The Shape of Two Cities New York/Paris Program is a two-semester course of study whose curriculum is focused on architecture, planning, and the urban social and political environments of the cities of New York and Paris. Directed by the Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation of Columbia University, the program is open to intellectually committed students who are currently enrolled in a university or who have completed a bachelor’s degree. The course is rigorous in its intents and allows for several courses to be transferred for graduate credit, depending on the individual school’s criteria. Many students in the program go on to study at top architectural institutions in the U.S. and Europe.
A full year of academic credit (32 points) to be completed in two consecutive semesters is offered through a carefully constructed program of history, theory, and studio courses conducted in English. Students are given academic preparation to enter leading graduate programs, especially in the fields of architecture and urban planning. Instruction is given by Columbia University faculty and members of the architectural communities in New York and Paris.
Rooted in a comparison of the urban contexts of New York and Paris, the fall semester of the program is carried out in New York at Columbia University, while the spring semester is based at Reid Hall, Columbia University’s center in Paris. The curriculum of the program explores these two cities through their built environments: associations with history, intellectual and literary invention, architectural and technical skill, and contemporary social and political struggles. Courses in New York and Paris include architecture or urban studies studio, lecture and seminar discussions, city walks exploring the city center and outskirts, and guest lectures on the contemporary buildings, planning and preservation in these cities.
For more information, please see the Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation website.