Zachary Lamb

Zachary Lamb is an Assistant Professor in the Department of City and Regional Planning at the University of California, Berkeley. His research focuses on urban planning and design’s role in shaping vulnerability and resilience to climate change, particularly in delta cities like New Orleans and Dhaka. He holds a PhD from MIT’s Department of Urban Studies and Planning (2018), preceded by a Master of Architecture and a BA in Art History/Environmental Studies.

Education background includes:

• PhD, Urban and Regional Planning, MIT (2018)
• Master of Architecture, MIT (2010)
• BA, Art History and Practice/Environmental Studies, Williams College (2002)

Research interests emphasize:

• Equitable climate adaptation strategies
• Historical evolution of flood mitigation systems
• Design-policy interactions in urban crises
• Global North-South comparisons in urban resilience

Key works include his 2024 co-authored book The Equitably Resilient City and the upcoming Making and Unmaking the Dry City, analyzing flood infrastructure in New Orleans and Dhaka. He co-founded Crookedworks, a design-build firm addressing urban challenges like food security and climate hazards.

Awards include the 2018 Princeton Mellon Fellowship in Urbanism and the Environment. His courses include CYPLAN 140 on urban design and place-making. Current projects explore resident-owned land tenure systems and critiques of large-scale urban renewal approaches in climate adaptation.