I'm an urban designer and I recently moved to New York City. I have a Masters in Landscape Architecture and have worked as an Urban Designer/Planner for the past two years at Cuningham Group, an architecture firm in Minneapolis. Prior to that I was a Research Fellow at the Metropolitan Design Center, an urban design research institute at the University of Minnesota. I'm seeking a position in which I can utilize my skills in research/analysis, communication, and design to promote ecological urbanism, livable communities, and high-quality public spaces.
Cuningham, Minneapolis, MN, US, Urban Designer II
As an Urban Designer/Planner with Cuningham Group Architecture, a large firm in Minneapolis, I consulted for cities and neighborhood groups locally, in the larger region, and in the Denver area. We worked with the public on master plans, redevelopment plans, small area plans, and corridor plans. Because it was a very small team, I was able to work on all aspects of the projects, from writing proposals, interviewing for projects, giving presentations to the public, developing frameworks and design alternatives, and writing final reports. I loved the variety of the day-to-day work and working closely with city staff to develop recommendations that were both visionary and implementable. I only left there because my family and I were given the opportunity to move here to New York City.
Metropolitan Design Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, US, Research Fellow
While a graduate student I was introduced to urban design research when I received an assistantship at the Metropolitan Design Center, an urban design institution at the University of Minnesota. We partnered with local neighborhoods and cities on projects that explored questions about urban livability and sustainability. I so enjoyed the process and worked well with the director that he asked me on as a staff member when I graduated. For the next three years, as a Research Fellow and the coordinator for the Direct Design Assistance program, I worked on a number of large, fascinating projects throughout the Twin Cities Metro region in which I was able to delve deeply into urban issues and research topics such as how public safety is impacted by park programming and design or the benefits of green infrastructure. The team put together a significant body of published work that was used to help agencies or neighborhood groups gather support for projects or to educate the larger design community about design questions, best practices, and solutions. I found it to be very rewarding work.
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN, US, Masters, Landscape Architecture
Student National Honor Award, American Society of Landscape Architects, Other
