Submitted by WA ContentsGSAPP launches a new dual degree program in Urban Design and ClimateUnited States Architecture News - Nov 18, 2024 - 15:26 html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"A new dual degree program in Urban Design and Climate has been announced by the Climate School and the Columbia Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation (GSAPP).The Dual Degree in Urban Design and Climate is a new program that GSAPP, a school that promotes climate action through the built environment in its research, pedagogies, and publications, is thrilled to launch in collaboration with the Columbia Climate School.Students can combine three semesters at GSAPP with two semesters at the Climate School to earn the dual Master of Science in Architecture and Urban Design and Master of Science in Climate starting in the 20252026 academic year."No impact on climate can be made without mobilizing the built environment," said GSAPP Dean Andrs Jaque."This new dual program brings together GSAPPs leadership in the transformation of the built environment with Climate Schools pioneering climate and environmental sciences," Jaque added.The new dual degree with the Climate School offers students an unparalleled academic path to develop a powerful blend of critical, scientific, and design skills. It also broadens the opportunities for interdisciplinary studies both within GSAPP and with programs at other Columbia schools.Graduates with these skills are better equipped for an expanding array of professions focused on adaptation and mitigation of the global climate crisis, from policy to design.Led since 2015 by Professor Kate Orff, the MSAUD program and its faculty have a strong tradition of working with students and communities around the world to develop innovative urban design strategies that address urgent issues related to climate and ecological crisis. The design studios take a critical approach to comprehending the intersection of social, political, and ecological factors that call for new design solutions responsive to climate justice by being located in specific locations, which can range from the US to Colombia, the Caribbean, or India.Water urbanism and enhancing resilience in coastal communities are frequent studio topics. Professor Kate Orff specializes in these topics, and in 2018 GSAPP established the Center for Resilient Cities and Landscapes (CRCL) under her leadership. Through research, education, and design development, CRCL establishes global collaborations with governments and organizations to promote climate adaptation and resilience building.A transdisciplinary academic culture is embodied by GSAPP, where students apply their specialized fields of study to specific problems in real-world situations. In order to foster collaboration among students from the School's academic programs in Architecture, Urban Planning, Historic Preservation, and Real Estate Development, GSAPP introduced Studio Clinics in 2022 as a novel course format. In addition to six dual degree options with other institutions, GSAPP currently offers 11 dual degree options within its own programs.By combining three semesters at GSAPP (45 credits during the summer, fall, and spring) with two semesters at the Climate School (32 credits during the fall and spring), the dual MS in Architecture and Urban Design and MS in Climate degrees can be finished in two years, which is less time than when the degrees are pursued independently.More information with application requirements and deadlines can be found online on GSAPP MS in Architecture and Urban Design and Climate School MS in Climate, or by emailing [emailprotected].Top image in the article: GSAPP Urban Design students conducting field work in Madurai, India.> via Columbia GSAPP