Alex Mooskin - The Green City Design Challenge

First implemented in 2015, this educational program supports students in a sophisticated project-based, design-thinking endeavor: to create an environmentally friendly, livable city to fit a real-world location.

Students consider a variety of factors throughout the design process. To start, each team is asked to think critically about their own neighborhoods: what do they like or dislike? What causes them stress? What areas do they most enjoy utilizing? Are public spaces available for everyone to enjoy? What changes would they like to see, in an ideal world?

This project has also been developed into a public-outreach program for the U.S. Embassy in Slovenia -- learn more about that project here!

si.usembassy.gov/green-city-design-challenge/

Student teams select from 27 different real-world maps -- from a variety of different biomes, and spanning every continent on the planet -- for their city's location. Each map was digitally created based upon Google Maps satellite imagery. The teams use this map as the foundation for their city, and bring their city to life by individually selecting and placing each building, road, bridge, and more. This takes an enormous amount of thought, and the maps generated by all of the teams have been spectacular to behold.

Students must work within a budget as they plan and design their cities. The basic building options available for purchase in their cities cover several aspects of urban design: water/sewer systems, solid waste management, public transit, sources of electricity, and community support services. The variety of options available within each topic allow teams to create a unique environment that reflects their goals and meets specific challenges they face.

Students are given a wide variety of options to choose from when designing and constructing their city; many of the structures are based upon student-generated requests and suggestions. The ever-increasing variety of building styles and types supports each team in bringing their unique vision for their city to life.

City Build Options 2023

Each team ends up with an incredibly detailed, unique city -- created with their own hopes and dreams for their citizens in mind. The map below is completely student-generated.

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