Molly O'Neill Robinson

Molly O'Neill Robinson is a career-line Lecturer in the Department of City & Metropolitan Planning at the University of Utah's College of Architecture and Planning, where she has served since July 2024 after previously working as an Adjunct Instructor from 2016 to 2024. As founder of MOR Design & Planning, she brings nine years of leadership in Salt Lake City's urban design initiatives, including directing the transformative Downtown Plan that prioritized marginalized communities and sustainable development.

Her educational foundation includes a Master of Science in Planning (Urban Design concentration) from the University of British Columbia (2005) and a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resource Studies with a Marine Science minor from the University of Massachusetts Amherst (1998).

Robinson's research centers on urban design, regional planning, and community engagement, emphasizing sustainable and inclusive design principles to create livable neighborhoods. She examines how design details shape human behavior and advocates for interdisciplinary approaches that integrate policy with physical form. Her work bridges academic theory and professional practice through real-world urban challenges.

Her recent publications, including the 2025 Routledge Handbook of Urban Design Practice and 2024 Vision Zero Cities article, reveal critical trends: the evolution of urban design toward climate-responsive strategies, data-driven livability metrics, and policy frameworks that transform streetscapes. These works highlight growing emphasis on community co-creation and equitable implementation in urban development.

• Vanguard Fellowship, Houston (2016)
• Urban Open Space Award Finalist: Washington Canal Park (2015)
• AIA Honor Award: Master Plan for the Central Delaware (2012)
• Governor’s Award: Camana Bay Town Centre (2010)
• CNU Honor Award: Innovista Master Plan (2007)

Through courses like Urban Design Studio and Visual Communication, Robinson mentors students in community-engaged projects including Salt Lake City's Green Loop and Main Street Pedestrian Mall proposals. Her teaching integrates fieldwork, digital modeling, and policy analysis to prepare students for professional practice, emphasizing portfolio development and interdisciplinary collaboration with practitioners.

Robinson actively shapes urban discourse through her Urban Design Utah Committee leadership, tactical urbanism workshops like Price's intersection transformation project, and consultation for MappsLab's K-12 curriculum. Her MOR Design & Planning practice exemplifies her commitment to translating academic insights into actionable community solutions.