Institute for Urban Design
Encyclopedia
The Institute for Urban Design (IfUD) is a not-for-profit organization based in New York that promotes productive dialogue between architects, planners, policy-makers, developers, and academics within the city and around the world. Through a series of lectures, symposia, and publications, the Institute provides a forum for debate over critical issues in contemporary urban planning, development, and design.
In July 1979, the Institute for Urban Design conducted its first Study Tour. Working in cooperation with academics and professionals in France, members of the Institute traveled to Paris to participate in design seminars and workshops.
The Second International Conference on Urban Design coincided with the Great Cities of the World Conference as part of Boston's 350th Jubilee, and was held in Cambridge Massachusetts, September 24–27.
In May 1980, the Institute conducted its second Study Tour, this time traveling to Helsinki, Finland.
The Third International Conference on Urban Design was held October 28–31 in Galveston, Texas and focused on developing an urban design solution for the development of the island city.
In June 1981, members of the Institute traveled to Berlin, Germany for the third Study Tour. Participants were hosted by the International Bauausstellung Berlin (IBA), a German agency responsible for organizing an international building exhibition in the capital scheduled for 1984.
By the beginning of 1982, there were nearly 1400 members of the Institute.
The Fourth International Conference on Urban Design was held October 13–16, 1982 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
A fourth Study Tour took place in August 1982. Institute members traveled to Jerusalem to visit the Harvard Graduate School of Design's Jerusalem Studio under the leadership of Moshe Safdie
.
Publication of the "Urban Design International" continued until 1984, at which point it was replaced by the members-only newsletter "Institute Update."
In more recent years, the Institute has begun to develop more public programming. In September 2011, the organization staged the first Urban Design Week festival in New York City. In October of that same year, the United States Department of State
announced that the Institute had been selected to organize US participation in the 13th Venice Biennale of Architecture
, which will take place in late 2012.
, Denise Scott Brown
, Jane Jacobs
, Simon Schama
, Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan
, Richard Sennett
, Susannah Hagan
, Adolfo Carrión, and Moshe Safdie
.
Fellows of the Institute for Urban Design are nominated by their peers.The Board of Directors is currently chaired by urban designer and theorist Michael Sorkin
, and includes Winka Dubbeldam, Toni Griffin, Tami Hausman, Craig Kaplan, Cathy Lang Ho, Thom Mayne
, Enrique Norten
, Saskia Sassen
, Byron Stigge, and Claire Weisz.
Anne Guiney serves as the IfUD’s Executive Director.
, The Van Alen Institute, The Municipal Art Society
, Project for Public Spaces
, and The Center for Urban Pedagogy
, and Openhousenewyork
.
Early history
The nonprofit Institute for Urban Design was founded by Ann Ferebee in 1979, shortly before the convening of the first International Conference on Urban Design in Philadelphia, held October 17–20. At the conference, the Institute distributed the inaugural issue of its bi-monthly journal "Urban Design International."In July 1979, the Institute for Urban Design conducted its first Study Tour. Working in cooperation with academics and professionals in France, members of the Institute traveled to Paris to participate in design seminars and workshops.
The Second International Conference on Urban Design coincided with the Great Cities of the World Conference as part of Boston's 350th Jubilee, and was held in Cambridge Massachusetts, September 24–27.
In May 1980, the Institute conducted its second Study Tour, this time traveling to Helsinki, Finland.
The Third International Conference on Urban Design was held October 28–31 in Galveston, Texas and focused on developing an urban design solution for the development of the island city.
In June 1981, members of the Institute traveled to Berlin, Germany for the third Study Tour. Participants were hosted by the International Bauausstellung Berlin (IBA), a German agency responsible for organizing an international building exhibition in the capital scheduled for 1984.
By the beginning of 1982, there were nearly 1400 members of the Institute.
The Fourth International Conference on Urban Design was held October 13–16, 1982 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
A fourth Study Tour took place in August 1982. Institute members traveled to Jerusalem to visit the Harvard Graduate School of Design's Jerusalem Studio under the leadership of Moshe Safdie
Moshe Safdie
Moshe Safdie, CC, FAIA is an architect, urban designer, educator, theorist, and author. Born in the city of Haifa, then Palestine and now Israel, he moved with his family to Montreal, Canada, when he was 15 years old.-Career:...
.
Publication of the "Urban Design International" continued until 1984, at which point it was replaced by the members-only newsletter "Institute Update."
In more recent years, the Institute has begun to develop more public programming. In September 2011, the organization staged the first Urban Design Week festival in New York City. In October of that same year, the United States Department of State
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
announced that the Institute had been selected to organize US participation in the 13th Venice Biennale of Architecture
Venice Biennale of architecture
Mostra di Architettura di Venezia, the Architecture section of the Venice Biennale, was established in 1980, although architecture had been a part of the art biennale since 1968....
