For one week in mid-June, students explored the similarities and differences between US and Canadian urban environments as they visited three Canadian cities: Montreal, Quebec City, and Ottawa.
The field study was led by Fritz Wagner, Professor Emeritus in the departments of Landscape Architecture and Urban Design & Planning and Dr. Regent Cabana, an Affiliate Professor (from New Orleans). They led a group of students from academic disciplines including urban planning, architecture, landscape architecture, and real estate.
The experience helped students to gain a better understanding of economic, political, social, cultural, and urban issues within the Canadian context. They met with a number of professors from regional universities, government officials, and other urban experts who gave lectures and walking tours. The course examined similarities and differences between US and Canadian cities while investigating current urban issues confronting communities in French-speaking Québec and Ottawa. Students studied the physical layout of cities, urban design, urban growth, central neighborhood revitalization projects, local governance, and historic preservation. Students were required to keep a daily journal and write a comparative paper on a topic related to urban issues encountered in Canada.