IIT MLA+U moves towards design justice to practice skills for tomorrow's equitable, participatory, and prosperous landscapes. The program emphasizes equitable landscapes rooted in ecology, history, and community involvement. It tackles climate change and advocates for equity, ecological, and cultural preservation while promoting worldwide ethical, technological advancement, and wealth generation.

LANDSCAPE AND DESIGN JUSTICE

The IIT MLA+U looks through a design justice lens and is rooted in the landscape's botanical diversity and ecological richness, emphasizing the development of design methodologies that prioritize community participation and empower local organizations. This collaborative approach ensures that communities actively shape their environments and futures. Through academic learning and practical experience, the program influences a new generation of designers dedicated to fostering equitable landscapes by integrating knowledge of ecology, plants, history, community participation, and design principles. It also addresses climate change through advocacy for environmentally responsible design solutions, creating inclusive spaces that encourage civic engagement and diverse perspectives. The program extends these principles to memory sites and places of commemoration, preserving historical significance while acknowledging diverse narratives. Furthermore, it promotes ethical and inclusive technological advancement, considering the impacts on diverse populations and aiming to benefit everyone. Students develop projects related to equitable wealth generation, advocating for designs and policies that reduce wealth disparities through adaptable public spaces and landscape-based opportunities.

METROPOLITAN LANDSCAPES

The MLA+U towards design justice explores interdependent ecological and social trends in metropolitan landscapes. Research and projects within this context aim to design living infrastructures and dynamic urban platforms that facilitate social interaction and connectivity, fostering connections, bonds, and gatherings within urban environments.In this context, the program explores the diversity of 'publics,' aiming to inspire collective imaginations rather than adhering to a singular, generic notion of the 'public.' The strength of 'publics' lies in their capacity to promptly reevaluate boundaries and their organizational impact on local and global commons. Through its commitment to Design Justice, the program significantly contributes to the development of metropolitan landscapes, promoting social inclusivity, environmental equity, and economic vibrancy.

GREAT LAKES TERRITORIES

The MLA+U's journey toward design justicesignificantly contributes to the Great Lakes territory. Chicago, strategically positioned within two remarkable regions, the Great Lakes and the Great Plains and Prairies, offers an expansive canvas for exploring diverse, dynamic landscape ecosystems interwoven within the urban fabric. The Great Lakes region houses over twenty percent of the world's freshwater resources, with a shoreline longer than the combined lengths of the American Pacific and Atlantic coastlines. Simultaneously, the Great Plains and Prairies, characterized as a "vast ocean teeming with life" by Eliza Woodson Farnham, remain at the forefront of environmental scholarship and activism. This region critically engages with energy, extraction, and agribusiness landscapes that support the Metropolis. These territorial conditions converge in Chicago, creating an exceptionally fertile ground for envisioning the metropolitan landscapes.

We believe in landscape architecture education as a journey towards environmental and social justice through design, the knowledge of plants, and direct exchanges and experiences withthe living world. Our process often lives in under-represented neighborhoods, habitats, and cultures to join ongoing initiatives to imagine and enact collective action.

Our program is distinctive, being the sole accredited Landscape Architecture Program in the vibrant city of Chicago, the third largest city in the United States. In Chicago's vibrant and diverse tapestry, a city shaped by its multiculturalism, our Master in Landscape Architecture and Urbanism is centered on Design Justice. We recognize that Chicago residents represent a myriad of backgrounds, cultures, and histories, and it is within this dynamic mosaic that we find our purpose. Our mission extends beyond city limits and reaches out to create bridges with all the cities and landscapes that Chicagoans carry within them. We aim to transcend geographical borders and unite collectively to foster growth, equity, and justice across diverse communities, embracing a spirit of unity and solidarity. With deep respect for the ancestral legacies and ontologies that enrich our shared human experience, we strive to contribute to creating a more compassionate, equitable, and just society where every voice is heard, and every heritage is honored.

Our curriculum is uniquely shaped by this urban context, offering courses that delve into the complex landscape challenges of the twenty-first century. These challenges encompass urban landscape implications related to social and environmental justice, post-industrial legacies, emerging technologies such as driverless cars, water quality and management, rapid urbanization, plant migration due to climate change, community-led design processes, and creating a dynamic and inclusive public realm. Collaborating closely with our colleagues in the Architecture programs within the IIT College of Architecture, we continue the legacy of design and technology innovation.

In today's world, the demand for informed, innovative, courageous, and critically engaged landscape architects has never been greater. These professionals are the leaders in the reclamation, organization, and understanding of our cities to meet the unique challenges of the 21st century. Chicagooffers an ideal setting to explore the potential of urban landscapes, with our primary focus on the urban public realm. Within the Great Lakes Basin, where twenty percent of the world's freshwater supply converges, Chicago is a vital natural resource and an economic catalyst for the mega-region. While Chicago boasts a world-class park system, it transforms contemporary projects and urban policies that signify the emergence of Chicago's 21st-century landscape as a rigorous laboratory for cities.

As the sole accredited Landscape Architecture program in Chicago and one of the few in major North American cities, we are uniquely positioned to confront these challenges. Our LAAB-accredited and STEM-certified program equips students to become technically skilled and intellectually versatile landscape architects who share our ambitious vision for creating positive change in Chicago and globally.