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John Marshall

Professor
Professor, Taubman College of Architecture & Urban Planning
Founding Director, MDes Integrative Design Program

Contact

Photograph of John Marshall

Biography

Curriculum Vitae
  • Ph.D. Robert Gordon University, 2008
  • M.A. Manchester Metropolitan University, 1997
  • M.F.A. Ohio State University, 1996
  • B.A.(Hons) Glasgow School of Art, 1993

John is a designer, educator, and creative technologist with over 20 years’ experience. He is interested in the new ecologies created by the intersection of objects, tangible interaction, and networks. John designs interactions for a range of platforms, scales, and sites. His current research focuses on design methods, digital fabrication, tangible interaction, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and problem-based learning.

John co-directs rootoftwo, LLC (with Cézanne Charles). rootoftwo make hybrid design projects that test the materiality and consequenc­es of technology at the city-scale. They create social objects, experiences, and works for the public realm which engage participants in civic future-making. They have worked with clients, collaborators and institutions to present work in Australia, Austria, Brazil, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Japan, Macedonia, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Recent projects have been featured in Wired, FastCompany, Dezeen, Dwell, Studio International, Fresh Art International, and The Guardian. They were selected to represent Detroit UNESCO City of Design at the 11th Annual Meeting of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN), at the Centre des Arts in Enghien-les-Bains, France.

John also co-directs r+d LAB, LLC a meshing of rootoftwo (Cézanne Charles and John Marshall) + DAUB (Karl Daubmann) a research-led collaborative entity to remix models of practice including laboratory, workshop, think-tank, garage, studio, and agency that lead to innovative approaches, designs and environments. r+d LAB projects have been awarded an American Institute of Architects Michigan Award 2016, an American Institute of Architects Small Project Practitioners Award 2010, Architect Magazine's 2010 R+D Award for architectural research, and have been highly commended in the 2011 ar+d Awards for Emerging Architecture from the Architectural Review.

As an educator at University of Michigan, John pursues new educational models, technologies and tools for teaching and learning. He is the founding director of the Master of Design (MDes) in Integrative Design program at Penny W. Stamps School of Art and Design. Together with MDes graduate students John has designed and led charrettes for the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, IBM Watson Health; and has worked with industry leaders including Guardian Industries Corp, Georgia Pacific, Molex, Stryker, and Steelcase. John designed and led the inaugural Impact Hackathon at the Stephen M. Ross School of Business to bring together global leaders — including entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, business leaders, and academics — to catalyze transformational ideas in social impact investing. He is a participant in the Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation (IHPI), and the Community-Academic Research Network (CAR-Net).

Previously, John worked as part of a collaborative product development team at consumer baby products manufacturer Evenflo Company, Inc. During this time, he was instrumental in transitioning the company to a rapid prototyping-based product development process. He also taught 3D design at Leeds College of Art & Design in the UK.

News

Photograph of John Marshall

U-M Regents Approve Promotion of John Marshall to Full Professor
Stamps fac staff 2025

2025 Faculty and Staff Awards
7x7 - Rhizome

rootoftwo Participates in 7x7 2025
John Marshall and Cézanne Charles of rootoftwo facilitate a game play test

NEA Interviews rootoftwo
A sample of character illustrations for 463NCY: A Cyberpunk Cooperative Game

rootoftwo Receives Knight New Work Detroit Grant for 463NCY: A Cyberpunk Cooperative Game
An image of a phone, displaying the Cultural Center's Guest Wireless login

Detroit Cultural Center Association Wins 2024 Bay Urban Visioning Award
A playtest of rootoftwo's 463 NYC game at the ICC National Convening at UCLA

rootoftwo: Advancing Innovation and Equity in Creative Technology
LBTMF Box

John Marshall participates in design futuring workshop at the DIS 2024 conference in Copenhagen
CCPI Featured Image

John Marshall and rootoftwo to Bring Free Public Wi-Fi, Digital Transformation to Midtown, Detroit
AXD

John Marshall Co-Edits AXD Catalog
13 Detroit Square birdseye night

John Marshall Wins DIA Plaza/Midtown Cultural Connections International Design Competition
Title M Des19

Designing Decisions: 2019 MDes Public Talks
Spaces of hope

John Marshall Presents at Mapping the Egalitarian Metropolis
Mdes equity title

Designing for Equity in Public Education
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John Marshall + Agence Ter Featured in The Dirt
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John Marshall: DIA Plaza/Midtown Cultural Connections International Design Competition Presentation
The Intersection

John Marshall and Cezanne Charles Present at MOCAD
Dia mcc plaza

John Marshall Facilitates Public Feedback for Proposed Detroit Design Site
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Design Research at Stamps: Decipher 2018
Impact Hackathon July2018 4264 sized