, which will take place in late 2012.
Membership
Over the course course of its three decades, members and contributors to the institute have included Robert VenturiRobert Venturi
Robert Charles Venturi, Jr. is an American architect, founding principal of the firm Venturi, Scott Brown and Associates, and one of the major figures in the architecture of the twentieth century...
, Denise Scott Brown
Denise Scott Brown
Denise Scott Brown, is an architect, planner, writer, educator, and principal of the firm Venturi, Scott Brown and Associates in Philadelphia...
, Jane Jacobs
Jane Jacobs
Jane Jacobs, was an American-Canadian writer and activist with primary interest in communities and urban planning and decay. She is best known for The Death and Life of Great American Cities , a powerful critique of the urban renewal policies of the 1950s in the United States...
, Simon Schama
Simon Schama
Simon Michael Schama, CBE is a British historian and art historian. He is a University Professor of History and Art History at Columbia University. He is best known for writing and hosting the 15-part BBC documentary series A History of Britain...
, Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan
Daniel Patrick Moynihan
Daniel Patrick "Pat" Moynihan was an American politician and sociologist. A member of the Democratic Party, he was first elected to the United States Senate for New York in 1976, and was re-elected three times . He declined to run for re-election in 2000...
, Richard Sennett
Richard Sennett
Richard Sennett is the Centennial Professor of Sociology at the London School of Economics and University Professor of the Humanities at New York University...
, Susannah Hagan
Susannah Hagan
Susannah Hagan is the founding Director of R_E_D , Professor of Urban Studies, and Director of the Office of Spatial Research at the University of Brighton. She has written and lectured extensively on the theory and practice of environmental design, in particular, environmentally led urban design...
, Adolfo Carrión, and Moshe Safdie
Moshe Safdie
Moshe Safdie, CC, FAIA is an architect, urban designer, educator, theorist, and author. Born in the city of Haifa, then Palestine and now Israel, he moved with his family to Montreal, Canada, when he was 15 years old.-Career:...
.
Fellows of the Institute for Urban Design are nominated by their peers.The Board of Directors is currently chaired by urban designer and theorist Michael Sorkin
Michael Sorkin
Michael Sorkin is an American architecture critic. He is a Distinguished Professor of Architecture and Director of the Graduate Program in Urban Design at the Bernard and Anne Spitzer School of Architecture, City College of New York, part of the City University of New York , and the founder of...
, and includes Winka Dubbeldam, Toni Griffin, Tami Hausman, Craig Kaplan, Cathy Lang Ho, Thom Mayne
Thom Mayne
Thom Mayne is a Los Angeles-based architect. Educated at University of Southern California and the Harvard University Graduate School of Design in 1978, Mayne helped found the Southern California Institute of Architecture in 1972, where he is a trustee...
, Enrique Norten
Enrique Norten
Enrique Norten, Hon. FAIA, is a Mexican architect and principal of the design firm TEN Arquitectos . Norten was born in Mexico City in 1954 where he graduated from the Universidad Iberoamericana with a degree in architecture in 1978. He obtained a Master of Architecture from Cornell University in...
, Saskia Sassen
Saskia Sassen
Saskia Sassen is a Dutch sociologist noted for her analyses of globalization and international human migration. She is currently Robert S. Lynd Professor of Sociology at Columbia University and Centennial visiting Professor at the London School of Economics. Sassen coined the term global city...
, Byron Stigge, and Claire Weisz.
Anne Guiney serves as the IfUD’s Executive Director.
External links
Similar Organizations
Similar organizations include The Architectural League of New YorkArchitectural League of New York
The Architectural League of New York is a non-profit organization "for creative and intellectual work in architecture, urbanism, and related disciplines"....
, The Van Alen Institute, The Municipal Art Society
Municipal Art Society
The Municipal Art Society of New York, founded in 1893, is a non-profit membership organization that fights for intelligent urban planning, design and preservation through education, dialogue and advocacy in New York City....
, Project for Public Spaces
Project for Public Spaces
Project for Public Spaces is a nonprofit organization based in New York dedicated to creating and sustaining public places that build communities. Planning and design rooted in the community form the cornerstone of PPS’s work. Building on the techniques of William H...
, and The Center for Urban Pedagogy
Center for Urban Pedagogy
The Center for Urban Pedagogy is a nonprofit organization that uses the power of design and art to improve the quality of public participation in urban planning and community design...
, and Openhousenewyork
Openhousenewyork
openhousenewyork is a non-profit cultural organization founded in 2001 in New York City, to promote awareness and appreciation of New York's architecture, design and cultural heritage through year-round, educational programs...
.