Developing Cambridge Crest overlooking downtown Kansas City, and Reconnecting Freeway-divided Chicago neighborhoods 

The field study course is a 4-unit studio format class that combines design and planning with housing, retail, office, industrial, parks and civic development.  It provides students with an understanding of the dynamics and complexities of real-world development challenges that create contemporary urban physical environments. The course emphasizes the integration of design, financial, and political feasibility for development of urban spaces that respond to realistic market demand and environmental, and other regulatory constraints–how financial implications affect planning and design, and vice versa. The course is intended for architects, urban planners, real estate students, urban designers, and landscape architects to engage in the process of large-scale urban development, combining private sector real estate implementation within a public sector framework.  Students will broaden their understanding of urban development issues and public-private development implementation strategies, while refining their skills in master planning, urban and landscape design and financial analysis.  Students will select one of two field studies to work on throughout the semester: (1) Designing and implementing a freeway cap over the Eisenhower Freeway in Chicago knitting together the neighborhoods severed by the freeway through urban design and redevelopment strategies; or (2) Designing and creating implementation strategies for a 40 acre parcel of land near downtown Kansas City bounded by freeways and close to the river. Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG), affordable housing, and public-private development will be central themes of the class. 

Site visits to Chicago and Kansas City will take place from 10/6/25 – 10/10/25. 14 seats are included in the GSD Limited Enrollment Course Lottery – eight seats for Chicago and six seats for the Kansas City site. Students selected in the lottery will be prioritized for placement in the site visits to either Kansas City or Chicago. Professor Peiser will work with the class to assign sites and lists will be fully confirmed by the second week of classes. Cost to students who travel will be $200 (term-billed) plus meals and incidentals. The course is unlimited enrollment and open to students who do not wish to travel.. 
 

Note regarding the Fall 2025 GSD academic calendar: The first day of classes, Tuesday, September 2nd, is held as a MONDAY schedule at the GSD. This course will meet for the first time on Tuesday, September 2nd.