Citythinkers is an integrated and multi-disciplinary planning, urban design and research-based firm whose central mission is to build a better city. With thoughtful care and attention, we devote our energy, talents and passion toward achieving a quality built environment for people and believe above all in making great places. We do this through research, by engaging with the communities around us, and with a passion for design that serves a public good.
Based in San Diego, California and with 25 years of experience in the fields of planning and design, the firm’s work ranges in scale and scope from General Plans, to Community Plans, Master Plans, Zoning Codes, Streetscape Design, Design Guidelines and Community Outreach. Our research and design expertise in urban, infill housing and mixed-use informs the planning practice and enriches each planning project with “real world true-testing” of bold ideas and visionary thinking.
Our Office
Urban Design and the Livable City
San Diego - County Administration Waterfront Park
As our San Diego region continues to thrive, most of the city and region’s growth will focus in the existing, urbanized areas. In this context, Urban Design plays an ever increasing and central role in planning for the future. San Diego is maturing and blossoming into a vibrant, urban city with a diversity of active and livable environments. It will be only through design, which resolves how buildings, streets, open spaces and gathering areas are arranged to meet a community’s goals, aspirations and unique characteristics, that we ensure a livable city.
At Citythinkers, we believe urban design is one of the most powerful tools for building trust in and a vision for the future of our city. How we present design concepts and communicate their value to communities across San Diego will be one of the greatest challenges of the 21st century. Powerful visuals and 3D renderings help, but the key is to get to the roots of a community’s culture. We have to work with communities like Clairemont, where in 2018 Diego led a series of workshops and “training sessions” on design that helped break loose a culture of fear and introduced new perspectives on what design can do for a community. We should find ways to infuse design into the backbone of our regulations, as with Diego’s work on the Mixed-Use Zones and TPA Incentive programs. But most importantly, we must work to move the needle toward a design culture, one that sees the value in good urban design and the enhancement of the public realm. On this latter point, we need leaders who live and breathe design; who are not only trained in design but have a passion for our city. At Citythinkers, we are ready to lead!
Awards
American Planning Association, San Diego Section - Resilience and Sustainability Award of Excellence for the Imperial Beach Bayshore Bikeway Resiliency Project (2023)
American Planning Association, San Diego Section - Resilience and Sustainability Award of Merit for the National City Transit-Oriented Development Overlay (TODO) (2023)
American Planning Association, San Diego Section - Comprehensive Plan Award for the El Cajon Transit District Specific Plan (2019) - while at M.W. Steele Group
American Planning Association, San Diego Section - Urban Design Award (Honorable Mention) for USD Master Plan (2018) - while at M.W. Steele Group
American Planning Association National Achievement Award - Public Outreach (2015) - while at M.W. Steele Group
Clients & Collaborators
City of San Diego
City of Imperial Beach
City of National City
City of Fresno
City of Vista
County of San Diego
University of San Diego
New Urban West, Inc.
Price Charities
Wohl Property Group
H.G. Fenton Company
Keyser Marston Associates
Dyett & Bhatia
M.I.G., Inc.
CR Associates, Inc.
Spurlock Landscape Architects
Rick Engineering Company
Recon Environmental, Inc.
Smithton Architects
Wakeland Housing & Development Corporation
Nexus Planning and Research
