Environmental Designer Kailey Kruse
+1(602)-741-0171
Tempe,Arizona(85281)
knkruse@asu.edu
Humans spend most of their lives in resurrected environments - spaces that, by choice or by fate, mold the minutiae of our daily lives. As an environmental designer, my design literacy is rooted in a commitment to define a form, function, and meaning of thesespacestoenhancethestandardandqualityofapeople,place,andtime.
The goal of my work is to transform both the physical and psychological landscapes we navigate, initiating a shift toward more sustainable ecosystems. Every environment is an opportunity to introduce and cultivate the vital components of a broader dialogue about anthropogenic systems, infrastructure, and art that fosters successful and happy communities. My work is not merely about creating spaces; it’s about reinforcing and redefining how we interact with our world, ensuring our environments today fosters a bettertomorrow.
EDUCATION
ArizonaStateUniversity
Barrett,HonorsUndergraduateCollege (August2020-Summer2024)
BachelorsofEnvironmentalDesign HerbergerInstituteforDesign&the Arts
Minor,Sustainability CollegeofGlobalFutures
Certificate,Biomimicry CollegeofGlobalFutures
InternationalDesignEducation Rome,Paris,London,Barcelona
ArizonaStateUniversity GraduateCollege (August2024-Summer2027)
MastersofArchitecture(MArch) HerbergerInstituteforDesign&the Arts
ACHIEVEMENTS
TomaleeDoanLibAidforStudentSuccess Award
KatherineK.HerbergerScholarAward
SustainabilityUndergraduateResearch ExperienceScholarAward
BarrettSummerDevelopmentProgram ScholarshipRecipient
NewAmericanUniversityScholarAward
HonorsProjectAwardRecipient
ASUDeansList(2020-2024)(3.94GPA)
GlobalEducationStudentSpotlight
PROJECTS
AIASDesignMentorship
NaturespaceDigitalization
NaturespaceDesignSpecialist
ArizonaStateUniversityMakerSpace Services August,2024-Present
NaturespaceLibraryAide
ArizonaStateUniversityMakerSpace Services August,2022-July,2024
BiomimicryResearchOfficer
ArizonaStateUniversity May,2023-January2024
Human-NatureInteractions& ConservationPlanningforLandscape SustainabilityResearcher
ArizonaStateUniversity August,2022-May,2023
EventsandFundraisingSustainability Intern
ArizonaGreenChamberofCommerce January,2021-May,2021
UrbanPlanningExternship
GilbertCivicCenter May,2019-November,2019
RetailAssociateandStarbucksBarista Target Nov2018-Jul2020 EXPERIENCE
ReflectionsofLifeMuseumInstallation
ASUNaturespaceDisplayCaseInstallations
Art&ArchitectureWorkshops
Bio-IntegratedDesignFramework
Socio-EconomicStudyofLondonArchitecture andUrbanDesign
EPICSCoralRestorationProject
ArtandFurnitureDesign
LandscapeSustainabilityResearch
SKILLS
AdobeCreativeCloud
MicrosoftOffice
Revit/AutoCad
Rhino
SketchupPro
Fusion360
V-Ray/Lumion
3DPrinting
GeospatialDataandMapping
ArcGISPro
Research&Analytics
ClimaticAnalysisandDesign
SustainableDesign
Energy-EfficientModeling
Landscape Sustainability Research
Arizona State University, Research Team Project
Human-NatureInteractions&ConservationPlanning
Phoenix,Arizona,UnitedStatesofAmerica
GoogleSuites-Mendeley-Illustrator-Canva
ValuingParksinPhoenix
AStudyoftheInfluenceofParkQualityonUtilizationandPerceptions
This study explored the relationship between park quality and resident perceptions across 12 socio-economically diverse neighborhoods in Phoenix, Arizona. As urban parks are crucial for promoting public health, social engagement, and environmental sustainability, understanding how park quality impacts usage and satisfaction is essential for equitable urban planning. The main objective was to examine how park quality influences residents perceptions and satisfaction with parks in different neighborhoods. This included analyzingwhetherfactorslikeincomeandethnicityaffectparkaccessibility,aswellasassessinghowparkamenities,size,andavailabilitycontributetooverallsatisfaction.
