The mission of the Urban Ecology Studio is to bring together faculty and students in the disciplines of urban design and planning, engineering, and architecture in the investigation of specific urban problems, such as waste management or rehabilitation of an old canal, in an intensive studio environment. The goal is to develop imaginative, doable, and environmentally acceptable solutions and then publish the results so that they may be applied in different settings. The principal laboratory of the Studio is New York City but sustainability and urban density problems can be addressed for other urban settings, through the global activities of the Earth Institute at Columbia University.

The tools of the participating disciplines are used in formulating, testing, and publishing strategies for sustaining all aspects of urban infrastructure and society, both in the developed and the developing world. Each year, collaborating faculty develop a number of research projects, which they investigate with students in an intensive studio environment. The coursework is complemented by lectures from visiting scholars and professionals in public health, policy, and other social sciences, as well as community representatives.