AIA
Principal Emeritus

Dick Kirschner has been interested in architecture for as long as he can remember; he has memories of drawing house plans on scrap paper before he was even old enough to attend school. Although he didn't know what an architect was at the time, he was always fascinated with the process of converting a vision into a building.
In 1974, Dick graduated Magna Cum Laude from Ball State University in Muncie, IN with a Bachelor of Architecture. Dick describes his design style as clean and modern, and he is particularly fond of mid-century design.
Dick has more than 40 years of experience in the planning, design, and construction of university, healthcare, K-12 education, corporate and cultural institution facilities. He has dedicated the last 20+ years to student housing and dining projects.
Dick says the most gratifying aspect of his career is working with all of the wonderful clients, understanding their needs, creating a vision to meet those needs, then seeing the final product. He’s thankful that he's been able to make a living at something he has always been interested in doing.
When he isn't working, Dick enjoys doing renovations to his own house with his wife of 44 years, Amy. The couple bought an older home several years ago and have together remodeled the kitchen, three bathrooms, laundry and dining rooms, as well as updated finishes, lighting, fixtures and stairs throughout the home.
Dick's oldest son, Matthew, has carried on the family tradition and is also an architect at KWK. Dick’s younger son, Ryan, is a police officer in the City of St. Louis.
Representative Work

University of Oklahoma - Dunham & Headington Residential Colleges

University of Missouri - Brooks & Bluford Residence Halls

University of Missouri - The Restaurants at Southwest

IUPUI - North Residence Hall
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University of North Carolina Charlotte - Levine Residence Hall

