URBAN DESIGN MASTER OF URBAN DESIGN PROGRAM Photography: Greg Girard

2 Why Urban Design Matters Now More Than Ever Over half of the world s seven billion people now live in cities. By 2060, continued population growth and an unrelenting global migration from rural to urban areas will add an additional five billion people to the world s cities, bringing their share of global population to over 80 percent. Thus, in just five decades most of the world s cities will have doubled in size. And yet, given declining birthrates around the planet, at about this same time the world s population will stabilize and cities will stop growing, perhaps forever. We have just five decades to get cities right. Urban designers who practice during this exciting and crucial period will have a major impact on our cities, and on the people who inhabit them. Given this urgency, today s urban designer must synthesize knowledge and skills from a wide variety of disciplines including planning, architecture, landscape architecture, real estate economics and civil engineering and make that integration manifest in design proposals. The burgeoning demand for urban designers reflects the growing importance of cities to global sustainability, and the importance of synthetic design approaches to city development. Our mission is to supply students with the skills needed to have a positive impact on this important project. Photography: Greg Girard Density and environmental protection are not incompatible. If they are, we are in very deep trouble. Patrick Condon 2

3 Region District Block The University of British Columbia (UBC) has over five decades of experience shaping the urban environment through its acclaimed schools of architecture and landscape architecture. The Master of Urban Design (MUD) degree builds on that legacy with a post-professional program that equips future urban designers with the knowledge and skills needed to meet the challenges of urban growth. Students will learn how to enhance livability across a wide variety of urban contexts, from the autooriented suburbs of Atlanta to the high-rise districts of Vancouver to the informal favela settlements of Medellín. The MUD program is geared toward design, planning and development professionals who wish to enhance their understanding of, and credentials in, urban design. Our urban region has become worldrenowned for its urban design sensibilities and UBC, as the only program of its kind in Western Canada, capitalizes on that strength. Our Master of Urban Design program is delivered by some of the top minds in the field, including business consultants, city planners and leading academics important contributors to our region s urban design success. Urbanization has defused the population bomb. Stewart Brand 3

4 How MUD Works One of MUD s distinguishing features is its multifaceted instructional approach, addressing issues on the scale of the region, district, and urban block. Among the practical challenges that may be tackled by a MUD student: suburban retrofits in North America, informal community development in developing nations, and new, master-planned cities in rapidly growing parts of the world. MUD s intensive, 11-month degree program is organized around three sequential design studios. These studio courses are focused on regional, district and urban block design challenges, supported by three theoretical and practice-skills courses. In the final term, students complete an issue-based design project with both collaborative and independent components. Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody. Jane Jacobs, Each year the MUD program focuses on creating urban designs for specific sites, and organizes an international design forum to focus attention on theme relevant to these sites and sites around the globe. The forum brings together students, prominent thinkers and practitioners to discuss relevant urban design challenges and ultimately results in an annual publication. Urban Design students will participate in the forum and help produce the publication as part of their learning experience. These publications contribute significantly to the global dialogue on urban design and urban sustainability. All photography: UBC 4

5 All photography: UBC 5

6 How to Apply to MUD Application forms are available online at: Applications must include a completed application form, a statement of educational goals (and how MUD can help to meet those goals), letters of reference, and a portfolio. Portfolios should include up to five project examples that highlight the relationship between candidates previous experience and their urban design goals. Examples need not all be of a design nature, but they should engage issues of relevance to the design of cities. Masters Degree: 45 credits 27 credits studio-based instruction 9 credits supportive courses 9 credits electives MUD and the UBC Family The MUD program is housed within the UBC School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (SALA). With 300 students and 23 faculty, SALA offers the only professional architecture and landscape architecture programs in British Columbia. MUD joins the Master of Advanced Studies in Architecture and Master of Advanced Studies in Landscape Architecture as the third post-professional SALA program. MUD students have the opportunity to learn alongside students from many disciplines. On a broader scale, MUD students enjoy the benefit of being associated with one of Canada s premier research institutions and one of the world s most respected universities. With 300,000 alumni in 120 countries, UBC graduates find work in all corners of the globe. What s Next for a MUD Graduate? With Vancouver and British Columbia s global reputations for smart urban design, MUD graduates can expect to find work both near and far, in a variety of challenging professions. Some of these professional settings include: international architecture and engineering firms, local or international development firms, municipal planning and engineering departments, and architecture and landscape architecture firms that specialize in urban projects. Photography: UBC Vancouver killed the freeway because they didn t want the freeways to kill their neighborhoods. The city flourished because making it easier to drive does not reduce traffic; it increases it. That means if you don t waste billions of dollars building freeways, you actually end up with less traffic. Rick Cole 6

7 Other MUD Essentials Course of Study A master s degree in urban design is awarded upon the completion of 45 credits. The core curriculum includes 27 credits of studio-based instruction, 9 credits of supportive required courses (history and theory, real estate economics, development policy), and 9 credits of electives from relevant courses in the School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture and/or other UBC departments. Candidate Profile MUD s strongest applicants have a professionally accredited degree in planning, architecture or landscape architecture. In certain circumstances, strong credentials in other relevant professional fields (such as engineering and business administration) may qualify an individual for admission; such individuals are advised to contact a MUD program administrator prior to applying. Teaching Opportunities and Scholarships Students may apply for Teaching Assistant posts and direct scholarship aid. Funds have been set aside for MUD scholarships to attract top candidates, with the goal that no student is turned away due to financial need. Photography: Greg Girard 7

8 MASTER OF URBAN DESIGN PROGRAM Application forms are available on line at: Photography: Greg Girard 8