April 26 – 30, 2027
Save the Date!
15+ CPLs
Join fellow Canadian urban planning professionals on this immersive 5-day program in Mexico City!
Founded on a lake bed in the 12th century, Mexico City has grown to become a metropolis of over 21 million inhabitants. This 5-day program will be a deep dive into how North America’s largest city is dealing with its most prescient planning issues around infrastructure, housing, and social inequality.
We will meet with planning professionals and city locals for on-site talks and walking tours, providing immersive learning experiences to inform our own planning practice.
The program is open to all planners from across Canada.
Some spots may be available to students.
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Previous Field Schools
In May 2026, the Urban Planning Field School was held in Singapore. Throughout the week, we met with local planners and activists within the areas of housing, redevelopment, sustainability and indigeneity. Highlights included meeting with the Housing Development Board which manages the development of Singapore’s national housing stock, taking a walking tour with the Urban Redevelopment Authority of one of the country’s official ethnic quarters, and exploring Pulau Ubin, the country’s last remaining rural village, or ‘Kampong’. Our group consisted of 12 planners from BC and Alberta.
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BARCELONA
In May 2024, the Urban Planning Field School was held in Barcelona, Spain, focusing on housing and public space. It included tour of La Balma Cooperative Housing Project, a presentation at the Municipal Institute of Housing and a Superilla Masterclass led by the city’s Chief Architect. The group consisted of municipal, provincial and consulting planners from all over BC. There was always plenty of discussion over sangria and tapas at the end of each day! Slide through the photo deck for a glimpse.
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Who We Are
Erick Villagomez
Erick Villagomez is an educator, independent researcher and designer with academic and professional interests in the human settlements. He is a Lecturer at UBC’s School of Community and Regional Planning, as has also taught at UBC’s School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture. He has led several Field Schools to different locations around the world.
Erick is the founding principal of Mētis Design-Build—a practice that works on diverse projects ranging from small-scale architecture to urban design consulting—and the Editor-in-Chief of Spacing Vancouver, an online publication looking at Metro Vancouver’s urban landscape.
Devon Harlos
Devon Harlos is a former Registered Professional Planner with the Canadian Institute of Planners and sat as Co-Chair of the Planning Institute of BC’s South Coast Chapter. She has a Masters Degree in Community and Regional Planning from UBC SCARP and holds a Diploma in Urban Land Economics from UBC’s Sauder School of Business.
Devon’s career has centred around non-market housing development and consulting for non-profit housing providers to develop affordable housing in the Lower Mainland and Sea to Sky Region. She is also a passionate urban sketcher, helping organize over 20 sketchwalks for PIBC’s South Coast Chapter.