About
Hello! I'm Kristen Smith. I am a Detroit-based designer and educator with over fifteen years of professional design experience.
My design practice is interested in crafting comfortable and considered interior spaces, developing welcoming exteriors which blur the line between inside and out, elevating materials and finishes through unique application and thoughtful detailing, and building responsive relationships with clients and collaborators to inspire, inform, and execute successful projects.
Prior to starting Kristen Smith Design, I was co-founder and principal at Et al. Collaborative of Detroit. I was a lead designer from 2013 to 2019 on many commercial and residential design projects including Selden Standard, The Alley Project Commons, and Standby. Some of my work has been featured in several local publications such as the Detroit Free Press, Hour Detroit, and Curbed.
From 2008 to 2013, I gained architecture experience with M1/DTW working on projects such as Mills Pharmacy and Detroit Yoga Lab, as well as graphic design for several branding projects and book designs. Prior to joining M1, I worked with PEG Office of Landscape Architecture in 2007 on several landscape design competitions and projects.
In addition to client-based design work, I am also a Professor of Practice at Lawrence Tech University College of Architecture and Design.
Project List
Selected project experience 2007 to present
Porter Cafe | Detroit MI | coming spring 2024
Canine to Five Eastside | Detroit MI | coming summer 2023
Hyde Road Porch | Hartland MI | coming summer 2023
Stone House | Beverly Hills MI | 2022
Canine to Five Commerce | Commerce MI | 2021
Canfield Kitchen | Detroit MI | 2021
Vinewood Exterior | Detroit MI | 2020
New Order Coffee Beaumont | Royal Oak MI | 2020
Chateaufort Kitchen | 2020
Lexington Bar | Woodbridge Detroit | 2020
Church Street Kitchen | Corktown Detroit | 2019
with Et al. Collaborative [2013–2019]
Grace in Action | Southwest Detroit | coming 2020
New Order Coffee Roasters | Midtown Detroit | 2017
The Alley Project Commons | Southwest, Detroit | 2016
Porter St Mixed Use Development Schemes | Hubbard Farms Detroit | unbuilt
The Skip Bar | Downtown, Detroit | 2016
David Campbell Memorial Terrace | Dequindre Cut, Detroit | 2016
Standby Restaurant | Downtown, Detroit | 2015
La Rondinella | Eastern Market, Detroit | 2015
St Vincent | Corktown, Detroit | 2015
Newman Residence Kitchen | Corktown, Detroit | 2015
Coffee and (Records) | Jefferson Chalmers, Detroit | 2015
Selden Standard | Midtown, Detroit | 2014
Restaurant/Market/Retail Complex | Eastern Market, Detroit | unbuilt
Red Bull House of Art ARTpartment | Eastern Market, Detroit | 2014
Trinosophes | Eastern Market, Detroit | 2014
Fiyck Residence Renovation Concepts | MI | unbuilt
Rubbed | Corktown, Detroit | 2014
Artifactory | Corktown, Detroit | 2013
Innerstate Gallery | Eastern Market, Detroit | 2013
Facade Design Studies | Eastern Market, Detroit | unbuilt
with M1/DTW [2008–2013]
Architecture/Interiors:
Books:
Shim Sutcliffe — The Passage of Time
Eliel & Eero Saarinen — Kleinhans Music Hall
O'Donnell & Tuomey — Ways of Working
Thom Mayne — The Continuity of Contradiction
Graphic Design:
with PEG/OLA [2007]
CVHC – Landscape design for multi-family housing
Weather Vane - Venice 2G Competition Entry 2007
Chaumont Garden Competition Entry 2007
Jardin de Metis Competition Entry 2007