Pathways to a Successful Career in Urban Design for Urban Planners
Last night, September 1st, the APA NY Urban Design Committee hosted a panel of experienced group of professional urban designers and urban planners to discuss the various pathways to a career in urban design and keys to success with a focus on the urban design and physical planning practice in the Northeast, with an emphasis on the New York metro area. Tom Jost (Senior Urban Strategist at Parsons Brinckerhoff), Katie Theis (Lead Planner, Urban Designer at HNTB), Chris Riale (Senior Urban Designer at Parsons Brinckerhoff) and Jennifer Pehr (Associate Principal, Urban Planner at Kohn Pedersen Fox) discussed their own steps to establishing themselves in the urban design field, and how urban planners without an architecture degree can overcome common challenges in the industry.
The discussion was moderated by Max Sokol, APA NY Vice President of Committees. The event was well-attended by a diverse group of students, young and more experienced planning professionals. The panelists agreed that planning and design are two sides of a coin, the one cannot succeed without the other. They stressed the importance of the ability to collaborate and communicate with other disciplines such as engineers and architects, and to convey complex ideas to the public. In terms of career advancement, all agreed that building and maintaining a network is key. On that note, keep an eye out for the next APA NY event!
Voices of Urban Design is a discussion forum that is curated by the APA New York Metro Chapter’s Urban Design Committee. Posts are edited for clarity and length only; opinions and statements that appear in this blog are not endorsed by the American Planning Association nor its affiliates. We expect and encourage healthy debate!
