Top new urbanists: CNU names first class of Fellows

CNU named its inaugural class of Fellows—long-time members who have made significant contributions to the movement. The Fellows are among the first rank of new urban professionals—including architects, planners, urban designers, writers, public officials, and developers who have made an impact across the US and the world. They are:

Stephanie Bothwell. A landscape architect with extensive experience in federal HOPE VI and other new urban projects, Bothwell has been heavily involved in new urban education. She serves on the faculty of the National Charrette Institute, provided training for HOPE VI, and was associate professor of Landscape Architecture at Auburn University. She is president of CNU's Washington DC chapter. 

Arnold B. "Buff" Chace. A pioneer in suburban retrofit and major developer in downtown Providence, Rhode Island, Chace built Mashpee Commons in Massachusetts. Chace owned a shopping plaza in Mashpee that he converted into an town center—New Urbanism's first suburban retrofit—that now serves as the town's commercial and social hub. 

Henry Cisneros. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in the Clinton Administration, Cisneros launched the HOPE VI program to reinvent failed public housing projects using new urban design guidelines. A former mayor of San Antonio, Cisneros signed the Charter of the New Urbanism in 1996. He founded American City Vista—now CityView—a home builder with an urban focus.

Hank Dittmar. A leading urbanist, Dittmar founded the Surface Transportation Policy Project and Reconnecting America, chaired the Congress for the New Urbanism for five years and led The Prince's Foundation in London for eight years. Dittmar wrote CNU's Canons of Sustainable Architecture and Urbanism.

Victor Dover. Present at the creation of The New Urbanism and a former CNU board chair, Dover cofounded Dover, Kohl & Partners, one of the top new urban firms for form-based codes, comprehensive plans, and infill and transit-oriented design. Dover recently coauthored Street Design: The Secret to Great Cities and Towns. 

Ellen Dunham-Jones. A professor of architecture at Georgia Tech, Dunham-Jones is coauthor of Retrofitting Suburbia, the bible on that topic. She is a former CNU board chair.

Peter Katz. A professional planner, Katz played a key role in forming the New Urbanism movement. Katz was the first executive director of CNU and wrote the seminal New Urbanism: Toward an Architecture of Community. 

Robert Orr. A town architect in many new urbanist projects over the years, Orr is an American Institute of Architects Fellow and a leader in CNU-New England.  

Shelley Poticha. The second executive director of CNU, Poticha leads the Natural Resources Defense Council's Urban Solutions program. She was senior advisor and director of HUD's Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities and former president and CEO of Reconnecting America. 

Galina Tachieva. A principal with Duany Plater-Zyberk, Tachieva has led and participated in hundreds of design charrettes that have made positive impacts on communities. Tachieva wrote Sprawl Repair, a book on techniques for transforming suburban places. 

Emily Talen. A prolific writer and researcher, Talen is Professor of Urban Planning at Arizona State University. Among her many works are City Rules: How Regulations Affect Urban Form, and Urban Design Reclaimed: Tools, Techniques, and Strategies for Planners. 

Dhiru Thadani. The author of at least 50 major urban plans in North America, Asia, and Europe, Thadani is a prolific architect, urban designer, and writer. Thadani's The Language of Towns & Cities and Visions of Seaside are among New Urbanism's most impressive tomes.