Kelle Brooks
| Position | Lecturer |
|---|---|
| kbrook10@calpoly.edu | |
| Phone |
805.756.2036 |
| Office |
21-215 |
| web page |
Areas of Expertise
Design Studio
Learning Environments
Building and Landscape Integration
Interior Material Details
Profile
Brooks has taught beginning design at The University of Arizona, Carnegie Mellon and is currently coordinator of the 2nd year design studio sequence at Cal Poly. She is a principal of Brooks Clifford Design, an architectural practice specializing in the effective use of materials and space to create sustainable and emotive connections between people, building and landscape. She has a Bachelor of Fine Art from Pratt Institute and a Master of Architecture from The University of Oregon. Brooks was a designer for several public sculpture projects while working in Maya Lin’s studio, including “The Wave Field,” University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI. As a project architect at Bohlin Cywinski Jackson for two University lab and classroom buildings at the University of Virginia. As a designer and project manager with Biologic architecture she specialized in human scale and architectural integration of innovative, responsive material systems for educational and corporate projects. Currently her teaching and grant supported research focus on interactive learning environments and community design. Under Brooks’ direction, students provide community design services for local elementary schools and community organizations including site-specific design and prototypical solutions for K-8 outdoor learning environments.
Experience
Educational Credentials:
Bachelor of Fine Arts, Pratt Institute 1992
Masters of Architecture, University of Oregon 1999
Teaching Experience:
Lecturer, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, CA 2014-Present
Adjunct Lecturer, Carnegie Mellon University, Department of Architecture 2009-2013
Adjunct Lecturer, University of Arizona, Department of Architecture 2003-2007
Professional Experience:
Brooks Clifford Design, San Luis Obispo, CA 2002-Present
Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, Pittsburgh, PA 2009-2011
Leers Weinzapfel Associates, Boston, MA 2000-2001
Licenses/Registration:
Licensed Architect, State of Arizona
Scholarship
Selected Activities:
- Community Design Build: Pop Up library for San Luis Obispo County Library 2025
- Salinas River Education Center Schematic Design. Collaboration with local community organizations: Eco Logistics and the SLO Beaver Brigade 2025
- Green Schoolyards National Covid-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative
Outdoor Classroom Infrastructure Working Group Member, 2020 - Outdoor Learning Environments: Design and Master Planning, 2015-present
Creston Elementary, Teach Elementary School, Laguna Middle School, and Rice Elementary School, Santa Maria. - Outdoor Learning Prototypes Design and Research 2015-present
Ongoing work for exhibit and publication. In partnership with Student researchers. Learnoutdoor.weebly.com - Collaborative Design Workshops with elementary students and architecture students
- Cal Poly 2nd year architecture students at region elementary schools 2015-18
- Carnegie Mellon 3rd year architecture students with Environmental Charter School, Pittsburgh, PA, 2012-14
- National Conference on the Beginning Design Student 2016
Tiny TED talk: “Small steps bring about big ideas” - “SMART Tiles,” Exhibit on Adaptive Architecture, CAED 2018.
Recent work from AIA Upjohn grant (with Dale Clifford) - Upjohn Research Initiative Grant (Co-PI) 2016-18
American Institute of Architects, Washington, D.C. Novel Application of Shape Memory Polymers for Adaptive Building Envelopes. Collaboration with Dale Clifford - AIA Emerging Architects Exhibit, Washington DC. 2014
Selected to exhibit recent work from national search, Bio-Logic Design Group
Selected Awards/Grants
- CAED Teacher and Student Scholar Award, Cal Poly 2025
Community Design Build Initiative, with Dale Clifford - Service Learning Fellowship, Center for Service in Action, Cal Poly 2025
Community Design Build - Dean’s Leadership Council, CAED Cal Poly 2021
Interactive Learning Environments - Universal Traveler Award, CAED Cal Poly 2020
Interactive Learning Environments in Denmark, a case study of contemporary schools - Poly Community Service Award, Service Learning- Faculty 2018
Project: Rice Elementary School garden and outdoor classroom - BEACoN Research Mentorship Award, Cal Poly (funded student research) 2019
Research topic: Outdoor Learning Environments Student: Aleksa Salve - Coalition for Adequate School Housing Student Design Competition, State of California
Award winners:
Alex Jenkins ARCH 253 2024
Julietta Moreno, Kathleen Brady and Rose Hillebrandt ARCH 452/3 2022
Aleksa Salve and Brian Chan ARCH 253 2017
Tyler Heitkamp and Scott Lindquist ARCH 253 2015
Updated 10.01.2025