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Kurt Kohlstedt | |
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| Education | Carleton College (BA) University of Washington (M.Arch) |
| Occupations | Podcaster, writer, editor |
| Known for | 99% Invisible, WebUrbanist |
| Works | The 99% Invisible City (2020) |
| Website | kurtkohlstedt |
Kurt Kohlstedt is an American writer, editor, and podcaster. He is the Digital Director of the design podcast 99% Invisible and co-author of the 2020 The New York Times Best Seller The 99% Invisible City. [1] He previously founded a network of digital design-centered publications including WebUrbanist, WebEcoist, Dornob, and Gajitz.
Kohlstedt was born in Upstate New York and raised in Minnesota. He attended Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy. He later moved to Seattle to attend the University of Washington, graduating with a Master of Architecture (M.Arch) degree in 2007. [2] During his graduate studies, he focused on researching, writing, and teaching about the built environment, later noting that his strengths lay more in architectural analysis than professional practice. [3]
In 2007, Kohlstedt founded WebUrbanist, a digital publication dedicated to urban design, street art, and architecture. [4] He served as the founder and editor-in-chief of a series of networked design sites that collectively reached over 100 million readers. Two of these were acquired by major media companies: WebEcoist by Evolve Media, and Dornob by Internet Brands. [5]
His work from this period has been integrated into city planning research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) [6] and cited in peer-reviewed journals such as Societies [7] and Sustainability . [8] In 2012, Kohlstedt gave the keynote address at the annual Highlands and Islands Architects Association (HIAA) awards ceremony. [9]
In 2015, Kohlstedt joined the staff of 99% Invisible, a design podcast created by Roman Mars. As Digital Director, he manages the publication's online content; he also writes and produces both print stories and audio episodes for the program. [10] His work has since also been featured in industry publications including ArchDaily and Fast Company . [11] [12]
In 2020, Kohlstedt co-authored The 99% Invisible City: A Field Guide to the Hidden World of Everyday Design with Roman Mars. The book explores the histories of everyday urban designs. [13] It debuted on The New York Times Best Seller list and received critical acclaim, including a starred review from Kirkus Reviews and a celebratory review from Booklist . [14]
Kohlstedt is an advocate for assistive technology and universal design. Following a severe brachial plexus injury in 2024, which incapacitated his dominant arm, he launched "Adapt or Design", a spinoff project of 99% Invisible documenting everyday accessible design solutions. [15] The project includes research into one-handed writing technologies, culminating in the development of a free custom single-handed keymap ("KURTY"). [16]
Kohlstedt has presented talks, participated in live performances, and given interviews on cities and architecture, with a particular emphasis on adaptive reuse and regional design strategies.
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