Millionaire Orville Simpson’s life work to create efficient, clean and prosperous cities will touch the University of Cincinnati.

“We have developed a great relationship with him,” said Robert Probst, dean of the College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning (DAAP).

Simpson, a Hyde Park resident who celebrated his 89th birthday this Sunday, became a millionaire through a series of investments. He has willed that more than $10 million will go DAAP in attempts that it will bring his vision closer to becoming a reality.

However, his true passion has been his futuristic-urban-development model commonly referred to as Victory Cities.

Last October, Simpson endowed $10.2 million — almost his entire estate — after his death to fund the new Simpson Center for Urban Futures in DAAP.

While it’s uncertain how exactly the money will be allocated, an agreement letter confirming the creation of Simpson’s fund outlined what the money can be used for.

That includes establishing and maintaining an archive of Simpson’s work; promoting research in the field of future urban planning, infusing futuristic urban planning into the curriculum and scholarship programs and providing a necessary facility to accomplish all of these goals.

“He wants to continue to work with us and has promised us a lot of funding, but that’s not really what this whole deal was about for me,” Probst said.

Probst explained that he found Simpson’s work on sustainable urban living for the future fascinating and pertinent to many of the goals of DAAP.

The work was brought to Probst’s attention by Simpson’s friend and unofficial financial adviser Chet Cavaliere. Once he saw Simpson’s work, Probst was excited to offer UC as the next home for a department filled with drawings, diagrams and models.

“I was worried about what would happen to his collection of art when he moves into an assisted-living home,” Probst said. “I told him, after looking at the collection of his work and his creations, that the university would be happy to archive all the material for him.”

Simpson’s work was on display during Fall quarter in the Philip M. Meyers Gallery. Part of his fund is designated to the revitalization of Simpson’s Victory City Project.