معرفی
Kendra Kirchmer is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Interior Architecture & Industrial Design within the College of Architecture, Planning and Design at Kansas State University. She holds a Master of Fine Arts in Furniture Design from the Rhode Island School of Design and a Bachelor of Architecture from Kansas State University, and maintains an active design practice through Studio Kirchmer and the interdisciplinary Vital Design Studio.
Education:
- Master of Fine Arts in Furniture Design, Rhode Island School of Design, 2016
- Bachelor of Architecture with minor in Philosophy, Kansas State University, 2003
Her research focuses on the built environment as a determinant of health, human-centered design, transdisciplinary collaboration, and the role of craft and tacit knowledge in design practice. She integrates her professional experience in architecture and object design into both teaching and research, emphasizing experiential learning and interdisciplinary problem-solving.
Although no publications are listed in the provided text, her design work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, including at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) in New York and in Milan, Italy, reflecting a strong creative research trajectory grounded in material exploration and social impact.
Scientific and Professional Recognition:
- President’s Scholarship, Rhode Island School of Design
- Selected for ICFF Studio 2017
- Nationally and internationally exhibited design work
Professor Kirchmer advises graduate students through the Vital Design Studio, an interdisciplinary collaborative design studio she launched in 2021. This studio brings together students from across the College of Architecture, Planning and Design to develop design solutions addressing challenges at the intersection of health and the built environment. While specific grants are not mentioned, her studio-based research model suggests active engagement in applied and community-centered design projects.
She founded Studio Kirchmer, a small-batch furniture and object design studio, and the Vital Design Studio, which functions as a living lab for transdisciplinary graduate research. These platforms support her pedagogical and research goals by integrating real-world design challenges with academic inquiry.
