Chris Kempel channeled his lifelong fascination with the arts into the pursuit of architecture, landing him in his current role as Design Partner for RKA. A graduate of The UCLA Master of Architecture program, Chris also studied at the Kunsthochechule Weissense in Berlin, an international program that values an interdisciplinary approach, viewing society and art as having a symbiotic relationship.
Since childhood, Chris has admired the juxtaposition between natural and manmade environments, and in the confluence of his drawing, building, and visionary skills. He emphasizes excellence in craft, understanding that to fully tailor a family’s home or a new office building, it’s the finest of details that heightens the experience. His greatest passion lies within designing residential spaces. The notion that a well-designed home can positively affect someone’s well-being is what drives him to think of every last detail—he once spent several days living on a family’s land to better understand the way sunlight changed throughout the course of a day, all to better inform the design of its future dwelling.
EDUCATION
Master of Architecture
University of California, Los Angeles, 1999
Bachelor of Environmental Design in Architecture
North Carolina State University, 1994
Special Studies, Kunsthochschule, Weissensee, Berlin, Germany, 1993
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Member, American Institute of Architects
National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) Certified
Registered Architect, California, 2007
National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB)
Subject Matter Expert for the California Supplemental Exam,
Department of Consumer Affairs and California Architects Board