• home
  • chevron_right
  • Courses
  • chevron_right
  • The Architect’s Role in Advancing Sustainable Urbanization Worldwide

The Architect’s Role in Advancing Sustainable Urbanization Worldwide

AIAU26-GPC02R
Included in subscription Included in subscription
1 LU
Course expires on: 03/10/2029
$30
Architect$30

Member Price

$45

Non-member Price

Sign in to purchase chevron_right

Description

As cities across the globe face mounting pressures from rapid population growth, climate change, and resource scarcity, architects are uniquely positioned to lead the charge toward sustainable urbanization. This course examines how design professionals can go beyond traditional building design to shape resilient, inclusive, and ecologically sound urban environments. With a panel of experts sharing experience in master planning projects across Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Middle East, the session will highlight how architects can serve as strategic partners in master planning, infrastructure integration, and cross-sector collaboration. Through real-world project insights, participants will gain a practical understanding of how to advocate for sustainable outcomes at both building and urban scales in vastly different cultural, climatic, and regulatory contexts.

This session was recorded live on April 15, 2026.

Learning Objectives

check

Identify the architect’s expanded role in shaping sustainable urban development across diverse global contexts.

check

Analyze regional challenges and opportunities related to climate, density, policy, and culture in urban design projects across different continents.

check

Apply integrative design strategies that promote social equity, environmental performance, and long-term resilience in urban settings.

check

Leverage cross-sector collaboration with developers, engineers, and policymakers to align design vision with sustainable infrastructure planning.

Presented in partnership with the Global Practice Committee.

 

Instructors
Christopher Pumford

Christopher Pumford is a Manager of International Affairs at the American Institute of Architects. Prior to coming to AIA, Christopher was a Presidential Management Fellow at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and a Fulbright lecturer in Rabat, Morocco. Christopher obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science at the University of Michigan and a Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy at the Tufts University Fletcher School. 

Amanda Bryant
Assoc. AIA

Amanda Bryant is an urban designer in the Netherlands, with eight years of international experience in both architecture and urban design. Her work is grounded in a strong sense of social responsibility and a passion for integrating architecture within the public realm. Amanda is an active member of AIA Continental Europe, where she chairs the Emerging Professionals Committee and co-leads the chapter’s International Mentorship program. She earned her master’s degree from TU Delft in 2018, where her thesis on the spatial effects of automobile dependence was recognized by AIA Continental Europe. Drawing from her professional experience in the Netherlands, Amanda often collaborates with professionals across borders to share expertise and shape inclusive and meaningful public spaces.

Li Ren
AIA, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C

Li Ren is a globally licensed architect, educator, and researcher specializing in international architectural practice and sustainable urban development. With professional experience across the United States, East Asia, and the Middle East, his work examines how architects operate across diverse cultural, climatic, and regulatory contexts to advance resilient and inclusive cities. 

Li has contributed to large-scale hospitality, senior living, and mixed-use developments across North America and the Middle East, with a focus on complex project delivery and cross-border collaboration. He previously served as President of AIA Middle East and Chair of the AIA Global Practice Committee, engaging in global professional policy, education, and sustainability initiatives. In parallel with practice, Li teaches and lectures internationally on global practice models, sustainability, and career development for internationally trained design professionals. 

Lanre Olusola

Olanrewaju Olusola is recently engaged by PMI in sub-Saharan Africa as Business Development Lead and Partner Success Manager for PMI-CP, to promote the gold-standard certification in the AEC industry, building a critical mass of certified construction professionals in all sectors of the built environment and across all stakeholders, that measure up to global standards. He led Creation Consult Inc. from 2002 to 2025, having been a Project Lead with Habitat Associates for upward of 14 years, executing various housing, urban development, and Real Estate projects North of the Niger. With 38 years in practice of environmental design, development and project management, he has a diverse range of professional experiences in key industry sectors, including being QC and Project Manager on the US Embassy NOX in Abuja, under the Overseas Building Operation of US Department of State, as well as iconic developmental projects in Nigeria. 
• Pioneer President of AIA Sub-Saharan Africa 2024-2026 • Member of Global Practice Committee of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) 2024-2025 • Member of Professional Practice Commission of International Union of Architects (UIA) • Regional Director, UIA Architecture for All Work Programme • At-Large Director of AIA International, with oversight of Africa and South Asia.

