Jeff Fugate University of Kentucky
Jeff Fugate is an Associate Professor of Extension at the University of Kentucky’s School of Architecture. Fugate co-leads the ongoing community outreach projects Studio Louisville and Studio Appalachia. His current work applies community-engaged design solutions to contemporary social and climate-related challenges. Recently, Fugate secured seed funding to launch a Sustainable Housing Initiative. Fugate teaches studio and courses in urban design, history and theory of urbanism, and housing development. A city planner and urban designer by training, Fugate has a two-decade career in community and economic development prior to academia. With experience in both urban and rural settings, he has built affordable housing, undertaken adaptive reuse projects, operationalized mission-based investment funds, and led the former Lexington Downtown Development Authority (LDDA). During his time at the LDDA, Fugate successfully instigated multiple urban development projects, including the Town Branch Commons, Honor Award winner in Urban Design at ASLA 2023. Fugate has a B.A. from the University of Kentucky in Geography and graduate degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in City Planning and Architectural Studies. In addition to his duties at the University, Fugate serves as Chair for the Lexington Affordable Housing Fund.
Research Areas: Community Development, Affordable Housing, Urbanism, Rural Development
Collaborative Interests: department seminars, graduate committees, grant collaborations, guest lectures, public lectures, publications, research collaborations
