David Vega-Barachowitz, Associate at the WXY architecture + urban design firm based in New York, gave a lecture on “The Sixth Migration - Mobility-Oriented Development & Performance-based Codes for the City of Tomorrow". He introduced the “3 Big Ideas for the City of Tomorrow” which became the basis of an interesting lecture. The three ideas he proposed was The National Plan, Mobility-oriented Development (MoD), and Performance Zoning. As he presented on each topic more in depth, the more structured and pressing the point became. On the National Plan, he introduced the idea of the four migrations, and acknowledged the creation of financial centers and that of what fueled the technological revolution. As he progressed, his take on the Mobility-oriented Development (MoD) concept explained this idea which leverages emerging technology and Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) to increase accessibility. Lastly, he touched upon Performance Zoning and that of the Performance-based Points Systems and explored ways to meet the thresholds of accessibility and environmental protection. Overall, Barachowitz’ presentation drew from the design, planning, and overall humanistic approach to planning that left the audience intrigued.

Reflection written by Elaine Hsieh (M.S. UP'21)

Students from the Advanced Urban Planning and Historic Preservation Studio: Heritage and Sustainable Urbanization traveled to Freetown, Sierra Leone to better understand the current and potential uses of heritage in the social and physical fabric of the city, and to inform these dual policy efforts. In collaboration with students and faculty from Fourah Bay College, as well as a host of other institutions, students were better informed about the history of the city and its people to understand its evolution over time, planning and heritage policies in the country, and select heritage resources and areas in Freetown to understand the social and spatial relationships that characterize their context, how they are used and valued by the community, and their potential role in broader planning efforts. In the field, students conducted architectural and user surveys, conducted interviews with a wide range of stakeholders, and engaged in comparative photography.

The joint studio was led by Professors Erica Avrami and William Raynolds.

As a part of the joint Urban Design and Urban Planning Resilient Planning Practicum: A Green New Deal for Appalachia course, led by Kate Orff and Thaddeus Pawlowski, students visited Johnstown Pennsylvania to meet “with its residents and leaders, tour historic and modern sites, and study the natural and manmade landscape, all with the goal of gaining a better understanding of the region’s infrastructure and priorities.”

Students visited the Center for Metal Arts (that’s the photos with the guy with the beard), Greater Johnstown Water Authority, Gallery on Gazebo, JWF Industries, Dornick Point Sewage Treatment Plant, CPV Fairview Energy Center, Johnstown Flood Museum, AMD&ART Park, Inclined Plane, Cambria City, Kernville and downtown.

Program Council hosted a Fall Picnic on Saturday, October 26 as a mid-semester social event for students to relax and enjoy some homemade food prepared by Program Council members.

Upcoming Events:

The next BREAKS event will take place on November 13 at 1pm in Fayerweather 204. This will be a joint event with the new student organization, Data Society. Please join for good conversations and complimentary food.

Also, Program Council is working on finalizing details for the annual Thanksgiving Potluck, so please stay tuned for updates.

Finally, Program Council is looking for feedback on improvements for career services and LiPS speakers. Please submit your feedback via this form

The 2019 Dean’s Lecture Series will feature a lecture by Richard Sennett on November 6 entitled: Climate Change in Cities: A Problem in Urban Ethics. Please join us in Wood Auditorium at 6:30pm for the talk.

Reception on Avery 4th Floor to follow.

UP alumni, Anna Kathleen Stokes (M.S. UP ‘19) was featured for the Planetizen guide to give prospective students a better idea of her experience at GSAPP. Please find her feature here.

Planetizen is an independent online news platform that creates, curates, and amplifies stories and resources to inform planning and people passionate about planning.

Where are you from?
Xi'an, China

Where did you study for your undergraduate degree? What was your major?
Construction Management

Do you have any professional experiences?
No

Why did you choose to study at Columbia University?
Location and industrial reputation

What is your interest within the urban planning field?
Housing and public finance

Been anywhere recently for the first time?
Sunnyside Yard

What is your dream job?
Investment analyst in real estate firms

If you could pick up a new skill in an instant what would it be?
GIS

Where are you from?
Born in Manhasset, NY; grew up in Santa Monica, CA

What and where did you study for your undergraduate?
UC Berkeley, Architecture

Why did you choose to study at Columbia University?
I wanted to pursue dual degrees in architecture and planning, and Columbia GSAPP provided the best of both worlds, all while being situated in the most exciting city in the country.

Why did you choose to pursue a dual degree?
I have professional experience in architecture, planning, and development. I believe every architect should be a planner, and every planner should understand design. The built environment is too complex and too important to be studied, designed, and planned by siloed institutions.

What has been your favorite urban planning class so far and why?
Digital Restructuring of Urban Space with Leah Meisterlin. This seminar was an excellent introduction to the complex ways digital technologies have reshaped and/or reinforced urban systems and infrastructures.

What is your interest within the urban planning field?
I am interested in the combination of traditional planning methods and emerging data-driven analytics to drive for equitable urban solutions. Together, these methods and practices can empower old and inform new strategies to improve the lives of people living in urban spaces around the world.

What is one advice that you have for the first-years?
Don’t stress, takes classes you find interesting, and spend as much time outside exploring the city as you can.

What is your dream career?
Owning a hybrid design, planning, and research firm where we work to engage planning and design strategies to produce positive change in the world.

If you don’t have to start working right away after graduation, what would you be doing?
I would spend a year or two finishing a memoir/biography about my mother’s family in New York.

“APA SRC Happy Hour,” Saturday, November 2, Haymaker Bar and Kitchen, 252 W 29th St.
The APA Student Representative Committee (SRC) is hosting a Fall Meet and Greet this Saturday, November 2nd from 4-6pm at Haymaker Bar and Kitchen (252 West 29th St). The social event is open to all NYC planning students and is a great way to meet other aspiring planners from NYU, Pratt, Rutgers, and Hunter. Please RSVP to here.

Anooradha Iyer Siddiqi, “Architecture of Migration,“ Tuesday, November 12, The Cooper Union
Anooradha Iyer Siddiqi delivers a free, public lecture as part of the Fall 2019 Intra-Disciplinary Seminar series. Iyer Siddiqi is an assistant professor at Barnard College, Columbia University, and specializes in histories of architecture, modernity, and migration in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Her work examines histories of architecture, craft, settlement, and land, experiences of migration and territorial partition, and constructions of the past through architectural practice, pedagogy, and discourse. She has written widely, including in The Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians, The Journal of Architecture, Perspecta, e-flux Architecture, and The Funambulist. More info

"Second Annual Urban Transformation Forum: Mayors Changing Cities,” Wednesday, November 13, The Puck Building - 295 Lafayette Street,
In the face of uncertain and vacillating support from the federal government, local governments are uniquely positioned to find innovative solutions to today’s toughest problems. A growing number of mayors are stepping up and driving creative and dynamic, urban transformation across the United States. Join NYU Wagner, the United States Conference of Mayors, and the David Bohnett Foundation for a lively and timely discussion with a panel of leading mayors. They will discuss how they’re changing their respective cities to meet today’s challenges—bringing forth big, bold, and inventive ideas. The moderated discussion will be followed by a Q&A session with the audience. More info