Metropolitan Design Programs

To accomplish the wide-ranging mission of the Metropolitan Design Center, a variety of programs have been developed to accomplish the ever increasing requests for better and more sustainable urban design solutions from which to respond, assess, and resolve pressing questions confronting metropolitan regions in the twenty first century.  While it is true that during our last two decades the quality-of-life of American cities has improved considerably, we still fall short of restructuring our appetite for energy consumption, reducing our carbon footprint, providing better and more diverse sustainable residential design solutions in response to a wider demographic diversity, curbing our transportation policies to give way for a wiser integration of public transportation options with land use policies while designing the public space of the city - the human habitat - that offers the greatest levels of safety and comfort contributing to an even greater urban vitality and livability.  As such, the Metropolitan Design Center’s programs respond to the above needs by: providing a Metropolitan Design Certificate Program, and a Masters in Metropolitan Design; expanding the Center’s Direct Design Technical Assistance outreach program; supporting an Undergraduate Research Fellowship Summer Travel Program; engaging the College Faculty by providing fellowship opportunities to conduct research and publications; and investing in a Research Program that advances our understanding of sustainable cities.

For additional questions please contact:

Ignacio San Martin, Professor

Dayton Hudson Chair of Urban Design

Director, Metropolitan Design Center
612-625-9000
612-624-3509
smartin@umn.edu