Principles for City Design Leadership

Tools for Leading with Design, from the Mayors’ Institute on City Design

The Mayors’ Institute on City Design (MICD) believes design is fundamental to shaping resilient, equitable, and thriving cities. Through a variety of programs, tools, and resources we equip mayors to be the chief urban designers of their cities. Mayors leave our programs engrained with a key understanding that design is a problem-solving tool. It’s a galvanizer of people. It can illustrate a vision and establish the roadmap to activating it.

The Principles for City Design Leadership are here to help mayors center design, the built environment, and the well-being of their residents in everyday decision making and processes. By leading with design, mayors gain a clear, values-driven lens for navigating complex choices that helps align policy, investment, and implementation around long-term public benefit rather than short-term pressures. These principles support mayors in shaping cities that foster health and dignity, expand economic opportunity, strengthen physical and social connectivity, and build resilient systems that endure.

Explore the Principles for City Design Leadership

Lead

with design

Design

for meaningful change across your city

Urban Design is a powerful tool that leads the way to purposeful, positive transformation in our communities and in our lives. Lead by empowering city staff, the private sector, and communities to adopt a culture that values the positive outcomes of good urban design.

01 Lead

to improve people’s lives

Design

to connect communities

As leaders of cities, mayors’ chief responsibility is their residents’ well-being. Put people first and improve communities by offering accessible housing, mobility, and economic opportunity for all.

02 Lead

for economic opportunities

Design

to create and capture value

All cities have demand for desirable, amenity-rich places that build community ownership and cultural pride. Design to unlock the impacts of development, ensuring multiple tangible and intangible benefits from every investment.

03 Lead

to foster health + resiliency

Design

to create a beautiful city

Thriving cities are resourceful, sustainable, regenerative, and ever-changing. Design adaptable cities that enrich everyday life with visible beauty and opportunities for fulfillment.

04 Lead

collaboratively

Design

for all

We believe leaders elevate the people around them. Facilitate the connection of diverse individuals and perspectives to co-create well-rounded solutions.

05 Lead

with design

Design

for meaningful change across your city

01 Lead

to improve people's lives

Design

to connect communities

02 Lead

for economic opportunity

Design

to create and capture value

03 Lead

to foster health + resiliency

Design

to create a beautiful city

04 Lead

collaboratively

Design

for all

05 Principles for City Design
Leadership Guide

MICD has been changing the fabric of America city-by-city for forty years. This guide builds on that legacy, equipping mayors and their teams to take a step back to vision and ensure that their built environment projects meet the long-term needs of their cities.

Put the Principles into Action

Guide to Innovative RFPs

Craft better RFP’s to ensure the design and equity outcomes that are important to your residents.

Guide to City Hall as Public Commons

Learn more about how cities have re-invented their city halls and public buildings to better serve their cities and foster civic engagement.

Guide to Governing for Design Leadership

Learn more about restructuring your administration for better design outcomes.

Additional Resources

Technical Assistance

Here is a short description…

Resource
#2

Here is a short description…

Resource
#3

Here is a short description…

let’s talk

We are here to help.

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.