Kathryn Rogers Merlino

Kathryn Rogers Merlino is an Associate Professor of Architecture and Director of the Center for Preservation and Adaptive Reuse (CPAR) at the University of Washington's College of Built Environments. She serves as the Scan Design Endowed Chair and is an adjunct in the Department of Landscape Architecture.

Her research and teaching focus on reducing resource depletion and embodied carbon through adaptive reuse of existing buildings, emphasizing environmental justice and social equity. Her 2018 book, Building Reuse: Sustainability, Preservation and The Value of Design, advocates for integrating adaptive reuse into architectural education within an ecological framework.

Merlino teaches architectural history, preservation theory, vernacular architecture, and design studies. She has led study abroad programs in Rome, Denmark, and France. Prior to academia, she practiced with Olson Kundig and Cardwell Thomas Architects, earning awards for collaborative projects.

Her professional engagements include leadership roles on the ASUW Shell House Board, Washington State Advisory Council on Unreinforced Masonry Buildings, and past board memberships with the Vernacular Architecture Forum and King County Landmarks Commission.