Missouri S&T - University Commons
(Work performed while Principal at Mackey Mitchell Architects unless noted otherwise)
Student Housing
- Emory University
- Sorority Village – New facility for 10 sororities/ 208 total beds.
Indiana University
- Rose Avenue Residence Hall – New 450 bed residence hall - View Image
Missouri University of Science & Technology
- Residential College Phase I – New 250 bed residence hall with residential college support spacesl - View Image
- Residential College Phase II – New 300 bed residence hall - View Image
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
- Evergreen Residence Hall – New 550 bed residence hall with apartments and suites - View Image
Truman State University
- West Suites – New 400 bed residence hall with double suites
- Blanton/Nason/Brewer Residence Hall – Renovation of 3 interconnected halls with 300 beds
- Dobson Residence Hall – Renovation of 400 bed residence hall
- Ryle Residence and Dining Hall – Renovation of 500 bed residence hall. Renovation and expansion of dining center.
University of Cincinnati
- Stratford Heights – 14 new buildings with 700 beds, designed for Greek and other group living - View Image
University of Evansville
- North Apartments – New 86 bed apartment hall
University of Illinois
- Ikenberry Residence Hall 2 – New 450 bed residence hall with suites and semi-suites for upperclassmen - View Image
- Ikenberry Residence Hall 3 – New 450 bed residence hall with pods for freshmen
University of Missouri Columbia
- Southwest Campus Housing – Two new residence halls for 659 residents. Suites and Semi-suites. Living-Learning Community - View Image
- Mid-Campus Housing – Three new residence halls for 526 residents. Primarily 18 resident clusters. Living-Learning Community.
- Defoe & Graham Housing – Renovation and addition to two historic residence halls. 314 beds. Clusters and semi-suites.
University of Missouri Kansas City
- Johnson Residence Hall – New 300 bed residence hall. Double Semi-suites. - View Image
University of Nebraska
- Knoll Residence Hall – New 500 bed residence hall. Double and single suites. - View Image
- Residence Halls 2 & 3 – Two new 500 bed residence halls. Double and single suites.
University of Northern Iowa
- Residence Hall Phase I – New 200 bed apartment hall. - View Image
- Residence Hall Phase II – New 250 bed apartment hall.
University of North Carolina Charlotte
- Residence Hall Phase XI – New 450 bed residence hall. Suites. - View Image
Washington University in St. Louis
- Lien Residence Hall – New 160 bed residence hall. Suites
- Gregg Residence Hall – New 160 bed residence hall. Semi-suites.
- Nemerov Residence Hall – New 160 bed residence hall. Semi-suites
- Dardick Residence Hall – New 160 bed residence hall. Suites
- Eliot Residence Hall – New 150 bed residence hall. Suites and semi-suites
- Liggett/Koenig Residence Hall – New 300 bed residence hall. Suites and semi-suites
- Eliot B Residence Hall – New 150 bed residence hall. Suites
- South 40 Residence Hall – New 300 bed residence hall. Suites - View Image
- Umrath Residence Hall – New 150 bed residence hall. Semi-suites
- Village Residence Halls – Four new residence halls with 400 beds. Two buildings designed for Greek life.
- Village East Residence Hall – New 190 bed apartment hall.
- Fraternity Houses – Two new 24 resident fraternity houses.
Wayne State College
- Pile Residence Hall – Renovation of historic residence hall
Western Illinois University
- Corbin/Olson Residence Hall – Renovation of two residential towers with 900 Beds.
Westminster College
- Townhouses – New townhouses for 150 residents. Six-person, two level apartments.
Winston Salem State University
- Phase I – New 190 bed cluster style housing.
Student Dining
- Truman State University
- Ryle Dining Hall – Renovation of kitchen, expansion of servery, renovation and expansion of dining spaces.
- Student Union Building – Renovation of food service area.
Washington University in St. Louis
- Bear’s Den – New dining center serving 3,200 residents. Kitchen, servery, store, seating areas
- Village – New dining center for 1,000 residents. Kitchen, servery, store, and seating areas
- Ursa’s – New activity and food service venue with seating for up to 150.
Western Illinois University
- Corbin/Olson – Renovation of two old dining centers into a single new kitchen, server, store and dining hall.
Westminster College
- Mueller Center – New dining and community activity center
University Master Planning/ Pre-Design
- Georgia Institute of Technology
- Roosevelt Property – Pre-design study of site for new student housing and retail activities
Indiana University
- Wells Quad Study – Pre-design study for renovation four historic buildings back into residence halls and classrooms.
Missouri University of Science & Technology
- Residential Master Plan – Comprehensive campus plan for rehab, demolition, and new construction of student housing
Nebraska State College System
- Campus Master Plan – Comprehensive study of new development for 3 campuses. Concentrated on housing portion.
Northwestern University
- Residential Master Plan – Comprehensive campus plan for rehab, demolition, and new construction
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
- Residential Master Plan – Comprehensive campus plan for rehab, demolition and new construction.
Truman State University
- Residential Master Plan – Comprehensive campus plan for rehab, demolition and new construction
University of Cincinnati
- Stratford Heights Master Plan – Pre-design study for development of off-campus property
University of Illinois
- Champaign (6-Pack) Redevelopment Plan – Comprehensive plan for redevelopment of 3,200 resident neighborhood
University of Missouri
- Residential Master Plan 2005 – Comprehensive update of original master plan. Includes rehab, demo and new construction.
- Residential Master Plan 2013 – Comprehensive update of revised master plan.
University of Nebraska
- Residential Master Plan– Comprehensive campus plan for rehab, demolition and new construction of housing
University of Northern Iowa
- Residential Feasibility Plan – Development of site plan, phasing, costs, and program for new 800 bed, multi-phase housing.
University of Oklahoma
- Residential Master Plan– Comprehensive campus plan for rehab, demolition and new construction of housing & dining.
Washington University in St. Louis
- South 40 Master Plan – Land-use plan to upgrade and expand 2,300 resident area up to 3,300 residents with new amenities
- Village Master Plan – Land-use plan to construct new housing, and replace some existing housing, for upperclassmen
Academic/Research
- University of Evansville
- Business School Addition – New wing with medium to large lecture classrooms and support spaces
University of Missouri Kansas City
- Science & Technology Building – New 200,000 gsf classroom and research building
Washington University in St. Louis
- Brookings Hal Renovation – renovation of north wing for administrative and admissions office
- Central Underground Garage – New 3-level, 450 car subsurface garage.
Washington University School of Medicine
- Pediatric Research Building – New 200,000 gsf wet lab medical research building.