STUDIO FSP - Key Persons
Bruce is a planner and urban designer, with a background in architecture, whose work centers around re-envisioning the post-industrial American city. He collaborates with local architecture and planning firms in enhancing and updating communities, with an eye towards preservation, accessibility, and equity. Previously, Bruce worked with Maynes Associates Architects on architectural projects with Pittsburgh Public Schools and the Port Authority of Allegheny County. As an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Master of Urban Design first year studio at Carnegie Mellon University, Bruce taught his collaborative, multi-modal, hands-on perspective and approach towards transportation planning and urban design. He is a passionate advocate for mobility and public space, and serves on the Board of the Bloomfield Development Corporation, advocating for affordable housing, safe streets, and green infrastructure. In 2016, Bruce received the Advocate of the Year award from Bike Pittsburgh for his work with Bloomfield Livable Streets. In 2019, he was invited to join the Board of BikePGH, where he currently serves as an advocate for a more bikeable, walkable, and livable Pittsburgh. Bruce was born in Los Angeles and received degrees from the University of Southern California (BArch) and Carnegie Mellon University (MUD).
Christine Brill co-founded Studio for Spatial Practice as a firm with a creative, integrated approach to delivering architecture, urban design and landscape projects. Her early work with SfSP includes the creation of a Streetscape Plan for Lower Lawrenceville, collaborative efforts to develop a Greenprint for Pittsburgh's Hill District neighborhood, and several building-repurposing projects in the surrounding southwestern PA region. Christine led the renovation of Superior Motors, a former auto-dealership, into a restaurant in Braddock, PA. Located across from the still-operating Edgar Thomson Steel Plant, the restaurant drew inspiration from Braddock's people, history and character, providing an inviting venue, showcasing the eclectic cuisine of Chef Kevin Sousa. Christine has also developed a special interest in historic preservation projects, including the award-winning Electric Shop rehabilitation. She has taught architecture and site-design focused studios at Carnegie Mellon's School of Architecture, and participated in the City of Pittsburgh's Contextual Design Advisory Panel. Christine is currently an active volunteer working with Lawrenceville Tree Tenders to re-forest the dense, Victorian neighborhood. SfSP provided pro bono design services for Lawrenceville's Tree Park, located at Keystone Street and Stanton Avenue, showcasing mainly native trees and other plantings that are suitable for use on challenging urban sites. Christine Brill, AIA is a licensed PA architect with a Bachelor of Architecture from Carnegie Mellon University, and a Master of Landscape Architecture, focused on Community Design, from Penn State University.
Jen is a registered landscape architect in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and LEED accredited professional. Originally trained in architecture and urban design, her transition into landscape architecture grew out of her interest in the relationship of structure and motion in the natural and built environment as witnessed through the lens of design. Currently Jen leads green infrastructure and streetscape projects at SfSP. Previously Jen worked with LaQuatra Bonci Associates on projects in the United Kingdom, India and throughout the United States. Jen's dedication to sustainable landscapes, is evident in her various LEED accredited projects including her work on the Environmental Center at Frick Park, a project pursuing the Living Building Challenge. As an Adjunct Assistant Professor she taught third year architecture studio at Carnegie Mellon University as well as Architecture Summer Camp at the University of Notre Dame. Early in her career Jen studied urban design with a research fellowship to St. Petersburg through the Prince of Wales Foundation for the Built Environment. She also owns and teaches regular folkloric dance classes and workshops at Art in Motion Pittsburgh, a studio focused on international dance forms. Currently Jen is also on the Board of Directors of Alia Music Pittsburgh, a new music performance and production group. Jen was born in Pittsburgh, PA and received her degree from the University of Notre Dame (BArch).
Jonathan is an urban designer who's work focuses on advancing the form and culture of cities. Jonathan's work ranges from guiding the creation of mixed-use developments integrated with transit, to planning for complex urban neighborhoods, to imaging how to transform urban mobility. Previously Kline worked with Urban Design Associates on neighborhood master-planning projects in cities around the United States. Through over a decade of teaching and research as an Associate Studio Professor at Carnegie Mellon University, Jonathan has explored the future of cities more speculatively. Leading the undergraduate core studios his students explore urban housing for Pittsburgh, and his Master of Urban Design and thesis students speculate on harnessing the bottom-up capacity of communities to share resources by contributing to An Atlas of Commoning. He has also worked on research projects at the Remaking Cities Institute and the Studio for Creative Inquiry. As a volunteer he is part of the Riverlife Riverfront Design Committee. Jonathan is also a trained artist, creating paintings and drawing that visualize the spatial and social networks of cities. Jonathan was born in Pittsburgh and received degrees from Carnegie Mellon University (BArch) and The Pennsylvania State University (MFA Painting & Drawing).