The Arlington Urban Design Center (AUDC) was established in July 2009 to create public awareness about the importance of sustainable urban design and its impact on quality of life, the environment, and economic investment. The City of Arlington is experiencing a significant amount of development activity, primarily due to the opening of the new Cowboys Stadium, the success of the Texas Rangers, the expansion of the University of Texas at Arlington, and the selection of Arlington as the site for Super Bowl 2011. In order to capitalize on this surge of reinvestment of the City’s Community Development and Planning Department collaborated with the University of Texas (UTA) School of Urban and Planning Affairs to create a unique studio staffed with six graduate students studying architecture, landscaping, and urban planning. Directed by City employees, the AUDC strives to provide high-quality urban design solutions at no cost to its clients.

The intent of the Design Center is to improve the quality of Arlington’s built environment and promote sustainability through the art of design in order to enhance the City’s livability. Since its inception, the AUDC has been actively involved in more than 40 projects and has several underway, including business façade improvements, site plans, streetscape improvements, neighborhood plans, landscaping concepts, and visual renderings.