Urban Futures Symposium
May 1, 2025 through May 4, 2025
12:00 AM-12:00 AM
The Drexel Symposium on Urban Futures will engage participants in cross-disciplinary topics such as urban sustainability, community development, public policy, design equity and the impact of technology on urban spaces.
Through keynote speeches, panel discussions, workshops and networking opportunities, attendees will delve into how urbanism shapes our daily lives and explore the strategies necessary for building more resilient, sustainable and human-centered cities.
Please email us at alumni@drexel.edu with any questions or ideas you want to share.
The symposium is free, but registration is required for each event.
Schedule of Events
May 1 – ARFAA Lecture
We proudly welcome Vishaan Chakrabarti, FAIA, FRAIC, who will present "The Architecture of Urbanity: Designing for Nature, Culture, and Joy." Chakrabarti is founder and creative director of Practice for Architecture and Urbanism (PAU), a Manhattan-based architecture firm dedicated to building ecological, equitable and joyous communities.
May 2–4, Design Charrette
Building Neighborhoods:
Revisioning I-95 and the Delaware Waterfront
With the construction of the cap over Interstate 95 at Penn’s Landing, Philadelphia stands to gain a new neighborhood along the Delaware Waterfront. What will it look like? How will it connect to the city? Who will live there? Can we imagine a new neighborhood that is truly for all walks of life? We are partnering with Vishaan Chakrabarti - founder and creative director of Practice for Architecture and Urbanism (PAU) – to imagine the future of Philadelphia’s Delaware waterfront in this year’s Charrette.
May 3 – Keynote Speaker and Faculty Panel
Join Tracy Hadden Loh, PhD, and Drexel faculty for a keynote lecture and panel on urbanism. Hadden Loh is a Fellow with the Anne T. and Robert M. Bass Center for Transformative Placemaking at Brookings Metro, where she integrates her interests in commercial real estate, infrastructure, racial justice, and governance.
Drexel’s Symposium on Urban Futures is presented by Drexel University’s Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design, College of Arts and Sciences and the Dornsife School of Public Health in partnership with many of Philadelphia’s civic and community groups.
Contact Information
Drexel Alumni Relations
alumni@drexel.edu