About Me
Kurt Neiswender, AIA, LEED — architect, educator, podcast host, and toolmaker based in Flint, Michigan.
Who am I?
Hello, my name is Kurt Neiswender. I am a registered architect, LEED Accredited Professional, and Assistant Professor of Practice at Lawrence Technological University in the College of Architecture and Design. I’m also the founder and principal architect at Urban Colab Architecture, L3C in Flint, Michigan.
Where am I From?
I was born in Stamford, Connecticut and was raised there until I went off to college when I was eighteen.
Schooling
I attended the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California. This experience was where my interest in architecture grew into a passion and this passion was fueled by the work of deconstructivist avant-garde architects like Morphosis, Eric Owen Moss, and others. I also studied at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture in the NY/Paris Program, and later earned a Master of Urban Design with Distinction from Lawrence Technological University.
After receiving my degree from USC I worked in various firms around Los Angeles — Togawa & Smith, Gruen Associates, and OJMR Architects — before moving to Michigan where I worked at MainStreet Design Build and Sedgewick + Ferweda Architects (where I helped design Michigan’s first PHIUS Certified Passive House).
What I Do Now
I lead Urban Colab Architecture, a community-driven practice focused on sustainable housing, adaptive reuse, and equitable development in Flint. Projects include Gray Street Apartments, Orchard Grove and Manor, Crossover Outreach, and the Avalon Village Community Kitchen.
I also co-host the Coffee Sketch Podcast with my good friend Jamie Crawley, AIA — 190+ episodes, listeners in 80+ countries. You can find it on YouTube too.
At LTU I teach building systems courses (HVAC, Acoustics, Illumination) and the Comprehensive Design Studio, where we’re currently participating in ACSA’s “Timber in the City 6” competition.
More Info
For those who are curious, you can view my Curriculum Vitae online, [download the CV as PDF](/about/Curriculum Vitae Practice.pdf), or see my [Significant Work portfolio](/about/Significant Work.pdf).
The best way to reach me is at info@urbancolab.design.