Our holistic take on cities supports SDGs throught three approaches

Biodiversity

The lack of knowledge over biodiversity in cities contributes to the collapse of Life of Earth. Although urban environments are often seen as a threat to nature, they should also help save it. We believe compact cities reduce the need to suburbanize land, while smart design can generate rich ecosystems for flora and fauna.

Social Inclusion

Despite their great social diversity, cities still struggle to answer citizens' aspirations equally. Injustice remains embedded in public spaces and services, to the disadvantage of marginalised and dominated groups. Our work challenges the status quo by analysing the factors of exclusion and designing sustainable solutions.

Digitization

Cities play a central role in the creation of disruptive digital technologies such as artifical intelligence. As main financial and knowledge hubs, urban environments provide means and resources for their development and deployment. We look at how urban governance can create a better and safer technology for all.

Overview

Years
active

UNESCO
Studios

Research
axes

900

Network
partners

Team
members

Nationalities
present

How can we help you?

We are always open for exciting collaborations and partnerships that align with our mission.

We strongly believe that urban landscapes are better made together, and that interdisciplinary and intersectoral collaboration leads to innovative solutions for cities’ most pressing challenges.

As per our mission, we develop, transmit and valorize knowledge to the benefit of humanity and the natural environment. We are bound to do so by collaborating with researchers, practitioners, policy-makers and citizens across forms of knowledge.

We address both local and global issues, and wish to do so in many ways:

1. Research

We develop fundamental and applied research in the fields of architecture, urban planning, landscape architecture, design, geography, political science and computer science.

To collaborate over research projects, big or small, don’t hesitate to reach out and tell us about your work.

2. Teaching

We teach courses in architecture, landscape architecture, urban planning, and urban design & theory. This includes seminars, studios and workshops at the undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate levels.

Get in touch with our team to launch collaborative courses, joint programs or exchange agreements.

3. Valorization

We advocate for greater sustainability and social inclusion in cities. To do so, we rely on various scientific, institutional and professional networks and organizations.

Let’s join forces and help out the world become a better place.

We are happy to provide science-led responses and solutions that meet your urban aspirations.

We live in troublesome time, and many organisations, big and small, face challenges like never before. Climate change, ecosystemic collapse, political feud, social inequalities and disruptive technologies require innovative solutions.

We provide assistance in various formats in accordance with the service and contract policies of the University of Montréal.

Research contracts

Research services

Consulting

Communication

We welcome graduate, doctoral and postdoctoral researchers who are looking for supervision in a global and dynamic context.

We offer supervision across various research-oriented programs at the University of Montréal Faculty of Environmental Design and its three constituting departments: the School of Architecture, the School of Design and the School of Urban Planning and Landscape Architecture.

We prodive various courses in urban design and theory opened to local and international students.

Since 2003, the mission of the UNESCO Chair has been to build bridges between the University of Montréal, UNESCO, their partner organizations and international stakeholders.

By providing training in a global context, the UNESCO Chair now moves towards new forms of exchanges and collaboration thought education and capacity-building.

1. MSc in Urban Design

2. Graduate course “Datathink”

3. UNESCO Studio

We welcome research and design interns

As part of our mission, we have been hosting international and local research and design interns across all fields of planning, design, social science and engineering. Here, you find some information about why do an intershinp at the UNESCO Chair in Urban Landscape, how to become an intern and what your internship will be like.