Michael Kwartler, AR’65

Michael Kwartler, FAIA AR’65 received the 2007 John Q. Hejduk Award. He is an architect, planner, urban designer, and educator. He is the founding director of the Environmental Simulation Center, a non-profit research laboratory which develops innovative applications of information technology for community planning, design, and decision-making.

Kwartler directed the design and development of the widely used CommunityViz, the first GIS based planning and design decision support software to fully integrate virtual reality with scenario design, impact analysis and policy simulation. His work has focused on urban design and the theory and practice of legislating aesthetics and good city form. Work includes the award winning performance-based NYC Housing Quality Zoning Regulations and Midtown Zoning Regulations which recognize the power of zoning to determine urban form; “Legislating Aesthetics: The Role of Zoning in Designing Cities”; Zoning and the American Dream; “Regulating the good you can’t think of” URBAN DESIGN International; “Just-In-Time Planning: New York + Houston” Architectural Design, Visioning and Visualization (with Gianni Longo).

Michael Kwartler studied Architecture and Planning at The Cooper Union and Columbia University respectively. He held the Clarkson Chair at SUNY/Buffalo and was made a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects in 1990. He was inducted into The Cooper Union Hall of Fame in 2009.

Link to profile at Environmental Simulation Center