The Department fosters planners and engineers who have the ability to solve urban issues.

The ideal form of a city has constantly changed due to various factors, including the social landscape, economic climate, environmental issues, natural disaster control measures, and internationalization. In the course of rapid urban development, there once was a time when a haphazard approach was taken, and the top priority was given to functionality and efficiency. This has resulted in a considerable load on the natural environment, causing such problems as ecosystem disruption, resource depletion, and climate change. In the world of the future, there is a strong need for the realization of a “sustainable city.” A “sustainable city” refers to a city that inherits and further develops the history and culture unique to the city, reduces the load on the environment, and harmonizes human activities with the natural environment. It also means an affluent but safe, secure and functional city that is resistant to and flexibly responds to external impacts, including natural disasters.
To establish a sustainable city, you must have the basic scientific ability to understand the functions and structure of cities, and a wide variety of knowledge to identify the various elements required of cities of the future. You also need the ability to interpret urban issues based on scientific grounds and propose convincing solutions, as well as communication skills and adaptability, in order to put your proposals into practice. The Department of Urban Design and Engineering fosters planners and engineers who have such knowledge and abilities.