A mixed-methods approach was used, integrating quantitative data on park attributes and resident perceptions. We analyzed the number, size, and amenities of parks through data from municipal websites and assigned scores based on available amenities (e.g., playgrounds, sports facilities, ect.). Resident satisfaction data was sourced from the 2021 Phoenix Area Social Survey (PASS), assessing satisfaction on a scale of 1-5. The "park availability scores" were calculated using a 0-4 scale to evaluate park access within a 10minutewalkingdistance,parkarea,andproximitytodesertpreserves.
Results showed that park satisfaction was generally higher in neighborhoods with larger parks and a greater variety of amenities. Interestingly, no strong correlation was found betweensocio-economicfactors(incomeandethnicity)andparkaccessibilityorquality.However,predominantlyHispanicneighborhoodstendedtohavemoderatetolow satisfaction ratings, indicating potential unmet needs in these areas. Urban neighborhoods generally had better access to parks compared to suburban and exurban areas, where fewer parksandlimitedwalkabilityimpactedavailabilityscores.
Although socio-economic factors did not show a strong association with park quality, the presence of amenities and park size were significant predictors of resident satisfaction. These findings suggest that increasing amenities and improving park access in underserved neighborhoods could enhance community well-being. The study provides valuable insights for urban planners, park administrators, and policymakers, highlighting the importance of equitable access to high-quality parks as part of sustainable urban development. Future research could further explore additional factors affecting park satisfaction, such as safety, cultural significance, and community involvement, to support more inclusivepublicspaces.
Design As, With, & For Nature
Arizona State University, Undergraduate Thesis
ThePotentialofBio-IntegratedDesignwithintheBuiltEnvironment
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Abstract
This thesis, "Design As, With, and For Nature: A Comprehensive Study on The Potential of Bio-Integrated Design within the Built Environment," investigates the transformative potential of bio-integrated design. By redefining the relationship between human-made structures and natural systems, this research emphasizes innovative approaches that harmonize architectural practices with ecological principles. Bio-integrated design, encompassing biomimicry, biophilia, and bioutilization, presents a compelling strategy to address the pressing environmental challenges of the Anthropocene. Through a detailed analysis of case studies, including living walls, kinetic facades, and algae-based systems, this study reveals the multifaceted benefits of bio-integrated design, highlighting its ecological, economic, social, and cultural dimensions. The study finds that the importance of adaptive regulatory frameworks, interdisciplinary collaboration, and educational outreach in advancing sustainable urban development is crucial. This thesis aims to contribute to the growing discourse on sustainable architecture, proposing a holistic framework that advocates for designing as, with, and for nature to foster resilient and regenerativebuiltenvironments.
ProposedTerminology
Thelackofterminologyapplicabletosolutionsinthebuiltenvironmentwasone of the most notable concerns of this study Humans have designed numerous innovative, sustainable solutions throughout time—as exemplified through countless iterations of biomimicry and biomorphism. Yet, there are few umbrella terms or frameworks that comprehensively define bio-integrated design. By establishing and adopting such terms, we can foster a more unified understanding and implementation of bio-integrated design principles across the builtenvironment.Hereareafewtermsthatcouldpotentiallybridgethisgap:
Bio-IntegratedDesign
Bio-integrated design constitutes a methodology that harmonizes human-made structures with natural systems by incorporating principles and processes from nature. Itinvolvescreatingenvironmentsthatdrawinspirationfrom,emulate,orutilizenatural elements and ecosystems to achieve sustainability, resilience, and a symbiotic relationship between built and natural environments. This approach includes integrating biological technologies and ecological principles into design to enhance the ecological,economic,andsocialdimensionsofthebuiltenvironment
ScopeofBio-integratedDesign
Bio-OptimizationDesign
Bio-Optimization Design focuses on enhancing and optimizing the performance and efficiency of biological systems within the built environment This approach aims to maximize the benefits derived from integrating biological processes It often involves optimizing technologies and practices that amplify the positive interactions between biologicalsystemsandhuman-madestructures
Bio-Stasis/Bio-StabilityDesign
Bio-Stasis Design focuses on creating environments that maintain a stable and balanced state of biological systems over time This approach aims to preserve existing ecosystemsandbiodiversitybyminimizinghumanimpactandpromotingequilibrium.It involves the careful management of natural resources, conservation practices, and the useofsustainablematerialsandtechnologiesthatdonotaltertheecologicalbalance.
