Thomas Fenner

Thomas Fenner serves as an Adjunct Professor of Open Space and Landscape at the Peter Behrens School of Arts, part of Hochschule Düsseldorf (University of Applied Sciences Düsseldorf). His academic role focuses on teaching courses in Open Space and Landscape for the Bachelor program and Urban and Open Space for the Master/Civic Design program, emphasizing how well-designed public spaces create communication and recreation areas that stimulate the senses and enhance urban living.

Professor Fenner's educational journey began with training as an ornamental gardener (1983-1985), followed by studies at Fachhochschule in Iserlohn-Letmathe (1985-1986), work as a landscape gardener (1987-1988), and formal studies in Landscape Management at Fachhochschule Osnabrück (1988-1992). His professional path includes working at Bödeker · Wagenfeld & Partner (1992-1996) and serving as managing partner at FSWLA Landschaftsarchitektur GmbH (renamed to studio grüngrau in 2021) from 1997-2023.

Professor Fenner's research centers on the fundamental question of what makes a city livable, with particular focus on how open spaces constitute the largest area of cities yet are often overlooked. His work bridges theoretical understanding of spatial proportion, urban spatial typologies, and materials with practical application in landscape architecture. He emphasizes that beyond cities, landscapes fascinate us and create strong emotions, and the desire for an aesthetic environment concerns everyone.

His extensive publication record shows consistent focus on sustainable urban development, ecological design, and the integration of green spaces into urban environments. The publications reveal a progression from specific design projects toward broader urban planning strategies, with increasing emphasis on sustainability, ecological transformation, and social aspects of public space design.

Professor Fenner has received numerous prestigious awards that highlight his expertise in multiple dimensions of landscape architecture:

• Landeswettbewerb 2024 (3rd Prize) for innovative student housing densification
• Landeswettbewerb 2021/22 (1st Prize) for sustainable wooden housing
• Gold Award at Floriade Expo 2022 for outdoor garden design
• Multiple Polis Awards for ecological design, urban recycling, and livable public spaces
• Deutscher Bauherrenpreis 2018 for the Living Circle project in Düsseldorf

As an educator, Professor Fenner provides comprehensive guidance through both structured courses and individual thesis supervision, allowing students to explore landscape architecture, urban design, and landscape planning in depth. His professional practice through studio grüngrau demonstrates his commitment to translating academic knowledge into tangible urban improvements, with numerous competition successes across Germany focused on urban redevelopment, sustainable housing, and public space design.

Professor Fenner maintains active engagement in urban planning through his membership in the design advisory board of the city of Bochum since 2019, as well as his membership in the Bund deutscher Landschaftsarchitekten (BDLA) and the Architektenkammer Nordrhein-Westfalen, ensuring his academic work remains connected to real-world urban challenges.