Professor Hood's research interests include the critical examination and development of specific urban landscape typologies for the American city. Together they reflect and reinforce specific cultural, environmental, and physical complexities of the city and neighborhood landscape. Through his teaching, writing, and practice Hood advocates the art of "Improvisation" as a design process for making urban landscapes and architecture. Hood's areas of expertise include landscape design, community development, citizen participation (particularly ethnic groups), and the design of architecture and the landscape simultaneously.