Join the Department of City Planning’s Office of Design for a special December Bookclub discussion about our latest selection, Race and the Greening of Atlanta: Inequality, Democracy, and Environmental Politics in an Ascendant Metropolis, by Christopher C. Sellers. Sellers will join us for our discussion virtually.

The Porch is a collaborative initiative between the Department of City Planning and the Department of Parks & Recreation to preserve Atlanta’s cultural history by collecting stories from senior citizens through workshops and oral recordings. The stories highlight how infrastructure projects, such as highway construction, divided and displaced Black communities. The collected stories will be presented as a public sound installation at City Hall.

Join us for a thoughtful evening with award-winning writer and urban design theorist Hannah Palmer, as she discusses her acclaimed works and the stories hidden within Atlanta's urban landscape. Palmer, known for her essays, memoirs, and public art projects, explores the intricate connections between Atlanta's history, hidden communities, and the natural environment.

Join us for an engaging evening with award-winning author, preservationist, and cultural developer Gene Kansas as he discusses his mission, work, and his acclaimed book, Civil Sights: Sweet Auburn, a Journey Through Atlanta's National Treasure. This talk and tour are a deeper dive than a regular book talk.

Join us for the kickoff Open House for the Chattahoochee Brick Company and Atlanta Riverlands Planning and Design process! Presentations at 10:30 and 12:30.

October’s book club selection: A Night at the Sweet Gum Head: Drag, Drugs, Disco, and Atlanta's Gay Revolution by Martin Padgett. Coursing with a pumped-up beat, gay Atlanta was the South's mecca―a beacon for gays and lesbians growing up in its homophobic towns and cities.

This tour will focus on the history of the Chastain Art Center, which was formerly the African American Almshouse for Fulton County. City Staff will discuss the history of the buildings on the site and how they were converted for use as the Arts Center over 50 years ago.

Join us for a stimulating evening of conversation with Emmy-nominated spoken-word poet and author Jon Goode. Goode, known for his thoughtful and intentional lyricism, will delve into the inspirations behind his works and his journey as a writer and performer.

Dr. Beth Roark will explore the fascinating history of funerary art and architecture in American Cemeteries in the 19th century. This is a live webinar. Click the link for Zoom access on October 7, 2025.

Vamos ATL is a curated panel discussion designed to highlight the influence and contributions of Latine and Hispanic community members in Atlanta’s cultural and economic landscape. The discussion will be moderated by Laura Murvartian of Arte GA.

DCP and the National Organization of Minority Architects are presenting a 45-minute candid conversation with 4 African American Women Architects whose careers are impacting design in Atlanta. 

In Owning the Street, Amelia Thorpe examines everyday experiences of and feelings about property and belonging in contemporary cities. She grounds her account in an empirical study of PARK(ing) Day, an annual event that reclaims street space from cars.

Join us for a fascinating panel discussion as we delve into the rich history and enduring significance of Atlanta's historic cemeteries.

Join the Atlanta Department of City Planning’s Office of Design for our version of Park(ing) Day. This year, we focus on small acts of civic joy. Even in the hustle and bustle of a major city, public spaces can offer respite—even as something as small and simple as turning a parking space into a gathering spot.

The Art + Design Salon is a monthly conversation series hosted by Atlanta City Studio, exploring the intersection of art, culture, and public space design. September’s Salon features Roshani Thakore, Director of Community Engagement & Culture Programming for the Atlanta Regional Commission.

This panel discussion will feature the artist behind the Memento Mori art. Hear their stories, inspirations, and thoughts behind the theme of Memento Mori, a Holistic art exhibit that centers mindfulness around mortality to raise awareness about the Atlanta Cemetery Network (ACN).

The Office of Design is celebrating "back-to-school" with a mixer for local college and university students at the Atlanta City Studio.

Join us for August Bookclub - From the Haitian-style “shotgun” houses of the 19th century to the lavish high-rises of the 21st century, a walk through the streets of America’s neighborhoods that reveals the rich history—and future—of urban housing.

The Department of City Planning (DCP) and the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) collaborated to produce Memento Mori, an art exhibition that explores themes of mortality and features programming about the Atlanta Cemetery Network.

Join the Atlanta City Studio and author Hannah S Palmer to discuss July’s book club selection, The Pool is Closed: Segregation, Summertime, and the Search for a Place to Swim. The Pool Is Closed is a book about water: where it flows and floods, who owns it, and what it costs.

Test your knowledge of Atlanta’s buildings, history, lore, and places against (or with) the Office of Design’s staff!

In celebration of Black Music Month, the Department of City Planning (DCP), in partnership with the Mayor’s Office of Film, Entertainment, and Nightlife (AMOFEN), is hosting a special event with conversations around Chronicling Stankonia: The Rise of the Hip-Hop South with the author Dr. Regina N. Bradley. The event will feature an Author Talk and the music of OutKast.

This event will consider how the site of the former brick company and the efforts underway to preserve and memorialize it might align with the work of the International Sites of Conscience and their members worldwide.

Join ACS Urban Cipher Night to creatively unpack how cities and federal agencies created urban apartheid by design.

Join the ACS Bookclub in May for Humanize: A Maker's Guide to Designing Our Cities, by Thomas Heatherwick. This fiercely passionate manifesto on why so many places have become miserable and boring and how we can make them better for everyone—featuring hundreds of photographs and illustrations that will change how you see the world around you.

Join the Department of City Planning, Office of Design, as we toast the people, projects, and programs driving Atlanta’s incredible transformation.

This event will focus on the importance of preserving Atlanta’s historic Black churches and sacred burial grounds—today, these are often located within upper-middle-class and/or wealthy White communities. Speakers will discuss the benefits and challenges of saving these iconic spaces. 

Free walking tour exploring Downtown Atlanta's vibrant intersection of art and architecture.