Urbanist

An urbanist is a professional who studies, analyzes, and helps shape the development and functioning of cities. The term can refer to practitioners in fields such as urban planning, urban design, city planning, and related disciplines, as well as scholars who study urban processes. In practice, urbanists work across public, private, and nonprofit sectors to address how land use, infrastructure, housing, transportation, and public space interact within urban areas.

Core activities include evaluating and guiding land use and zoning, creating master plans and design guidelines, developing transportation and mobility strategies, promoting affordable housing, and advancing sustainability and resilience goals. Urbanists consider social, economic, and environmental dimensions to foster livable, inclusive, and efficient urban environments. They may engage communities, analyze data, model outcomes, and coordinate with engineers, designers, policymakers, and developers.

Education and training commonly involve backgrounds in urban planning, architecture, civil or transport engineering, geography, or public policy. Graduate programs often offer degrees in urban planning or city and regional planning, urban design, or related fields. Skills frequently highlighted include geographic information systems (GIS), data analysis, policy analysis, project management, and public engagement.

Employers range from government planning departments and regional councils to consulting firms, research institutions, and nonprofits. While the terms urbanist, urban planner, and urban designer are sometimes used interchangeably, urbanism also refers to a broader field concerned with the study and promotion of urban life and the development of cities.