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Geodesign and Urban and Regional Planning

Help students plan the future they envision

Resources for teaching and research in higher education

A colorful city concentration map and an aerial photo of a busy city at night with highways lit up in bright blue and orange

GIS for planners

Planners deal with a dizzying array of challenges on a daily basis, including housing, climate change, transportation, and access to parks and open spaces. One of the factors unifying them all is location. GIS provides easy-to-use tools that allow planning students to understand and to solve these complex urban and regional issues.

A city map showing individual building plots with regions shaded blue, green, and orange

GIS for urban design

Spatial tools allow urban designers to effectively assess and understand the complex interplay of land use, transportation, demographics, and the environment. GIS provides a framework to allow effective communication and collaboration among stakeholders. Urban design students have the ability to understand and present data in its spatial context to foster engagement and inform decision-making.

An aerial view of a dense modern city overlaid with a bright blue web of connected points

Resources

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ArcWatch

Human-centered design puts emotions first

A Georgia Southern University professor encourages students to adopt a human-centered mindset to improve data-driven design solutions.

Read the article

Webinars and videos

  • A geodesign framework for equity and inclusion

    Webinar

    Discover web-based solutions that help planners address the social, cultural, and economic needs of their communities through a GIS framework.
  • Strategies for urban planning with digital twins

    Webinar

    Explore how digital twins empower planners to identify sustainable development opportunities, promote transparency and create smart communities.
  • Urban and regional planning with ArcGIS Urban

    Webinar

    In this webinar you’ll explore the exciting emerging technology patterns that MPOs are using to support a more modern approach to urban planning.
  • GIS for planning in higher education

    Webinar

    This webinar highlights new tools, software updates, and the ways that educators can incorporate modern GIS into their courses and curriculum.
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Want help getting started?

Request help from Esri’s education team to add GIS to your planning and design courses and research.

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