Master's Programme on Sustainable Cities at the Norman Foster Institute
The Master's Programme on Sustainable Cities course at the Norman Foster Institute offers opportunities to study urban design across three continents, combining practical experience and academic insights.
School: Norman Foster Institute
Course: Master's Programme on Sustainable Cities
Location: Madrid, Spain and others to be announced
Course dates: January to December 2026
Application deadline: 1 July 2025
The Master's Programme on Sustainable Cities combines practical experience with academic insight from the Norman Foster Foundation's global network, led by co-directors Norman Foster and Professor Kent Larson (MIT Media Lab). Each year, students engage with three pilot cities, collaborating with local stakeholders to address pressing urban challenges.
Following the success of the 2025 edition focused on Africa, the 2026 programme expands to three continents: Asia, Europe and Latin America. The new pilot cities will be announced soon.
Structured over 36 weeks, the programme includes studio and fieldwork divided into three stages – foundations, diagnosis and interventions. Students gain tools for urban analysis and design, including mapping, data interpretation and communication, concluding with proposals presented to each city's administration.
The 2026 edition will feature three new specialisations:
City Science, led by Norman Foster and Gareth Simons (NFI), focuses on data-driven urban strategies using GIS, Python and modelling.
Urban Design, co-led by Norman Foster and Vishaan Chakrabarti (PAU), explores public space, civic identity and environmental design.
Architecture, co-led by Norman Foster and Frédéric Migayrou (Centre Pompidou), promotes innovative, sustainable architectural solutions tailored to local contexts.
Applications to this course have now closed.
Top image by Pablo Gómez-Ogando. Courtesy of the Norman Foster Institute.
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