As our urban areas grow, their design and functionalities are increasingly important.
Urban Design allows built environment professionals the opportunity to identify and respond to challenges in the existing and proposed urban environment and to improve them through the design of interventions and enhancements. Through studio-based projects, you will analyse the built, ecological, social, cultural and economic facets of cities, and propose design outcomes that best address the specific needs of the area.
Urban Design is housed in the School of Architecture and Planning, which is New Zealand’s leading tertiary educator in the architecture/built environment field*. Your research will be supported by staff with significant experience in urban design research and practice.

We offer advanced research qualifications in architecture, planning and urban design, with particular strengths in the following areas:
- Design and fabrication
- Pedagogy
- Urban design, spatial planning and place making
- Māori and Pacific research
- Theory and history
- Resilience and sustainability