# Curriculum Vitae ## Kurt Neiswender, AIA #### Flint, Michigan 48503 EMAIL: WEB: [www.urbancolab.design](http://www.urbancolab.design) ## WORK EXPERIENCE **Urban Colab Architecture, L.3.C. – Flint, MI** *Founder, Owner – April 2020 - Present* * Launched Sole Proprietor design firm to focus on community-based design solutions. * Primary focus on Sustainability, Resilient Design, Regenerative Design, and Adaptive Reuse. * Project types include affordable housing, missing middle housing, incremental development. **Sedgewick + Ferweda Architects – Flint, MI** *Project Architect – July 2012 - December 2020* * Initiated and trained staff on 2D/3D Building Information Modeling software, Autodesk Revit, to improve design accuracy, efficiency and quality of client deliverables. * Lead the design of all Net Zero Energy design projects that have successfully completed two single family residences and currently developing Flint's first Net Zero Energy commercial building. * Strategizing business development and client service experience through systems development. **MainStreet Design Build – Birmingham, MI** *Director of Architecture – September 2010 – July 2012* * Managed design staff of three to field measure, document, and design all residential and commercial projects. * Directly responsible for coordinating construction administration services for all project work. Prepared all permit application and planning approval presentations. * Communicated progress of all project work in weekly meetings. **OJMR Architects – Los Angeles, CA** *Project Architect – March 2007 – September 2010* **Gruen Associates – Los Angeles, CA** *Project Designer – June 2006 – March 2007* **Deborah Waldrip Architect – Malibu, CA** *Project Designer – June 2005 – June 2006* **Togawa Smith Martin Residential** *Junior Designer– June 2004 – June 2005* **James Schettino Architect – New Canaan, CT** *Designer – December 2003 – June 2004* ## EDUCATION **Lawrence Technological University – Southfield, MI** *Masters of Urban Design – 2015* * Graduated with Distinction * Sustainable Urbanism Concentration **Columbia University – New York, NY** *NY/Paris Program - 2003* * Attended Fall Semester in New York **University of Southern California – Los Angeles, CA** *Bachelors of Architecture – 2003* * Five-year professional degree * Member – Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity ## PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS ### **American Institute of Architects** #### **National Appointments** 2019-2022 AIA National Small Firm Exchange Board of Directors 2017 AIA National Practice Innovation Lab Participant 2017 AIA / NCARB Experience Advisory Committee Co-Chair 2013-2016 Young Architect Regional Director - Michigan Region 2013-2016 AIA National Resolutions Committee (2016 Chair) #### **Regional Appointments** 2021-2022 AIA Michigan Board of Directors 2019 AIA New Jersey Design Service Awards Jury Member 2019 AIA Michigan Strategic Planning Committee for 2020-2025 Strategic Plan 2016 AIA Michigan Recognitions Committee 2013-2016 Young Architect Regional Director - Michigan Region #### **Local Appointments** 2020-2021 AIA Flint Component Past President 2018-2019 AIA Flint Component President 2016-2017 AIA Flint Vice President, President Elect 2012-2015 Emerging Professionals Committee Chair ### **National Council of Architectural Review Board NCARB** #### **National Appointments** 2016-2017 Architecture Review Exam ARE 5.0 Content Development Committee 2016 Experience Advisory Committee Co-Chair **Michigan Association of Planning** Member 2013—Present ## TECHNOLOGY MS Office Suite, G Suite, Adobe Suite, GIS, Autodesk Design Suite Premium, SketchUp, Space Syntax, Google Earth, Rhinoceros + Grasshopper, Energy Auditing and Analysis-BEopt, Sefaira, Energy Plus, Passive House PHIUS+. ## TEACHING EXPERIENCE ### **Lawrence Technological University – Instructor F/T** #### **College of Architecture and Design** Instructor - Full Time Faculty - 2021-Present Adjunct Faculty - 2020-2021 Subject Area: Building Systems – Teaching in Undergraduate and Graduate Studies ARC 3423, ARC 5413 – HVAC and Water Systems ARC 4443, ARC 5443 - Acoustics, Lighting, and Illumination Systems ARC 2116 - Integrated Design 1 ARC 2126 - Integrated Design 2 ARC 3126 - Integrated Design 4 ARC 4116 - Integrated Design 5 ARC 4126 - Comprehensive Design - Lab Component ### **University of Michigan-Flint – Adjunct Faculty** #### **Geography, Planning, and Environment Department** Lecturer I—2013-2019 Subject Area: Sustainability and Urban Design ESS 360, ESS 140, GEO 299, GEO 297, URP 498, URP 310, URP 212, URP 111 #### **Art and Art History Department** Lecturer I—2014-2015 Subject Area: 2D Design, Community Engaged