UBC Professor Patrick M. Condon has over 25 years’ experience in sustainable urban design; first as a professional city planner and then as a teacher and researcher. He started his academic career in 1985 at the University of Minnesota, moving to the University of British Columbia in 1992, acting first as the Director of the Landscape Architecture program and later as the James Taylor Chair in Landscape and Livable Environments. He is now senior researcher with the Design Centre for Sustainability at UBC, a sustainable urban design think tank that evolved from the original efforts of the Chair.
In that capacity he has worked to advance sustainable urban design in scores of jurisdiction, both here in Canada and abroad. He has lectured widely, and is the author of several books, most recently "Design Charrettes for Sustainable Communities", 2008, and “Seven Rules for Sustainable Communities”, 2010, both from Island Press.
He has successfully focused attention on how to make systemic change in the way cities are built and operated, notably in his East Clayton project in Surrey BC. More recently, he and his research partners have collaborated with the City of North Vancouver to produce the “100 Year Sustainability Vision”, a plan to make the City of North Vancouver a zero carbon community. Professor Condon and his partners have recently received awards from the Planning Institute of Canada and the American Society of Landscape Architects for this work.
Academic Experience
Assistant Professor, University of Minnesota, College of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, 1985 – 1991
Professor, University of British Columbia, School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, 1992 –
Senior Researcher, Design Centre for Sustainability at UBC, 2004 -
Professional Experience
Director of Planning and Community Development, City of Westfield Massachusetts, 1982 – 1984
Moriarty Condon Landscape Architects, Minneapolis Minnesota, Vancouver British Columbia, 1984 – 1996
PMC Associates, Community Planning, Vancouver British Columbia, 1996 –
Recent Major Publications
Condon, Patrick M. 2010. Seven Rules for Sustainable Communities: Design Strategies for a Post Carbon World. Washington D.C.:Island Press
Condon, Patrick M. Cavens, Duncan. Miller, Nicole. 2009. Planning Tools for Climate Change and Mitigation. Cambridge, MA. : Lincoln Institute of Land Policy
Condon, Patrick M. 2007. Design Charrettes for Sustainable Communities. Washington D.C.: Island Press
Recent Major Awards
BC Union of Municipalities Award of Excellence for the “100 Year Sustainability Vision, City of North Vancouver, BC.” 2010
Canadian Institute of Planners Award for Planning Excellence award for “100 Year Sustainability Vision: City of North Vancouver, BC”. 2010
American Society of Landscape Architects, ASLA Honor Award for Research for "Getting to Minus 80: Defining the Contribution of Urban Form to Achieving Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Targets". 2010
National Association of Home Builders, First Ever Land Development of the Year Award. For the “Pringle Creek Community”. Partial citation: “Pringle Creek Community and its developers stood out with this very instructive, resource-efficient site design. The onsite recycling, preservation of trees and use of porous pavement, which is an innovative water retention feature, demonstrate the true sense of green commitment at Pringle Creek.’” 2007