David Burney is Associate Professor of Planning and Placemaking at the Pratt Institute School of Architecture. He is also the Chair of the Center for Active Design. The Center, established in 2012 as one of the key initiatives to emerge from New York City Mayor Bloomberg’s Obesity Taskforce, supports public health by increasing opportunities for physical activity and healthy eating through the design of the built environment. Prior to joining Pratt, David was the Commissioner of the New York City Department of Design and Construction (DDC) from 2004 to 2014, where he launched a city-wide “Design and Construction Excellence Initiative” with the goal of raising the quality of design and construction of public works throughout New York City.

David is a Fellow at Project for Public Spaces.