Urban Design Forum NZ is a brand that aims to promote urban design excellence throughout New Zealand. Their vision is to create quality urban places that are safer, healthier, culturally relevant, equitable, sustainable, economically prosperous, and easier to navigate. The UDF achieves its purpose by facilitating cross-disciplinary understanding and collaboration among built environment professionals, raising awareness and appreciation of urban design benefits at national and local levels, advocating for good quality urban design outcomes and best practices, and providing a forum for discussion on design-based approaches relevant to New Zealand's towns and cities.

The UDF recognizes that urban design involves various aspects beyond physical arrangement, such as politics, economics, and social issues. They believe in the importance of collaboration among specialist designers to achieve common urban design goals. Through events, advocacy, education, and recognition of practitioners, the UDF works towards its goal of promoting urban design excellence in New Zealand