Melissa Murphy

As an interdisciplinary architectural designer, I find myself most interested in the social and
ecological implications of urbanism and the built environment. My professional experience has taught me that the convergence of design with global perspectives and fields such as sociology and ecology can intensify the richness and integrity of a problem solution.

Having grown up in the rural southeast, where neighbors exchanged homegrown harvests of tomatoes, corn, squash, grapes, and various other items, I inherited a sincere appreciation of nature and how our society stems from it. This human connection to nature I took for granted before moving to cities of the urban northeast where I completed architectural education and was drawn into urban landscape design. After five years in New York City, the desire to reconnect to nature has drawn me to Norway where I continue to examine urban issues in the cultural and ecological realms.

Asides from my research, strong interests in gardening, cooking and knitting drive my life. I follow a line of thought that the abilities of both the natural world and traditional cuisine to enhance the urban experience bonding people in today's multicultural societies.