Prof. Hashim Sarkis

Design is the unifying theme across all areas in the School of Architecture and Planning. Through the design of physical spaces, and through the design of policies and technologies that shape how those spaces are used, we aim to sustain and enhance the quality of the human environment at all scales, from the personal to the global. We believe that design and policy interventions should be grounded in a commitment to improving individual human lives, equity and social justice, cultural enrichment, and the responsible use of resources through creative problem solving and project execution.

Programs offer a rich array of courses, ranging from Renaissance architecture to the cities of tomorrow, digital fabrication, motion graphics, shape grammars, photography, and construction finance, to name just a few. The School of Architecture and Planning comprises five main divisions: the Department of Architecture, the Department of Urban Studies and Planning, the Media Laboratory, the Center for Real Estate, and the Program in Art, Culture and Technology, and also hosts the Legatum Center for Development and Entrepreneurship and the Center for Bits and Atoms.

There is a very active and diverse research programs and laboratories, and strong master's, PhD, and professional degree programs. The curriculum emphasizes research programs that promote social awareness while using the latest technology.

One of MIT's founding principles is the belief that professional competence is best fostered by focusing teaching and research on real problems in the real world. At any given time, we have scores of projects under way in Africa, Asia, North America, Central and South America, Europe, and the Middle East, including studios, workshops, conferences, courses, exhibits, exchanges, and research projects.

A central aspect of our efforts is collaboration -- among the five divisions, with other divisions of MIT, and with public and private institutions in the US and abroad. As a result, it is fair to say that the faculty and students of the School are truly citizens of the world -- engaged in the problems facing countries at all stages of development; taking part in the public discussion of issues on a global scale; and studying, developing, and applying the best practices all around the world.