John Marshall: Impact Hackathon Brings Together Global Leaders

Work

John Marshall: Detroit Square (DSQ) 2019 John Marshall: Detroit Square (DSQ) 2019 Faculty John Marshall: Detroit Square (DSQ) 2019
John Marshall: Detroit Square (DSQ) 2019 John Marshall: Detroit Square (DSQ) 2019 Faculty John Marshall: Detroit Square (DSQ) 2019
John Marshall: Detroit Square (DSQ) 2019 John Marshall: Detroit Square (DSQ) 2019 Faculty John Marshall: Detroit Square (DSQ) 2019
John Marshall: Detroit Square (DSQ) 2019 John Marshall: Detroit Square (DSQ) 2019 Faculty John Marshall: Detroit Square (DSQ) 2019
John Marshall: Detroit Square (DSQ) 2019 John Marshall: Detroit Square (DSQ) 2019 Faculty John Marshall: Detroit Square (DSQ) 2019
John Marshall: Detroit Square (DSQ) 2019 John Marshall: Detroit Square (DSQ) 2019 Faculty John Marshall: Detroit Square (DSQ) 2019
John Marshall: Detroit Square (DSQ) 2019 John Marshall: Detroit Square (DSQ) 2019 Faculty John Marshall: Detroit Square (DSQ) 2019
John Marshall: Detroit Square (DSQ) 2019 John Marshall: Detroit Square (DSQ) 2019 Faculty John Marshall: Detroit Square (DSQ) 2019
John Marshall: Whithervanes for Miami 2018 John Marshall: Whithervanes for Miami 2018 Faculty John Marshall: Whithervanes for Miami 2018
John Marshall: Whithervanes for Miami 2018 John Marshall: Whithervanes for Miami 2018 Faculty John Marshall: Whithervanes for Miami 2018
John Marshall: Whithervanes for Miami 2018 John Marshall: Whithervanes for Miami 2018 Faculty John Marshall: Whithervanes for Miami 2018
John Marshall: Whithervanes for Miami 2018 John Marshall: Whithervanes for Miami 2018 Faculty John Marshall: Whithervanes for Miami 2018
John Marshall: Whithervanes for Miami 2018 John Marshall: Whithervanes for Miami 2018 Faculty John Marshall: Whithervanes for Miami 2018
John Marshall: Whithervanes for Miami 2018 John Marshall: Whithervanes for Miami 2018 Faculty John Marshall: Whithervanes for Miami 2018
John Marshall: Whithervanes for Miami 2018 John Marshall: Whithervanes for Miami 2018 Faculty John Marshall: Whithervanes for Miami 2018
John Marshall: Whithervanes for Miami 2018 John Marshall: Whithervanes for Miami 2018 Faculty John Marshall: Whithervanes for Miami 2018
John Marshall: RBTS 2.0 2017-18 John Marshall: RBTS 2.0 2017-18 Faculty John Marshall: RBTS 2.0 2017-18
John Marshall: RBTS 2.0 2017-18 John Marshall: RBTS 2.0 2017-18 Faculty John Marshall: RBTS 2.0 2017-18
John Marshall: RBTS 2.0 2017-18 John Marshall: RBTS 2.0 2017-18 Faculty John Marshall: RBTS 2.0 2017-18
John Marshall: RBTS 2.0 2017-18 John Marshall: RBTS 2.0 2017-18 Faculty John Marshall: RBTS 2.0 2017-18
John Marshall: RBTS 2.0 2017-18 John Marshall: RBTS 2.0 2017-18 Faculty John Marshall: RBTS 2.0 2017-18
John Marshall: RBTS 2.0 2017-18 John Marshall: RBTS 2.0 2017-18 Faculty John Marshall: RBTS 2.0 2017-18
John Marshall: Whithervanes: Open Hardware Kit (WOHK) 2017-18 John Marshall: Whithervanes: Open Hardware Kit (WOHK) 2017-18 Faculty John Marshall: Whithervanes: Open Hardware Kit (WOHK) 2017-18
John Marshall: Whithervanes: Open Hardware Kit (WOHK) 2017-18 John Marshall: Whithervanes: Open Hardware Kit (WOHK) 2017-18 Faculty John Marshall: Whithervanes: Open Hardware Kit (WOHK) 2017-18
John Marshall: Whithervanes: Open Hardware Kit (WOHK) 2017-18 John Marshall: Whithervanes: Open Hardware Kit (WOHK) 2017-18 Faculty John Marshall: Whithervanes: Open Hardware Kit (WOHK) 2017-18
John Marshall: Whithervanes: a neurotic, early worrying system 2014 John Marshall: Whithervanes: a neurotic, early worrying system 2014 Faculty John Marshall: Whithervanes: a neurotic, early worrying system 2014
John Marshall: Whithervanes: a neurotic, early worrying system 2014 John Marshall: Whithervanes: a neurotic, early worrying system 2014 Faculty John Marshall: Whithervanes: a neurotic, early worrying system 2014
