Nikole Bouchard

Nikole Bouchard serves as an Associate Professor in the School of Architecture and Urban Planning at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee and holds a Critic position at Yale University's School of Architecture. She has previously taught at Cornell University, Syracuse University, the University of Waterloo, and the University of Toronto, establishing a robust interdisciplinary career bridging architecture, art, and landscape design.

Her research explores contextually driven design methodologies characterized by “fantastical pragmatism”—playful yet intentional interventions that prioritize ecological sensitivity and cultural relevance. Bouchard’s work spans diverse scales and media, focusing on adaptive reuse, sustainable systems, and the integration of waste streams into productive landscapes. She emphasizes the role of play in architectural ideation, advocating for “serious” experimentation that challenges conventional design constraints while maintaining environmental consciousness.

Her scholarly contributions include the edited volume WASTE MATTERS: Adaptive Reuse for Productive Landscapes (Routledge, 2021), which examines innovative approaches to material reuse in landscape architecture.

• James Harrison Steedman Fellow
• MacDowell Fellow
• Artist-in-Residence at Baer Art Center, Iceland

Bouchard’s professional practice includes significant experience at Steven Holl Architects, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, and Lateral Office. At Yale, she teaches core design studios including Architectural Foundations and Architectural Design I, emphasizing visualization techniques, historical theory, and experiential learning through play-based methodologies. Her pedagogical approach encourages risk-taking and speculative design while addressing real-world constraints of site, program, and sustainability.

Her interdisciplinary studio work integrates architectural representation, historical analysis, and ecological thinking across both institutions, fostering student exploration of spatial relationships, material systems, and socially engaged design.