PLANNING 2030
Global Cities - Global Understanding
Urban planning is about creating spaces where people can live, move, and connect. In PLAN 2030, you’ll explore how those spaces take shape around the world by engaging directly with students in other countries. Through conversations with peers, you’ll learn how different societies approach common challenges like housing, transportation, public spaces, and sustainability in their own ways.
Think of it as a chance to see city life through someone else’s eyes. You might compare commuting patterns, talk about how people access green space, or consider how design choices reflect culture and community priorities. Along the way, you’ll see how planning influences daily life and how cultural values shape environments.
By the end, you’ll not only understand how cities function differently across the globe but also how those global perspectives can inform your thinking about communities here at home. It’s a chance to connect the local and the global and to imagine how better planning can create more livable places for everyone.
Meet the Instructor
Angela Richter
“The most rewarding part of teaching Global Understanding is seeing students rethink what makes a place livable. Conversation with peers abroad, like learning that parks in France are typically within walking distance, helps them question assumptions and see urban planning as deeply shaped by culture and daily life.”