KRISTEN A. FOX
ARCHITECTURE + FINE ART
EDUCATION
University of Maryland, College Park
Master of Architecture, Fall 2013
Master of Historic Preservation, Fall 2013

Virginia Commonwealth University
Bachelor of Fine Arts, Interior Design, Spring 2009
ACTIVITIES & HONORS​
Recipient of the AIA Henry Adams Medal, 2014
Winner of the Jonathan King Medal for Excellence in Architectural + Environmental Design Research from the Architectural Research Centers Consortium, 2014
Winner of the Architecture Thesis Award in Recognition of Significant Contributions to the Built and Natural Environment, Winter 2013
Commencement speaker for the Historic Preservation Masters Program, Winter 2013
Recipient of the Design Collective, Inc. Scholarship and Internship, Summer 2013
Attended the Public Interest Design Institute and attained SEED Certification, Spring 2013
Recipient of the Grimm + Parker Scholarship Award, 2012-2013
Co-editor and designer for Building on Community: Recognizing the Potential of Bangkok's Informal Neighborhoods, 2012
Recipient of the American Institute of Architects/American Architectural Foundation Scholarship, 2011-2012
Studied Architecture and Representation in Rome, Vicenza, Florence, and Como, Summer 2011

AIAS Art Auction Graphics Volunteer, Spring 2011

Member of the Hyattsville Community Arts
Association, August 2010-December 2013

Recipient of the Provost Scholarship from Virginia Commonwealth University, 2005-2009

Nominated for the Wayne C. Hall Undergraduate Scholarship by the Interior Design Department at Virginia Commonwealth University, 2008

Nominated to exhibit work in the Virginia Commonwealth University Design Exhibition at the Anderson Gallery, 2007-2008

President of the Alpha Sigma Chapter of Phi Sigma Pi, National Honor Fraternity, 2007-2008

West Grace Honors College Hall Council Chair, 2005-2007
EXPERIENCE​
Architect
McKinney York Architects
Austin, Texas
February 2014 - Current
Developing renderings and graphic
presentations for residential,
commercial, and institutional clients.
Coordination and development
of architectural drawing sets from schematic
design to permitting and construction
administration.
Furniture & finishes specification and
coordination.
Architecture & Historic Preservation Intern
Design Collective, Inc.
Baltimore, Maryland
Summer 2013
Researched codes and regulations regarding
historic structures and districts.
Developed a programming package for new
user groups occupying a historic building.
Created renderings for client meetings and
presentations.
Developed plans in AutoCAD and Revit for
existing and new construction.
Gallery Assistant
Kibel Gallery, University of Maryland School of Architecture
College Park, Maryland
August 2010 - May 2013
Coordinated between artists, faculty, and
students to plan exhibitions and gallery talks.
Implemented exhibition installations and
signage, including layout and fabrication.
Responsible for gallery public relations.
Intern Architect
Gensler
Washington D.C.
Summer 2012
Participated in a research and
development program in Bangkok, Thailand.
Helped to develop a prototype for ecologically
efficient, low-income housing to serve the
communities of the informal settlements
along Bangkok's canals.
Kitchen Planner
IKEA College Park
College Park, Maryland
May 2009 - April 2010
Used specialized software to help
customers design and purchase kitchen
components.
Met with contractors to coordinate kitchen
installation for clients.
Provided cost estimates for kitchen
cabinets and custom countertops.
Design Intern
Beyond Ordinary Boundaries Architecture
Richmond, Virginia
August 2008 - March 2009
Created architectural construction
documents in AutoCAD for residential and
commerical projects.
Generated 3D models of architectural designs
for use in client presentations.
Met with project managers to discuss
progress and plans on a daily basis.
Intern Interior Designer
FOX Architects
McLean, Virginia
June 2008 - August 2008
Assisted in creating a partition standards
library in Revit for the firm.
Revised redlined CAD documents
for commercial interior design projects.
Helped to maintain the company’s
materials and finishes library.
Front End Director
Keith-Fabry Architectural Reprographics
Richmond, Virginia
February 2007 - August 2008
Hired, trained, and scheduled staff for
customer service positions.
Responsible for managing employees,
supervising customer service related tasks,
and assisting clients directly.
I attained Master's Degrees in Architecture and Historic Preservation from the University of Maryland in December of 2013.
I am perpetually driven to observe connections—between people, objects, and ideas. Learning to seek out these theoretical and social connections has been my driving force throughout my education. In my design career, I strive to learn how to make these connections myself, solving problems by connecting people with necessary tools and knowledge.
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I value collaboration on all levels—with professionals, with artists, and with clients. I consistently keep myself open to new ideas and I recognize that collaboration is a learned skill that continues to improve with practice.
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Throughout my undergraduate career in Interior Design at Virginia Commonwealth University, I was trained in the fine arts. The areas I studied led me through many different processes of creation, which contributed to the graphic quality of my presentations and the clarity of my design projects. I have realized how integrated the fields of art and design really are, no matter how dissimilar they may seem. My education in Interiors gave me an eye for details and finishes. I learned how to carefully choose materials, lighting, and color while balancing their costs and benefits. Interior design was an introduction to what I would explore during my future studies in architecture, and taught me the elements and principles of design that I would incorporate into a larger scale later on.
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My current focus is on ecologically and socially sustainable design at scales ranging from product design to urban design. During a design charette in Thailand, I worked with a team (including Gensler, four University of Pennsylvania Integrated Product Design graduate students and three graduate students from the University of Maryland’s School of Architecture) to design ecologically conscious, low-income housing for communities within the slums along the canals in Bangkok. This trip gave me perspective: I realized that socially sustainable design must happen at all levels, from material manufacture and finish specification to urban planning.
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I believe that architecture is about the people that inhabit and interact with it, not simply the forms that it is comprised of. As architects we should care about the people for whom we build. Creating conscious, lasting places that are responsive to the community and surrounding environment is how we do that. It is our responsibility to ensure that what we create continues to contribute positively to the built world in the long term.
EXHIBITIONS
2017 Pop-Up at the Neill-Cochran House
Museum, West Austin Studio Tour
Austin, Texas
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2017 People's Gallery, City Hall, Austin
Texas
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2016 Pop-Up at the Neill-Cochran House
Museum, West Austin Studio Tour
Austin, Texas
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2016 Trade Event, Metropolitan Gallery,
Austin, Texas
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2016 Exhibiting Artist at Austin
Bergstrom International Airport,
Austin, Texas
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2015 Guest Artist of Saul Jerome San
Juan, West Austin Studio Tour,
Austin, Texas