Nationally recognized urban designer William Morrish has been appointed dean of the School of Constructed Environments at Parsons The New School for Design, in New York City. Morrish was previously at the University of Virginia, where he held the Elwood R. Quesada Chair in Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Urban Planning. In that role, he taught and led interdisciplinary research into sustainable urban infrastructure, new housing models, global urbanization, and climate change. The author of several books, including Growing Urban Habitats, he holds degrees from the University of California, Berkeley, and Harvard’s Graduate School of Design.
Parsons recently restructured its schools to facilitate interdisciplinary study, so Morrish will be leading the country’s only comprehensive school of architecture and interior, lighting, and product design. “Bill’s experience working across disciplines and his personal commitment to examining the social implications of design make him an ideal choice for this position,” says Parsons dean Joel Towers.