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Maurice D. Cox is the Emma Bloomberg Professor of Urban Planning and Design at Harvard Graduate School of Design. His career spans significant public service and higher education roles. Prior to joining GSD, Cox was the Director of Planning and Development for the City of Detroit from 2015 to 2019, and he served as the Commissioner of Planning and Development in Chicago from 2019 to 2023. Within these roles, he focused on adaptive challenges facing urban revitalization and is acclaimed for merging architecture, design, and political insights to achieve design excellence in equitable development. His professional biography reflects a commitment to demonstrating how planning, architecture, and design interact within the sociopolitical realm. Cox has held positions at Syracuse University, University of Virginia, Tulane University, and various visiting professorships. He emphasized a pedagogical approach that fosters dialogue among public and private sectors, promoting participatory design initiatives. Throughout his career, Cox has been recognized for his leadership and innovative approaches to urban planning, earning several awards, including the 2024 Henry Reed Hope Award, and being inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 2023. He holds a Bachelor of Architecture from the Cooper Union and completed a Loeb Fellowship at Harvard.
City of Detroit • Detroit, MI
Led the planning and development efforts focused on urban revitalization.
City of Chicago • Chicago, IL
Oversaw planning efforts aimed at revitalizing neighborhoods through a design-centered approach.
Administered by the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS).