A.03 Contemporary Research Informed Practices: Maurice Cox

Urban Planner: Maurice Cox

Role: Emma Bloomberg Professor in Residence of Urban Planning & Design, Harvard GSD

Region: Chicago, Detroit, Charlottesville, New Orleans; currently based in Cambridge, MA

Video Lectures' Names: "Designing Equity: Annual Global Perspectives" & "Portraits of Resilience: New Orleans/Detroit"

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About the Practice

Cox’s practice is rooted in equity-focused, community-driven urban planning. In Chicago, he launched INVEST South/West, directing public and private resources into historically disinvested corridors. In Detroit, he advanced “20-minute neighborhoods” and community-centered redevelopment. Across cities, his work integrates public participation, economic development, and design excellence to create resilient, inclusive neighborhoods.

About the Planner

Maurice D. Cox is both an architect and a civic innovator. A Cooper Union graduate, he has served as mayor of Charlottesville, Associate Dean at Tulane, and Director of Design at the National Endowment for the Arts. His leadership consistently blends architectural expertise with public policy, using design as a tool for equity and systemic transformation. Recognized nationally for his visionary urban strategies, Cox continues to shape the dialogue on how planning can repair social and spatial inequities.

Team Research Strategies

Our team drew on a variety of sources that highlight Maurice D. Cox’s career and influence. We reviewed his official Harvard Graduate School of Design profile to understand his current academic role, and consulted coverage in architecture and design media outlets such as ArchDaily and Dezeen to capture how his work has been received in the profession. We also examined public documentation of planning initiatives like Chicago’s INVEST South/West and Detroit’s “20-minute neighborhoods” to better understand his approach to equitable development. Additional insights came from lecture recordings and interviews, including the Designing Equity talk, as well as biographical details from Cooper Union and city planning department press releases. Together, these sources provide a comprehensive view of Cox’s philosophy and practice as both an architect and civic leader.