Professor Rick Peiser returns to the Department for sabbatical research

The Department of Land Economy is pleased to welcome back alumnus Rick Peiser for a sabbatical visit. Having completed his doctorate in the Department, Peiser considers Cambridge his preferred destination during academic leave and has spent three previous sabbaticals here, the first in the early 1990s. However, this marks his first return in 15 years, a period that has seen significant changes within the Department, the University, and Cambridge itself.

Peiser is the Michael D. Spear Professor of Real Estate Development at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, where he has taught since 1998. He has led courses in real estate finance and development, planning, and urban design and was Director of the university-wide Real Estate Academic Initiative. Before his tenure at Harvard, he was on the faculty at the University of Southern California, where he founded the Master of Real Estate Development Program in 1986.

During his stay at Land Economy, Peiser has been reconnecting with old friends and colleagues, including David Howarth, Ian Hodge, and Colin Kolbert. He is grateful to his hosts, Helen Bao and Thies Lindenthal, who have provided office space and facilitated his integration into the University community, such as with an introduction to Pembroke College. As a Fellow at Magdalene College, Peiser has also been enjoying the Cambridge tradition of dining at high tables.

Peiser has also appreciated the opportunity to engage with current students, meeting some of this year’s MPhil in Real Estate Finance cohort through Marc Mogull’s lectures on real estate development and welcoming others who have stopped by his office to discuss their dissertation ideas.

His research focus during this sabbatical is the development of his second book on new towns around the world. As part of this long-term project, which he expects to take four to five years, he is revisiting the new towns he examined in his first study on the topic to assess their progress over the past two decades. His current trip includes research on Stevenage in the UK and Almere in the Netherlands. Stevenage, in particular, has experienced a notable resurgence, with improved urban amenities and a growing life sciences sector, benefitting from its proximity to Cambridge’s own thriving life sciences hub.

Almere, Netherlands © Frans Lemmens/Corbis Documentary via Getty Images

Looking ahead, Peiser will incorporate insights from new towns in Africa, where he has already conducted research, and plans to extend his study to Asia later this year. His work is increasingly focused on the impact of climate change, examining how urban planning and design are adapting to climate-related challenges and how these shifts influence financial and developmental outcomes.

Peiser’s visit is a welcome opportunity for the Department to engage with his research and gain insights from his ongoing global studies. His return underscores the lasting connections between Cambridge and its alumni, and we look forward to the valuable discussions and collaborations that his visit will inspire.