Bio-RemediationDesign
Bio-RemediationDesigninvolvestheuseofbiologicalagentstomitigateenvironmental contaminants and restore polluted or degraded ecosystems This approach leverages the natural processes of these organisms to break down or absorb pollutants, thereby cleaningtheenvironmentandmakingithabitableagain.
Bio-AdverseDesign
Bio-Adverse Design is an approach that either inadvertently or deliberately designs environments that are harmful or disruptive to biological systems. This type of design often neglects the ecological impacts and can lead to habitat destruction, pollution, and adecreaseinbiodiversityamongotherwickedchallenges.
Memories of the Rio Salado
Tempe History Musuem Temporary Installation
ReflectionsofLifeThroughArtandStorytelling
Tempe,Arizona,UnitedStatesofAmerica
As the sun set across the Rio Salado, its light caught the reflections of broken glass scattered along the water’s edge each fragment mirroring the untold lives that have long existed within the river’s evolving landscape. Life Untold: Memories of the Rio Salado was created as part of the Rio Salado Master Plan, seeking to honor and amplify the voices of those who have called the river’s edge home, even as they remain unseen in the city’s vision of revitalization. Like the scattered reflections of shattered glass, those experiencing homelessness are often disregarded reduced to statistics, displaced by policy, and left out of conversations that determine the future of the spaces they inhabit. Through artistic installation and firsthand narratives, this project sought to challenge these perceptions, reframing the Rio Salado not just as a site of urban redevelopment but as a space deeply interwoven with human histories, struggles, and resilience
TheReflectionsofShatteredGlass
TheReflectionsofLifeinstallationtransformedbrokenmirrorshardsintoavisualmetaphor eachfragmentrepresentingalife,amemory,andavoicethatmightotherwisebeoverlooked.Thesereflectionswere pairedwithinterviewsconductedalongtheRioSalado,capturingthelivedexperiencesofindividualslikeSterling,KevinScott,Jermaine,MJ,andShaggy Theirstoriesrevealednotonlythesystemicbarriersthat perpetuatehomelessnessbutalsotheenduringstrength,intellect,andaspirationsofthosenavigatinglifewithoutstableshelter.
Sterling,aself-describedintellectual,envisionedafuturewherepeopleinhissituationhadaccesstoeducationandresourcesratherthanbeingdismissedbysociety KevinScott,asoberadvocateforchange,spokeof policiesthatcriminalizedhomelessnessratherthanaddressingitsrootcauses.Jermaine,amusician,reflectedonthechallengesofmentalhealth,loss,andthelong,near-impossiblepathtostability.Theirwords, alongsideothers,formedacollectivenarrative onethatinvitedthepublictolisten,toreflect,andtoseethehumanfaceswithinthebrokenglass
BeyondFourWalls:UnderstandingtheRioSalado’sUnseenCommunities
TheRioSaladohaslongbeenasiteoftransformation,fromitsearlydaysasanaturalwatershedtoitsroleinPhoenix’surbanexpansion.Today,whilecelebratedforitsrevitalizationefforts,itisalsohometoanoftenoverlookedcommunity—thosewhoseekrefugealongitsbanks TheLifeUntoldprojectaimedtorevealtheintersectionofplace,policy,andpersonalexperience,illustratinghowhomelessnessisnotjusttheabsenceof ahomebuttheabsenceofbelonginginarapidlychangingcity.
Homelessnessisfrequentlymisrepresentedasanindividualfailureratherthanasystemicissueshapedbyeconomicinstability,mentalhealthcaregaps,andshiftingurbanpolicies.LifeUntoldchallengedthese misconceptionsbysituatingpersonalnarrativeswithinthebroadercontextoftheRioSalado’sdevelopment,urgingplanners,policymakers,andthepublictoacknowledgethehumancostofrevitalizationefforts
FindingPurposeintheBeautyofImperfections
Throughfracturedreflectionsanduntoldmemories,LifeUntoldaskedthecommunitytolookbeyondthesurface torecognizetheindividualswhosepresencehasshapedtheRioSaladojustasmuchasits developmentprojects.Eachvoicecapturedinthisprojectwasareminderthatrevitalizationshouldnotcomeatthecostofdisplacement,andthattrueprogressmustincludeallwhocallthislandscapehome. Thisprojectwasnotjustanartisticreflection,butacalltoaction aninvitationtolisten,tolearn,andtostandinsolidaritywiththosewhosestorieshavelongbeenleftintheshadows
. Spring,2025. KnK
