Reviewed by: Cindy Hatcher
How urban design is building a better Birmingham—don’t miss this Oct. 2 talk
Reading time: 3 minutes
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Great design doesn’t just make a city look good—it makes communities thrive.
That’s the vision behind the Philip A. Morris Fund for the Design Arts, which is fueling creative projects across Birmingham and bringing nationally-lauded urban planner Joe Minicozzi to town for a special presentation on October 2 at the Birmingham Museum of Art.
Here’s how the fund is making an impact and how you can be part of the conversation.
Meet revered urbanist + speaker Joe Minicozzi
What if Birmingham could unlock new ways to design healthier, more sustainable communities? That’s exactly what you’ll explore with Joe Minicozzi, one of the 100 Most Influential Urbanists of all time, during a special event at the Birmingham Museum of Art on Thursday, October 2.
Known for his engaging storytelling and innovative approach to urban planning, Minicozzi helps cities reimagine the relationship between land use, design and economics.
Through a method called Geoaccounting, he shows how simple math and local data can reveal surprising truths about the economic health of communities. His work has influenced leaders across the U.S. and beyond, sparking conversations about how development patterns impact fiscal sustainability.
Here’s what you need to know:
- When: Thursday, October 2 | Doors open at 5 PM, lecture begins at 5:30 PM
- Where:
- Birmingham Museum of Art’s Steiner Auditorium, 2000 Reverend Abraham Woods Jr Boulevard, Birmingham, AL 35203
- Followed by a cocktail reception in the 8th Avenue Lobby
- How much: $5 | Tickets
Investing in Birmingham’s design vision
This annual talk is made possible thanks to the Philip A. Morris Fund for the Design Arts, an endowed Field of Interest Fund at the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham.
Morris, who served as executive editor of Southern Living magazine, believed deeply that design is about more than how something looks—it’s about how people connect with their environment and with each other.
If you think you don’t know Morris’s work, think again. Here are just a few iconic Birmingham spots he volunteered his expertise with:
- Linn Park
- Railroad Park
- Birmingham City Center
- Mountain Brook’s villages
His design vision translated into a fund that supports projects spanning architecture, landscape planning, urban design, graphic arts and more. Each year, an advisory committee carefully reviews proposals to ensure that projects align with Morris’s passion for community-building through design.
$200,000+ awarded to local nonprofits of Birmingham
Now in its third annual grant cycle, the Morris Fund has awarded $214,000 in 2025 to seven local nonprofits:
- Alabama Environmental Council
- Design Alabama
- McWane Science Center
- Nature Conservancy of Alabama
- Railroad Park Foundation
- Town of Wadley
- Your Town Alabama
Using these grants, these nonprofits have been able to implement projects like redesigning local structures, supporting environmental initiatives and funding new scholarships.
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