Chris DesRoches: Design, Engagement and Planning

Chris leads the Design, Engagement and Planning practice of The Musicant Group.  He brings to bear over ten years of experience leading public space design, planning and engagement projects.  Prior to joining the firm, Chris served as President of a design + build firm creating custom public spaces, parks and playgrounds.

Chris believes in blending engagement and design to create better, more active, human-scale spaces. Further, that planning and design is an iterative and collaborative process that requires not only talking about spaces and solutions, but directly experiencing them.  To these ends, Chris has built models, stages, chairs, ping-pong tables, viewing boxes and many other items that demonstrate the efficacy of design through doing.

Chris is the father of two strong-willed girls (Finely, 3 and Nora, 1) who love dinosaurs, ballet, cheese and all animals.  He is the President of the Kingfield Neighborhood Association Board of Directors, an avid gardener and sometimes runner.

Chris holds a Masters Degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Minnesota.

His influences include: His wife Angela, William Whyte, Mike Lydon, Tom Fisher.

Places that have influenced him include: Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park in Minneapolis, Capital Square in Madison WI, Seattle’s Olympic Park and Great Smokey Mountains National Park.

Contact Chris at: chris@musicantgroup.com