Careers Profiles

Urban Designer

Urban design is about the layout of buildings, spaces and landscapes for life in cities, towns and villages.

Practitioners need an understanding of how planning works, what makes an area special and how to provide good transport infrastructure.

The term urban designer is only about 25 years old and it is not an accredited profession, but it is growing rapidly in importance.

The field appeals to people who are interested in more than just the design of a building. They want the challenge of creating a place that will be enjoyed by a community.

Urban designers spend around 70% of their week in the office and 30% on site or with clients. They may also have the chance to work abroad on projects if they are employed by a private practice.

The skills and experience you need

There is no official body that decides what should be on the curriculum of an urban design course or what expertise and knowledge practitioners need.

A degree in architecture, town planning, landscaping, geography or engineering would be a good start. This would allow someone interested in the area to do a postgraduate course in urban design.

Some examples of postgraduate courses are those run by:

Work experience and a fascination for the complexity and variety of cities are essential.

Good teamwork and negotiating skills are important because urban designers have to liaise with clients and other people working on a project.

Likely employer types

Jobs are advertised on the Resource for Urban Design Information website.

Salary ranges

The typical starting salary in London is £20,000, which could rise to between £35,000 and £40,000 after five years. Partners in the most successful urban design firms can earn millions of pounds a year.

More information