Rebecca Macklis

Rebecca is the Deputy Director for Architecture, Urban Design & Special Initiatives at the Public Design Commission. She is an interdisciplinary urban designer, and at the Public Design Commission, her work is concentrated on design policy and the design review of architecture and urban design projects, with a focus on complex mixed-use developments, affordable housing, and urban systems. She leads the Designing New York: Quality Affordable Housing and Prefabrication in the Public Realm initiatives as well as Women-Designed NYC. Rebecca also oversees special projects and interagency initiatives, such as interagency urban design working groups, the development of review processes for alternative project delivery, and the Annual Awards for Excellence in Design. Rebecca works to champion the holistic, equitable, and resilient design of the public realm and strives to promote collaborative cross-sector and multi-stakeholder processes. Her past experience spans architecture, anthropology, and community development, where she has worked at the intersection of planning, policy, and design of the built environment. Rebecca is a member of the Urban Design Forum (a 2019 Forefront Fellow) and holds a MArch in Urban Design from the Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London, and a BA in Architecture and Anthropology, with a minor in American Culture Studies, from Washington University in St. Louis. She has been a guest instructor, critic, and presented work at various institutions nationally.