Thomas Fisher

Thomas Fisher is Professor of Architecture in the Architecture and Design faculty at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities College of Design, holding the Dayton Hudson Chair in Urban Design. He serves as Director of the Minnesota Design Center and Director of the Master of Science in Metropolitan Design program. Fisher earned a Bachelor of Architecture from Cornell University and a Master of Arts in Intellectual History from Case Western Reserve University. Prior to academia, he was Editorial Director of Progressive Architecture magazine. From 1996 to 2015, he was Dean of the College of Design, where he restructured the college to integrate design disciplines, established public interest and product design programs, taught annually, and directed fundraising for facilities and scholarships supporting underrepresented students.

Fisher's research specializations encompass urban design, system design, geodesign, service design, ethics, theory, and criticism, emphasizing human-centered approaches to redesign dysfunctional, unsustainable, and inequitable systems, pinpointing fracture-critical vulnerabilities, and building resilient, equitable alternatives. He has authored twelve books, such as The Architecture of Ethics (Routledge, 2019), Designing Our Way to a Better World (University of Minnesota Press, 2016), In the Scheme of Things: Alternative Thinking on the Practice of Architecture (University of Minnesota Press, 2000), Architectural Design and Ethics (Routledge, 2008), and Ethics for Architects: 50 Dilemmas of Professional Practice (Chronicle Books, 2010), alongside over 450 articles and 60 book chapters. Recognized in 2005 as the fifth most published architecture writer in the United States, he has lectured at over 50 universities and 150 professional meetings. Fisher has secured over $5.7 million for initiatives on climate resilience, equity, public health, urban infrastructure, and streetscapes, and launched nonprofits addressing homelessness and digital equity. His leadership in AIA, ACSA, and NAAB advanced equity policies and accreditation standards. Awards include the 2025 AIA/ACSA Topaz Medallion for Excellence in Architectural Education, ACSA Distinguished Professor (2019), Alpha Rho Chi Gold Medal (2016), and top-25 design educator recognition four times by Design Intelligence.

Professional Email: tfisher@umn.edu