Design ART 379, ART 141 ## COMMUNITY SERVICE ### **Lawrence Technological University** #### **Architecture Alumni Cabinet** 2018-2020 Cabinet Member 2019 Vice Chair 2018 Secretary #### **City of Flint / Community Activity** **2019-Present** Historic District Commissioner **2019-2020** Durant Turri Mott Workgroup Member **2017-2020** Flint and Genesee Chamber Sales Lead Round Table **2015-Present** University Avenue Corridor Coalition #### **Genesee County Historical Society** **2019-2020** City of Flint Historic District Commission Liaison #### **City of Grand Blanc** **2018-2019** Pop Up Retail Advisory Committee ### **Previous Service Experience** #### **Davison Township Planning Commission** **2013-2016** Commissioner #### **Imagine Flint Master Plan** **2014-2015** Open Space, Parks & Environmental Features Implementation Task Group ## AWARDS **2018 Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce** **Art of Achievement Awards** 2018 Small Business Award - Winner (Sedgewick + Ferweda Architects) 2018 Young Professional of the Year - Nominee **2018 AIA Flint Design Awardee** Sustainable Design Award for Satori Passive House **2018 Building Design + Construction Magazine** 2018 40 Under 40 Winner **AIA National Recognition Award** 2017 Young Architect Award **2016 Green Light Flint Finalist** Business Model Competition **AIA Michigan Recognition Award** 2015 Young Architect Award **AIA Flint** 2013 AIA Flint Design Award Winner for 2012 Park(ing) Day Installation **Michigan Architecture Foundation** 2013 D. James Walker Jr. Memorial Scholarship $3,000.00 **Leadership Detroit** 2012 University Partners Leadership Training—Class II **Lawrence Technological University** 2011 Graduate Research Assistantship Studio \[CI] ## GRANT FUNDED RESEARCH / PROJECTS **2020 UM Flint EDA Research Grant** $8,500 Grant extending research in Pop-Up retail **2020 Share Arts Flint Grant Year 2 – Greater Flint Arts Council** $2,000 Award for development of AIA Flint - Guide to Architecture **2019 Share Arts Flint Grant Year 1 – Greater Flint Arts Council** $3,200 Award for development of AIA Flint - Guide to Architecture **2018 UM Flint HFRCC Research Grant** $1,000 Consulting Architect **2018 UM Flint EDA Research Grant Phases III+IV** $20,000 Grant extending research in Pop-Up retail **2017 UM Flint EDA Research Grant Phases I+II** $20,000 Grant exploring Pop-Up retail **2016 Michigan Architectural Foundation Public Awareness Grant** $1,200 Award for Revisions to AIA Flint - Guide to Architecture **2013 AIA Flint Flat Lot Competition** $50,000 Total Grant Funded Collaborative Art/Architecture Installation ## SPEAKING / WRITING **August 28, 2020—Net Zero Build Summit-Novi, MI** Panelist: Design Challenges for Residential and Multi-Family Premises Embracing Net-Zero Building Principles **July 15, 2020—Talking Home Renovations with the House Maven** Podcast guest episode 20 **June 30, 2020—Inside the Firm Podcast – Monday Morning Coffee** Podcast guest appearance with Jamie Crawley, AIA **October 24, 2019—AIA Texas Society of Architects Annual Convention** Pecha Kucha: The Art of Execution **October 17, 2019-Powers Catholic High School** Career Day **October 10, 2019—AIA Michigan Leadership Retreat** Pecha Kucha: AIA Flint Component Presentation **October 4, 2019—UM Flint EDA Center** Pop Up Retail Research Phases III+IV **September 9, 2019—Factory Two Tech Meet-Up** Presentation: Computational Design in Architecture **August 9, 2019—EntreArchitect Podcast with Mark R. LePage** EA283: The Power of Sketching with Kurt Neiswender and Jamie Crawley of Coffee Sketch Podcast **May 1, 2019—AIA Flint Guide to Architecture** “A Flint Guide To Architecture” Publish Date **2019—Present The Coffee Sketch Podcast** Co-Founder with Jamie Crawley, AIA **December 11, 2018—USA Today Online** 25 Must See Buildings in Michigan—Flint Contribution **November 13, 2018—Incremental Development Alliance** Design Charrette Simulation for Incremental Housing Development **November 8, 2018—UM Flint Guest Lecture** Principles of Passive House Design **November 1, 2018—AIA Flint Guide to Architecture** Committee Chair for Updated Map Guide to Architecture **October 30, 2018—UM Flint EDA Grant Presentation** Pop Up Retail Research Phases III+IV **October 16, 2018—UM Flint Science on Tap** Principles of Net Zero Energy Buildings **September 30, 2018—UM Flint EDA Center** “The Cookbook” a publication sponsored by the C.S. Mott Foundation **September 8, 2018—Detroit Design Festival** 18th Street Community Design Charrette **October 24, 2017—Aspire: The Power of People and Place** EDA Center Report on Faculty Grant Research “Pop Up Retail” **May 10, 2016—Flint Countywide SOUP** “The Case for Incremental Housing in