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Peter Marcuse (b. 1928), son of critical theorist Herbert Marcuse, is an attorney, planner, and professor of planning. He has produced extensive scholarship on planning matters, covering different issues such as professional ethics, housing, city planning, comparative policy, the 'right to the city' movement', urban history, and globalization. This collection consists mainly of teaching and course materials related to Marcuse's tenure as Professor of Urban Planning at Columbia University (since 1975) as well as research, writings, and reference materials for professional work inside and outside academia, including projects commissioned by the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) and the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal.

Oscar Newman (1935-2004) was an architect, planner, and theorist. Newman was best known for his theories on crime prevention and residential design, which he introduced in his book Defensible Space. This collection contains the majority of Newman's projects and writings spanning from the early 1960s to the late 1990s. It consists of textual materials in the form of correspondence, notes, written and typed drafts, and publications; accompanied by prints, negatives, slides, drawings, and audio/visual material.

Gordon Bunshaft (1909-1990) was an American architect who, as a partner at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, had a significant impact on large-scale corporate architecture. His projects include such significant urban office towers as the Lever House in midtown Manhattan, as well as modern office campuses set in natural landscapes, including such examples as the American Can Company in Greenwich, Connecticut or the Connecticut General Life Insurance Company headquarters in Bloomfield, Connecticut. Additionally, his interest in art caused him to actively integrate work by well-known modern artists into the public plazas and interiors of SOM's projects. The professional aspects of this collection can be found in clippings, project photography, oral history records, and publications, however, the majority of the collection is personal and reflects the life of Gordon and his wife Nina Bunshaft. Through correspondence, snapshots, objects, and personal papers the collection focuses on the Bunshafts' friends, their travels, and their impressive art collection of both modern and ancient sculptures and paintings.