Similar courses

card_membership Included in subscription
Included in subscription
The Architect’s Role in Advancing Sustainable Urbanization Worldwide
Wednesday, April 15, 2026  |  12-1pm ET As cities across the globe face mounting pressures from rapid population growth, climate change, and resource scarcity, architects are uniquely positioned to lead the charge toward sustainable urbanization. This course examines how design professionals can go beyond traditional building design to shape resilient, inclusive, and ecologically sound urban environments. With a panel of experts sharing experience in master planning projects across Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Middle East, the session will highlight how architects can serve as strategic partners in master planning, infrastructure integration, and cross-sector collaboration. Through real-world project insights, participants will gain a practical understanding of how to advocate for sustainable outcomes at both building and urban scales in vastly different cultural, climatic, and regulatory contexts.

1 LU
card_membership Included in subscription
Included in subscription
Making the ADA Accessible
The ADA Standards for Accessible Design can seem like a complex web. In this course, you'll review case studies and detailed real-life examples to help you navigate ADA compliance with confidence. Facilitated by an architect and accessibility expert with an intimate understanding of the intent and the letter of the ADA, you'll learn to identify and avoid common errors, and provide guidance on designing for contractor and client success. Return to your firm equipped with valuable strategies that ensure your future projects are built right the first time. Course expires on 3/18/2027.

3.75 LU|HSW
card_membership Included in subscription
Included in subscription
Virtual Architecture Practice: Alternative Realities for the Emerging Gig Economy
Balancing work and personal life often seems unattainable. However, new forms of practicing architecture—or starting a firm—are delivering the flexibility employees want and the cost savings that firms need. Join us for a close look at the virtual architectural practice model. From soup to nuts, you'll acquire a deeper understanding of legal and insurance requirements, licensing differences, and how to implement cloud server technology and the like.

1.50 LU
card_membership Included in subscription
Included in subscription
Deconstructivist Zoning: The Sixth Generation of Zoning in America
A century of constructing zoning laws in America has resulted in illogical, disconnected, and homogenous built environments that are not environmentally or economically sustainable. Yet we keep hoping that doing much of the same will yield different results. This course examines how deconstructing zoning leads to more economically sustainable development outcomes.  Produced in partnership with AIA|DC Course expires 10/17/2026

1.50 LU|HSW
card_membership Included in subscription
Included in subscription
3D Printing Concrete Forms: The Future is Now
3D printing has evolved into an innovative tool for increasing construction efficiency and quality. For an industry like construction, one that's notably hesitant to adopt new technology, its widespread use and success are all the more remarkable. In this course, you’ll discover real-world applications of 3D printing, such as the high-profile Domino Sugar renovation in Brooklyn, and learn how its versatile, durable solutions provide a greater ROI while maximizing the quality of your projects. This session was recorded live at the AIA19 Conference on Architecture on June 8, 2019.

1 LU|HSW
card_membership Included in subscription
Included in subscription
Leveraging the Integrative Process for Health
The integrative process, which has been leveraged in the green building movement, can be instrumental in adding a health focus to your next project. With America’s healthcare expenses continue to rise and we rebuild post-pandemic, collaboration with public health professionals will be more critical than ever. In this course, you will learn the basic principles and structure of the integrative process and how it can be leveraged for meeting health goals. The course will highlight key considerations for early design phases as well as how to find public health professionals and the value that different stakeholders might bring. Course expires on 8/9/2026.

1.00 LU|HSW
card_membership Included in subscription
Included in subscription
Brass Tacks: Planning a Successful IP Workshop
The integrative process relies on the series workshops that keep the project on track and the expanded team on the same page. But given all the considerations, planning a series of successful workshops can be a challenge, especially when integrating health. With the help of two case studies, this course will walk you through key considerations and goals for workshops in each phase of the design process. You will get an overview of how to keep your stakeholders engaged, the kinds of information you would present at each phase, and various facilitation techniques to ensure success even after the workshop is complete. Course expires on 9/13/2026.

1.00 LU|HSW
card_membership Included in subscription
Included in subscription
Secret Cities
Hear about K-25, the "Queen Marys", and other scientific and military buildings of the Manhattan Project. G. Martin Moeller, Jr., curator of the exhibition Secret Cities, discusses how extraordinary achievements in architecture and engineering yielded the world's largest building (K-25) in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, when it was completed in 1944 and the 800-foot-long chemical separation plants (Queen Marys) of Hanford, Washington. Provided by The National Building Museum Course expires on 09/13/2026.  

1.50 LU