Randall F. Mason

Randall F. Mason is a Professor of Historic Preservation, City & Regional Planning, and Landscape Architecture at the University of Pennsylvania's Stuart Weitzman School of Design. His research bridges preservation theory, urban conservation, and social justice, with a focus on cultural landscapes and memorial design. He currently leads the Urban Heritage Project at PennPraxis and directs the Center for the Preservation of Civil Rights Sites, dedicated to documenting Black heritage sites tied to civil rights histories.

• Education:
  • B.A., Bucknell University
  • M.S., Pennsylvania State University
  • Ph.D., Columbia University

His work explores heritage economics, historic site management, and preservation policy. Notable projects include cultural landscape studies for the National Park Service and research on genocide memorials in Rwanda. Mason has authored influential books including The Once and Future New York and co-edited Values in Heritage Management. He served as PennPraxis Executive Director (2014–2017) and received the NEA Rome Prize (2012–2013).

Mason’s teaching includes courses on heritage and social justice, cultural landscapes, and preservation planning. He advises initiatives like the Detroit Tactical Preservation Program and collaborates with organizations such as Eastern State Penitentiary and the Preservation Alliance of Greater Philadelphia.

He is advancing two book projects: a critique of cultural landscape theory and an anthology of contemporary preservation theories. His research emphasizes equity in heritage management, particularly through the lens of civil rights sites and marginalized communities.