Much of this environment, urban and suburban, is the result of commercial forces. Real estate development affects a wide range of projects, including planned communities, multi-use urban complexes, and the adaptive reuse of historic buildings. Whether you plan to be an architect, planner, or a preservationist, you will be a more effective player if you have a thorough understanding of the legal and financial issues in the development process. You will also be able to offer your clients a more comprehensive range of services. Some of you may even choose to pursue careers in the real estate industry. In 1998 the School of Design, in cooperation with the real estate department of the Wharton School, established a specialized course of study in real estate development leading to a Certificate in Real Estate Design & Development. In five years we have had fifteen graduates and we currently have twenty students in the program.

Witold Rybczynski
Program Director
G23 Meyerson Hall
rybczyns@design.upenn.edu