Ubaldo Escalante

Ubaldo Escalante is an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Columbia GSAPP where he has taught the joint Advanced IV Architecture and Planning Studio since 2019. With a background in architecture, urban planning, analytics, and education, Ubaldo brings a multidisciplinary approach to design and policy with a heavy focus on climate change adaptation and equity.

Ubaldo is an Urban Planning Consultant with Buro Happold Engineering-Cities where he works on infrastructure reuse, transportation strategy, strategic visioning, and climate action. His work focuses on resiliency and equity and strives to achieve the best outcome through collaboration with designers, engineering and climate experts, and community-based organizations. Ubaldo has worked with renowned architecture firms such as BIG, NBBJ, HKS, PCF, and IBI, and has worked on projects in Saudi Arabia, China, Europe, and the US. His clients range from public sector institutions such as the New York City’s Mayor’s Office of Sustainability, to large private corporations such as the Ford Motor Company and Tencent.

Before joining Buro Happold, Ubaldo worked at the Bronx Borough President’s office as a planner and topographic engineer, where he oversaw real estate investments in the borough as well as the ULURP process for amendments to the city map. Ubaldo holds a Bachelor‘s degree in architecture from Princeton University and an M.S. in Urban Planning from Columbia GSAPP.