PennPraxis is a nonprofit design, planning and project-management partner based at the University of Pennsylvania’s Stuart Weitzman School of Design in Philadelphia. Since 2001, it has worked with communities and governments on practical projects that bring design and planning into public decision-making.21 Its work draws on faculty and graduate students across architecture, landscape architecture, planning, spatial analytics, historic preservation and fine arts; the organization says 40 to 50 faculty and students contribute to its interdisciplinary projects each year.2
The practice focuses on climate and community resilience; places, systems and policy; cultural heritage landscapes; and capacity building and engagement.2 Projects range from local public-space design to regional infrastructure planning, with community and Indigenous leaders involved in shaping work and building longer-term relationships.2 PennPraxis describes its geographic reach as extending beyond Philadelphia: past work has included projects around the United States and internationally.11
A prominent early effort was A Civic Vision for the Central Delaware, a long-term plan for Philadelphia’s waterfront developed through public engagement. The organization also led Green2015, an action plan for creating neighborhood parks, and contributed to projects including Race Street Pier and a master plan for Penn Treaty Park.10 Its current featured project, Camden Resilience Planning, is a community-led effort to reduce flood impacts, strengthen local climate leadership and build resilience across Camden neighborhoods.1
PennPraxis was founded in November 2001 by Harris Steinberg and was initially developed to give students real-world design and planning experience.10 Its current executive director is Lori Kanter Tritsch, an associate professor of practice in landscape architecture.5