Assistant Professor

Kris Fox is an educator and practitioner of landscape architecture (RLA: CA). In SAPL, Prof. Fox teaches design studios and construction courses. He created the Landscape Architecture Materials Library and online database, which opened in August 2018. 

He has taught at the University of British Columbia, Cornell University and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.  Prior to that, he practiced in the San Francisco Bay Area for eight years as a landscape architect with Land Studio and MFLA, and for 2+ years as a planner with the City of Oakland and South of Market Foundation (not for profit). 

His research explores the relationships between craft / materials / construction, the design process, and the value systems of best practices in the ‘sustainable era’.  He is currently exploring strategies for enhancing the design of school grounds through innovative use and deployment of “cheap” and/or sustainable landscape construction materials using an interdisciplinary approach. His project, The Outdoor PLAYbook (http://outdoorplaybook.ca/).  was developed by a team of design, health, and education researchers at UBC in close collaboration and consultation with parents, teachers, administrators, children, the Vancouver School Board and community partners. 

Recent Projects

The Outdoor PLAYbook: re-thinking how we design school grounds in Canada.

• Website launched June 2016.
• Recipient CSLA 2017 Awards of Excellence, Communication Category
• http://outdoorplaybook.ca/

Peer Review Papers (peer reviewed, double blind)

• Fox, Kris, and Emma Brodie. “Affordance Value of 2D Play elements: Adding Perspectives from Landscape Architecture”. Landscape Research Record, LRR No. 9. Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture (CELA), March 18-21, 2020.
• Fox, Kris. “Forty Years of Trends in Technology and Materials Columns in Landscape Architecture Magazine: 1978-2017”. Landscape Research Record, LRR No. 8. Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture (CELA), March 6-9, 2019.

Book chapter “The Means of Physical Transference” from Representing Landscapes: Hybrid (Routledge, 2016, edited by Nadia Amoroso) featuring student work from my Fall 2013 design studio entitled ::LAND<>ART:: The Sacred and the Profane.  Work from the chapter is also featured on the book cover. 

The Surrey PARKit Design Challenge – a Pop-Up Park at the Surrey City Centre 

The 2016 Surrey PARKit Design Challenge competition (design / build project) was closed to students in my Comprehensive Design Studio, co-taught with Vancouver landscape architect Alexandre Man-Bourdon.  Alex and I supervised the winning design team and other student volunteers with all aspects of technical drawings, materials selection and construction implementation with a local contractor hired by the city. The winning entry, “Surrey Spot”, by Huan Pan and Tian Tian can be viewed here:

• https://www.surrey.ca/about-surrey/community-initiatives/city-beautification-programs/park-it 
• https://sala.ubc.ca/subject/landscape-architecture?page=9 and https://sala.ubc.ca/work/surrey-spot

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Contact Info
+1 (403) 220-7428
Professional Faculties 3181
mk.fox1@ucalgary.ca

Education
MLA - University of California at Berkeley, 1999
BS - Urban and Regional Studies, Cornell University, 1995

Licenses and Professional Memberships
Registered Landscape Architect, California - License Number 5018

Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture (CELA)