David Walters

Professor David Walters came to UNC Charlotte in 1990 to lead the College of Architecture's program in Urban Design. He earned bachelor’s and master's degrees at England's University of Newcastle, when the predominant purpose of architecture was seen as serving society and the role of the architect was to act as a public servant in the cause of a better environment. He still holds that "the role of architectural education is to develop the next generation of professionals who can do their best to improve our environment and, if possible, our society."

As an urban designer, Walters is noted for his efforts in exploring solutions to urban problems in Charlotte and the surrounding communities and raising the levels of debate concerning urban growth and development. He notes, "It sets the frame of reference for my teaching, whereby my students join with me in the wonderful collaborative enterprise of re-making cities." He is also a Senior Urban Designer with The Lawrence Group, Architects and Town Planners, based in St. Louis, MO, Austin, TX, and Davidson, NC, and brings real world practice into the design studio.

Walters worked to establish and teaches in the interdisciplinary graduate program in Community Planning, taught between the College of Architecture and the Department of Geography and Earth Sciences. This interest is mirrored in his recent book, Design First: Design-based Planning for Communities (co-authored with his wife, Linda Luise Brown) published by The Architectural Press in Oxford, England, in 2004. A follow-up book entitled Designing Community: Urban Design, Planning and Form-based Codes is scheduled for publication in 2007 with the same publisher. Professor Walters also co-edited a book with a colleague, Professor Chris Grech, on new office design and its impact on communities, entitled The Future Office to be published by Taylor and Francis in the UK in 2007.