<p>Other than this program's foucus on New Urbanism, does any one know about the quality of the B. Arch program at Miami?
Is it a well respected program either on the east coast or south-east?</p>
<p>I'm worried that this is one of those situations where you don't say anything if you have nothing nice to say...How about some comments about "New Urbanism" from the architects?</p>
<p>LOL...now don't worry thespian dad. UMiami is a great school in one of the most interesting cities inthe US--which makes it a great location for architecture students. In reality (and I have a friend who has a practice there) Miami is a Cuban/South American country off the coast of Florida.</p>
<p>Their website is dowdy--but their faculty list is pretty impressive. It may be the most global faculty list I've researched this year. The Miami faculty has globally impressive credentials too--(Oxford/Cornell/Harvard). My guess is that impressive architects like living in Miami (what's not to like?) and they like the association with Elizabeth Plater-Zybeck, who has an esteemed reputation as a prominent archtiectural theorist. I'm not sure who she brought to the school--but it's an impressive faculty list and I wouldn't be surprised if it was her energy attracting the talent.</p>
<p>There is a noticeable shortage of, you guessed it, full time female faculty. Disappointing, that--but not atypical. <a href="http://www.arc.miami.edu/people/Faculty/FACULTY.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.arc.miami.edu/people/Faculty/FACULTY.html</a>. </p>
<p>The 'New Urbanism' still has merits in planning developments but it is limited somewhat by it's insistance on 'contextual' forms. Says me--who does refer to it when designing residential suburban developments. I own their books and I use them.</p>
<p>New Urbanism was a concept launched by a Florida developer named Robert Davis (who inherited 80 acres of spectacular Florida Panhandle coast--where I once camped under the stars) and a couple of newly minted architectural planners--Andres Duany and Elizabeth Plater Zybeck--now the Dean at UMiami. Together, they developed the Disney-esque resort of Seaside (made infamous by the movie 'Truman'). Duany and Plater-Zybeck went on to cement the success of Seaside as a urban planning concept.</p>
<p>As a result of their efforts, Plater-Zybeck is considered one of two or three outstanding female architects of our time. Very admirable accomplishment.</p>
<p>i too am considering UM and was a bit worried by the poor shape they keep their website in. It doesnt really have much information - does anyone know how many students are in the arch school?</p>