The course takes an interpretative look at the spatial conditions of our rapidly urbanizing world. It focuses on comparisons and contrasts between urban development patterns of cities around the globe, such as New York City, Tokyo, Chengdu, Singapore, Accra, Istanbul, and Mumbai. By introducing multiple scales (neighborhood, city, and regional) of urban growth, the course seeks to foster an understanding of the socio-economic processes, physical planning and design practices, cultural influences, and policy interventions that influence urban design and planning. While introducing the basic analytic skills necessary for spatial interpretation, the course addresses the challenges and opportunities of future smart cities in the era of urban big data.