Kendra Kirchmer
Assistant Professor
Interior Architecture & Industrial Design
2001B Seaton Hall
920 N Martin Luther King Jr. Drive
Manhattan, KS 66506
Assistant Professor Kendra Kirchmer is a designer, maker, and educator whose work explores the intersections of craft, health, and the built environment. She earned her Master of Fine Arts in Furniture Design from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) in 2016, where she was awarded the President’s Scholarship for excellence in design and research. A proud Kansas State University alumna, she holds a Bachelor of Architecture with a minor in Philosophy (2003).
Kirchmer is the founder of Studio Kirchmer, a small-batch furniture and object design practice dedicated to creating pieces that unite functionality, material integrity, and human experience. Her work has received national and international recognition, including exhibitions in Milan, Italy, and New York City. In 2017, her designs were selected for inclusion in the prestigious International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) Studio Class, recognizing emerging designers who are redefining craft and contemporary design.
Before pursuing her graduate studies, Kirchmer practiced commercial and residential architecture at award-winning firms including Hufft in Kansas City and Gensler and Hacin + Associates in Boston. Her diverse professional experiences across scales—from architecture to furniture—have cultivated a deep understanding of how people inhabit and interact with designed spaces and objects.
In 2021, Kirchmer founded the Vital Design Studio, an interdisciplinary initiative within the College of Architecture, Planning & Design that brings together graduate students from multiple programs to address challenges at the intersection of the built environment and human health. Through collaborative design investigations, students explore how design can foster well-being, accessibility, and resilience.
Kirchmer’s teaching and research are rooted in human-centered design and the belief that craft is both a mode of making and a way of thinking. Her scholarly interests include the built environment as a determinant of health, transdisciplinary collaboration, tacit knowledge transfer, and the evolving role of furniture design in shaping everyday life. Through her teaching, practice, and research, she continues to champion design as an essential force for human flourishing.