The University of Pennsylvania Weitzman School of Design and the McHarg Center for Urbanism and Ecology hosted a Special Session of the Mayors’ Institute on City Design (MICD) in Philadelphia, PA from August 12-14, 2026. The event convened seven mayors from around the country in a collaborative workshop to discuss the most pressing design and development issues in each of their cities.
Seven experts in architecture, landscape architecture, arts and culture, transportation, urban planning, urban design, and economic development joined the mayors for two and a half days of discussions, exchanging ideas and offering pragmatic advice for each project.
The participating mayors brought a range of projects to this session, seeking to address a wide array of challenges and opportunities through improvements to the built environment. Throughout the session, mayors explored frameworks for designing new public spaces, strengthening unique districts, connecting to nature, sparking infill development on vacant parcels, and leveraging public investment for multi-layered benefits. Participants left with strengthened aspirations and a new set of tools for leading with design.
“The opportunity to spend intensive time with mayoral colleagues and the resource and leadership teams was a rare chance for a mayor to have uninterrupted creative time. I learned so much from all the brilliant fresh eyes.”
Northampton, MA Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra“Connecting with other mayors and design experts who are looking at a project for the first time, and without preconceived notions, provides an invaluable perspective to reexamine something we may have been staring at too closely.”
Littleton, CO Mayor Kyle Schlachter
Mayors were introduced to the many facets of the design process by the Resource Team, a group of multi-disciplinary experts whose breadth and depth of experience illustrated how design can generate creative solutions to complex problems.
“There’s nothing like MICD in the U.S. The chance to think generationally with mayors and the community is rewarding and inspiring.”
Richard McCoy | Executive Director, Landmark Columbus Foundation, Columbus, IN“Serving as a Resource Team member offers a unique setting to translate design experience and expertise into real world civic impact, working alongside mayors to shape practical, proven, and uplifting solutions for urgent challenges in their communities.”
Rebekah Jane (RJ) Justice | Chief of Urban Design and Development, City of Knoxville, Knoxville, TN
The session began with a tour of Philadelphia showcasing the crown jewels of the city’s public realm, such as the award-winning landscape of Dilworth Park, which wraps around City Hall and offers multi-layered benefits. Christopher Marcinkoski, Associate Professor in the Department of Landscape Architecture and Founding Partner at PORT, and Nick Jabs, Associate Principal at PORT, discussed how the design process unfolded for these vibrant public spaces and shared insights from their funding and stewardship models. While in Philadelphia, the group also explored the public realm and recent development around UPenn’s campus. Weitzman School of Design Dean Fritz Steiner guided the group through the School’s newly-opened retrofit of a historic terracotta building, and University Landscape Architect Brent Lewis showcased outdoor spaces that support vibrant student and community life while simultaneously meeting environmental and infrastructure needs.
At the opening reception and dinner, Angela Brooks, Chief Housing and Urban Development Officer for the City of Philadelphia, welcomed the group to Philadelphia and shared reflections on city leaders’ role in building new assets and preserving existing ones, removing systemic barriers to much-needed solutions, and finding creative ways to pinpoint needs and serve residents. The group was also welcomed by Trinity Simons Wagner, Executive Director of the Mayors’ Institute on City Design; Tom Simplot, Senior Advisor and Special Projects Director at the National Endowment for the Arts; Frederick Steiner, Dean and Paley Professor at the Weitzman School of Design, and project director Christopher Marcinkoski.
The Mayors’ Institute on City Design (MICD) is a leadership initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with the United States Conference of Mayors. Since 1986, MICD has helped transform communities through design by preparing mayors to be the chief urban designers of their cities. MICD conducts several sessions each year. For a list of upcoming events, past participants, and more information, visit micd.org.
Mayors
Mayor Mindy O’Neall | Fairbanks, AK
Mayor Julie Sayers | Lenexa, KS
Mayor Kyle Schlachter | Littleton, CO
Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra | Northampton, MA
Mayor Allan Branch | Panama City, FL
Mayor Mike McGuinness | Pontiac, MI
Mayor Jake Wilson | Somerville, MA
Resource Team
Alma Du Solier | Studio Director & Principal, Hood Design Studio, Oakland, CA
Rebekah Jane (RJ) Justice | Chief of Urban Design and Development, City of Knoxville, Knoxville, TN
Erin Lonoff | Partner, HR&A, Minneapolis, MN
Richard McCoy | Executive Director, Landmark Columbus Foundation, Columbus, IN
Jasmine Pomar | Chief of Staff, City of Oakland Department of Transportation, Oakland, CA
Alice Shay | Principal, Urban Planning & Strategy Leader, Buro Happold, New York, NY
Roger Sherman | Design Director, Gensler, Los Angeles, CA
Photos by Marenco Photo for University of Pennsylvania