The City of Denver has hired its first chief urban designer. Following a nearly year-long search, Eugenia Di Girolamo was selected as the city’s first employee to focus exclusively on urban design. 

Di Girolamo most recently worked as the deputy director for urban design at the New York City Department of City Planning and will now be tasked with establishing a long-term plan for how Denver will develop, with a focus on community engagement. 

As reported by Westword, Laura Aldrete, executive director of Denver Community Planning and Development, wrote to city staffers in an email stating: “Eugenia will work collaboratively with policymakers, Denver residents, and the development industry to create public spaces and neighborhoods that, by design, promote inclusivity, resiliency to climate change, and improve public health and well-being. In this position, she will champion design excellence citywide, from how it feels to walk down the street in Denver’s neighborhoods to large-scale transformative projects.”

In addition, Di Girolamo’s work will concentrate on preserving the city’s historic buildings and maintaining its heritage. 

Di Girolamo worked for two years as a senior planner and urban designer at WXY Architecture + Urban Design before returning to a municipal role.