We connect and inspire New Yorkers to design, build, and care for a better city.

Current Initiatives

Global Exchange

Fast Forward
What can we learn from global cities to make every New Yorker’s commute safe, fast, and reliable?
Forefront

Living Routes
Our tenth Forefront Fellowship explores how to transform public spaces into living, adaptive, and sustaining landscapes of care.

Public Works
Public Works sparks conversations with civic leaders on built environment initiatives shaping the public good.

New City Critics
In our writers fellowship with The Architectural League, we seek to empower a new generation of urban critics.
Community Design

The Local Center
A new community design network in partnership with the Association for Neighborhood & Housing Development
Global Exchange

Big Swings (2025)
What can New York City learn from global cities to create safe, dignified, and stable homes for every New Yorker?

Upcoming Events

10.20.26

Designing the IBX Corridor

Event Public Works
Join us for a full-day convening on the Interborough Express (IBX) corridor, with site visits, panel discussions, and breakout sessions at Brooklyn Army Terminal.
11.10.26

Designing at Scale: Lessons from London’s Elizabeth Line

Event Fast Forward
Join us for a conversation about London’s Elizabeth Line with Neill McClements, architect at Grimshaw and a key member of the line-wide design team.
11.12.26

Living Routes Ideas Launch

Event Living Routes
Join the 2026 Forefront Fellows as they present exciting ideas for transforming New York City’s streets and public spaces into sustained ecologies of care.

News

Forum News

New York City Design Organizations Launch the Public Design Alliance
An evolving network of the city’s cultural nonprofits seeks to expand opportunities for shared resources and collective impact.
Posted — June 27, 2025
Forum News

Caring for Our Neighbors: a Letter from Executive Director Dan McPhee
I may never know this country, but I have loved knowing this city for the past fifteen years.
Posted — November 7, 2024
Forum News

Urban Design Forum Selects 48 Leaders as Fellows for Global Exchange Program to Tackle the Housing Crisis
Urban Design Forum is thrilled to announce the 48 Fellows in the inaugural Global Exchange cohort: our new fellowship for mid-career executives who will survey the world to take a big swing at New York City’s housing crisis.
Posted — August 6, 2024

Join the Forum

Individual Membership
Our Members are developers, architects, planners, builders, public officials, scholars, lawyers, and journalists who are building dynamic, equitable and resilient cities.

Company Memberships
Our company membership program gives your organization unparalleled access to our global network of design, planning, and development leaders

Support Us
Our work would not be possible without the generous support of civic leaders and design champions. Whether you are interested in joining our Director’s Circle or making a one-time contribution to support our work, we welcome your support.

Urban Design Forum Store
Shop the Forum’s first-ever merchandise collection.