Flint” **April 27, 2016 Davison High School** Career Day Representing the Profession of Architecture **Feb. 25, 2016—Archinect Sessions Podcast** Special Guest—”Dispatch from Flint” Episode #54 **Feb. 22, 2016—YAF Connection** Advocacy Article “A Great Lakes Water Problem” Volume 14, Issue 1 **Feb. 12, 2015—Michigan Association of Planning Student Conference** Wayne State University “New Vision—Mott Park Recreation Area” **Jan. 22, 2016 Davison Middle School** Presentation—“What it Takes to Be an Architect” **Dec. 2015—YAF Connection** Article Interview with Donna Sink, AIA Volume 13, Issue 6 **Nov. 3, 2015—UM Flint ERS Department** Guest Lecture—GEO 380 **University of Michigan—Flint** **July 31, 2015—Arts / Tech / Biz—Mash-up** Urban coLAB Architecture, L.3.C. Recent Work - Flint Public Interest Design **June 2, 2015—SmithGroup—Detroit** Presentation—“What is an EP? **April 2015—Structures for Inclusion Conference** Carr Center Detroit Brennan Park Site Plan Design **February 2015—Michigan Association of Planning Student Conference** University of Michigan—Ann Arbor “Strengthening Community Through Urban Design” **November 2014—AIA YAF Connection** “Passive House—The Obstacles in Exceeding Expectation” **January 2014—AIA Michigan Leadership Retreat** Panelist—Emerging Professionals and AIA Michigan **January 2014—AIA YAF Connection** “Passive House—The Craft of Next Generation Residential Technology” **June 2013—AIA Michigan** **Architectural Review Examination Prep** Presenter on Building Systems Test Prep **May 2013—Flint Optimist Club** Guest Speaker—”Flint Flat Lot Competition” **April 2013—LTU Panel Discussion** Panelist with Mickey Jacob—AIA National President “The Future of the Profession” **April 2011—ARCC Conference** The Carr Center, Detroit With Studio \[CI]- Ford C3 Grant Presentation “Net Zero Community Design” ## SELECTED PROJECTS **2019—Present “The Coffee Sketch Podcast” 100+ Episodes** **[www.coffeesketchpodcast.com](http://www.coffeesketchpodcast.com)** Co-founded a weekly podcast with friend and architect Jamie Crawley, AIA, inspired by Jamie and Kurt’s shared passion for sketching, coffee and conversation. Coffee Sketch Podcast is our take on the intersection of old tech and new tech the space between the traditional practice of the hand-drawn sketch that has been performed by architects and designers for centuries and the modern day use of the #hashtag as a representation of sentiment or a movement! Each week we plan to deliver a new pod about our ideas, sketches, and what’s going in our daily lives as we pursue our love of architecture, design, and sharing this knowledge with the next generation. **2017-2018—University of Michigan EDA Center Provost Grant** **$40,000.00 Grant Exploring Pop Up Retail** The intent of this project is to explore emergent trends in “pop-up” style retail and concepts in innovative business incubation. This proposal outlines the exploration through community survey and participatory design charrettes. I plan to engage with two to three community partners representing downtown, suburban, and rural environments sampled from the seven EDA counties. The fundamental goals of this project is to identify appropriate sites that have socioeconomic and environmental conditions that can sustain pop-up retail kiosks, and create opportunities for citizens to access incremental business storefronts that are not feasible with traditional “bricks and mortar” lease space. **2016—Dewey Park and Foss Avenue Neighborhood Pavilions** **Design/Build with Habitat for Humanity** I provided pro-bono services partnered with the Genesee County Habitat for Humanity in a Citywide Request for Proposal for two pavilions on public land in Flint. Through the collaboration with Genesee County Habitat for Humanity, my design was chosen as the winning proposal and awarded the contract for both pavilions. The construction budget for both pavilions is $50,000.00 including design services, permits, materials and labor. Both pavilions are scheduled to be complete by June of 2016. **2014-Present—Passive House Projects** **Using Advanced Framing and Energy Modeling to Improve the Built Environment** Kurt managed the design and construction of Michigan’s first two United States Passive House Institute (PHIUS) Passive Homes. Passive House is the most energy efficient construction rating for residential buildings by reducing energy consumption up to 80%-90% better than standard construction. The result is minimal dependence on fossil fuels and increased health benefits from lower emissions. Currently working on three new net zero energy projects in Michigan. --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. 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