Gary Hack

Gary Hack has established himself as a leading authority in urban design and planning through more than four decades of academic and professional practice. His educational background includes degrees in architecture and planning, culminating in a Ph.D. in city and regional planning from MIT, and he was later honored with an honorary doctor of laws degree from Dalhousie University in 2006. His illustrious career spans significant roles at prestigious institutions, including professorships at MIT, the University of Pennsylvania (where he served as dean of the School of Design for 12 years until 2008), and Tsinghua University in China. Hack's extensive portfolio includes transformative urban development projects across the globe, from the World Trade Center redevelopment in New York to the Metropolitan Plan for Bangkok. His notable works include the Prudential Center redevelopment in Boston, the West Side Waterfront plan in New York City, and numerous downtown development projects in cities like Louisville and Knoxville. As an author, he has contributed significantly to the field through seminal works including "Site Planning: International Practice," "Local Planning," and "Urban Design in the Global Perspective." His expertise extends beyond academia through his role as former chair of the Philadelphia City Planning Commission and his active involvement in civic affairs. A Fellow of the American Institute of Certified Planners, Hack continues to influence urban design and planning through his work on international projects and his contributions to planning education.