The Georgia Tech School of Architecture and the College of Design mourns the loss of Richard Dagenhart, a visionary urban designer, esteemed educator, and dedicated mentor. 

Richard, who passed away on December 5, 2024, at the age of 78, spent 47 years shaping the minds of students and the landscapes of cities through his work in architecture and urban planning.

Richard’s impact on the field of urbanism is immeasurable. His academic journey took him from the University of Arkansas to the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned advanced degrees in both Architecture and City Planning. 

His career spanned decades of influential work with some of the most prominent voices in the field, including Ian McHarg and David A. Crane. His professional experience included leadership roles in firms such as Wallace McHarg Roberts & Todd and his own practice.

At Georgia Tech, Richard was an unwavering advocate for urban design education, teaching courses that bridged history, theory, and practice. He played a pivotal role in directing the Master of Science in Urban Design program and inspired countless students through his lectures on the history of urban form.

“Richard was a beloved and highly respected Architect, Urban Planner, and, most importantly, a Professor in the College of Design at Georgia Tech,” said his colleague Ellen Dunham Jones. “He had an outsized impact on the lives and careers of thousands of students.”

“His required courses in Theories of Urban Design and the History of Urban Form attracted students from across campus. He was passionate about the importance of students understanding hydrology and shared stormwater and sea level rise strategies in his design studios and Green Infrastructure course – well before climate change was widely recognized,” Dunham Jones said.

“He created the Modern Architecture Modern Cities program in 1990,” she said. “For over 30 years, with the help of other dedicated faculty, he turned some of the world’s greatest cities, including Amsterdam, Berlin, Paris, and London, into summer classrooms for College of Design students.”

His passion for shaping cities extended beyond the classroom—he was deeply involved in initiatives like the Mayor’s Institute on City Design and Good Urbanism 101, a Georgia Conservancy program that empowered communities with knowledge on urban planning.

Richard’s influence stretched far beyond Atlanta. He was a visiting professor at institutions like Rice University and the University of Maryland, and he led the Modern Architecture and the Modern City study abroad program for over two decades. His research and publications, from studies on sustainable urbanism to collaborative urban design charrettes, continue to guide scholars and practitioners alike. 

Some of his notable works include:

• Urban Design Downtown Atlanta: Land, Water, City (2020) – A collaborative studio report with the Georgia Conservancy and Central Atlanta Progress.
• Chattahoochee Riverworks: Industrial Urbanism Revisions and the Chattahoochee Riverpark (2019) – Exploring sustainable urbanism and ecological infrastructure.
• Retreat: Adapt: Defend: Designing Community Response to Sea Level Rise on the Georgia Coast (2013) – Addressing climate resilience and coastal adaptation.
• Contributions to the Grove Encyclopedia of American Art (2010), including entries on key urban design figures such as Rem Koolhaas and John Nolen.
• Mission Zero Corridor (2015) – A collaboration with students and the Ray C. Anderson Foundation focusing on sustainable infrastructure.

Beyond academia, Richard was a devoted advocate for the city of Apalachicola, Florida, where he championed design and preservation efforts. His love for cities was matched by his love for literature, travel, and a well-made gin martini.

The School and the College are profoundly grateful for Richard’s decades of service, mentorship, and scholarship. His legacy lives on in the students he taught, the cities he influenced, and the ideas he championed. In his memory, we celebrate a life dedicated to the pursuit of better urban futures.