Architecture and planning schools are continually being challenged to
better prepare students for practice. At the same time, many are calling
for greater emphasis on social and environmental responsibility in students’
education. While such challenges create a strong impetus to address these
issues in the curriculum, they also require changes in pedagogy. The CityLab
studio, a joint planning and architecture course sponsored by the City
Design Center, gives planning and architecture students an opportunity
to learn about each others’ professions, and about balancing multiple
interests and viewpoints in the design and planning process, while working
on ‘real world’ design and planning projects in Chicago area
communities. “CityLab was one of the first projects of the City Design
Center,” notes George Hemmens, “and was designed to facilitate
the Center’s primary goals: to bring together the significant strengths
of the UIC Architecture and Urban Planning Programs; to bring this into
the community to provide useful service to Chicago; and to enhance the
educational experiences of our students.”
CityLab creates opportunities for faculty and students to participate
in active citizenship by promoting the role of architecture and planning
in support of the public interest. Students and faculty who benefit from
such experiences, in turn, bring back challenges to their institutions
about the means and ends of architectural and planning education and practice.
