MICD Philadelphia 2026

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 in Philadelphia, PA from August 12-14, 2026.

At this collaborative workshop, mayors engaged with design leaders to find solutions to the most critical planning and design challenges facing their cities. Sessions are organized around case study projects: each mayor selects a project or challenge from their city that the mayor is actively working to address. At the session, mayors introduce their projects with a 15-minute presentation, and the attending mayors and design leaders identify important issues, offer suggestions, and discuss potential solutions. The interchange sparks lively debates, generates new ideas, and inspires creative thinking. Between these discussions, a Resource Team of design leaders from around the country also delivers presentations on their areas of expertise.