Urban Design

Urban design at the University of Melbourne teaches foundation knowledge for the design of interconnected buildings, infrastructure - our towns and cities. Our strong expertise in related disciplines (architecture, urban planning, landscape architecture) and research focus in sustainability, health and urban intensification make our urban design programs contemporary and intellectually vigorous.

Urban design is the art of making places, and is a collaborative process which shapes the physical setting for life in urban areas. Our curriculum develops professionals who can understand the city as a spatio-temporally complex system.

Our urban design researchers, teaching staff and students are actively engaged with some of the pressing issues of our time, including dealing with the impact of climate changes, sustainable resourcing challenges, and the pressures of increased urbanisation. Together they explore the design and planning of public and private spaces, focusing on the importance of design and planning within the social, environmental, aesthetic and economic contexts.

Our students become employment-ready through working in interdisciplinary teams, encouraging interaction and appreciation of multiple viewpoints and collegiate working environments.

Programs

Find out about the coursework and research programs in Urban Design:

Researchers

Professor Michele Acuto, Associate Dean (Research)
Leire Asensio-Villoria, Senior Lecturer in Architecture and Urban Design
Zahra Assarkhaniki, Research Fellow in Urban Innovation
Simona Castricum, Research Fellow
Professor Kim Dovey, Chair of Architecture and Urban Design
Professor Justyna Karakiewicz, Professor in Urban Design
Dr Nano Langenheim, Lecturer in Landscape Architecture and Urban Design
David Mah, Senior Lecturer in Architecture and Urban Design
A/Prof Cathy Oke, Melbourne Enterprise Principal Fellow in Informed Cities
Dr Elek Pafka, Senior Lecturer in Urban Planning and Urban Design
Dr Haifeng Zhao, Urban Data Science Research Fellow