John Marshall: Whithervanes: a neurotic, early worrying system 2014 John Marshall: Whithervanes: a neurotic, early worrying system 2014 Faculty John Marshall: Whithervanes: a neurotic, early worrying system 2014
John Marshall: Whithervanes: a neurotic, early worrying system 2014 John Marshall: Whithervanes: a neurotic, early worrying system 2014 Faculty John Marshall: Whithervanes: a neurotic, early worrying system 2014
John Marshall: Whithervanes: a neurotic, early worrying system 2014 John Marshall: Whithervanes: a neurotic, early worrying system 2014 Faculty John Marshall: Whithervanes: a neurotic, early worrying system 2014
John Marshall: Whithervanes: a neurotic, early worrying system 2014 John Marshall: Whithervanes: a neurotic, early worrying system 2014 Faculty John Marshall: Whithervanes: a neurotic, early worrying system 2014
John Marshall: Whithervanes: a neurotic, early worrying system 2014 John Marshall: Whithervanes: a neurotic, early worrying system 2014 Faculty John Marshall: Whithervanes: a neurotic, early worrying system 2014
John Marshall: Whithervanes: a neurotic, early worrying system 2014 John Marshall: Whithervanes: a neurotic, early worrying system 2014 Faculty John Marshall: Whithervanes: a neurotic, early worrying system 2014
John Marshall: Whithervanes: a neurotic, early worrying system 2014 John Marshall: Whithervanes: a neurotic, early worrying system 2014 Faculty John Marshall: Whithervanes: a neurotic, early worrying system 2014
John Marshall: Resonance 2014 John Marshall: Resonance 2014 Faculty John Marshall: Resonance 2014
John Marshall: Resonance 2014 John Marshall: Resonance 2014 Faculty John Marshall: Resonance 2014
John Marshall: Resonance 2014 John Marshall: Resonance 2014 Faculty John Marshall: Resonance 2014
John Marshall: Resonance 2014 John Marshall: Resonance 2014 Faculty John Marshall: Resonance 2014
John Marshall: Resonance 2014 John Marshall: Resonance 2014 Faculty John Marshall: Resonance 2014
John Marshall: Rules of the Road: Connecting Chicago to Underutilized Freeway Infrastructure Zones 2014 John Marshall: Rules of the Road: Connecting Chicago to Underutilized Freeway Infrastructure Zones 2014 Faculty John Marshall: Rules of the Road: Connecting Chicago to Underutilized Freeway Infrastructure Zones 2014
John Marshall: Rules of the Road: Connecting Chicago to Underutilized Freeway Infrastructure Zones 2014 John Marshall: Rules of the Road: Connecting Chicago to Underutilized Freeway Infrastructure Zones 2014 Faculty John Marshall: Rules of the Road: Connecting Chicago to Underutilized Freeway Infrastructure Zones 2014
John Marshall: Rules of the Road: Connecting Chicago to Underutilized Freeway Infrastructure Zones 2014 John Marshall: Rules of the Road: Connecting Chicago to Underutilized Freeway Infrastructure Zones 2014 Faculty John Marshall: Rules of the Road: Connecting Chicago to Underutilized Freeway Infrastructure Zones 2014
John Marshall: Rules of the Road: Connecting Chicago to Underutilized Freeway Infrastructure Zones 2014 John Marshall: Rules of the Road: Connecting Chicago to Underutilized Freeway Infrastructure Zones 2014 Faculty John Marshall: Rules of the Road: Connecting Chicago to Underutilized Freeway Infrastructure Zones 2014
John Marshall: Rules of the Road: Connecting Chicago to Underutilized Freeway Infrastructure Zones 2014 John Marshall: Rules of the Road: Connecting Chicago to Underutilized Freeway Infrastructure Zones 2014 Faculty John Marshall: Rules of the Road: Connecting Chicago to Underutilized Freeway Infrastructure Zones 2014
John Marshall: Re:Tool-Kit for Detroit 2012 John Marshall: Re:Tool-Kit for Detroit 2012 Faculty John Marshall: Re:Tool-Kit for Detroit 2012
John Marshall: Re:Tool-Kit for Detroit 2012 John Marshall: Re:Tool-Kit for Detroit 2012 Faculty John Marshall: Re:Tool-Kit for Detroit 2012
John Marshall: Re:Tool-Kit for Detroit 2012 John Marshall: Re:Tool-Kit for Detroit 2012 Faculty John Marshall: Re:Tool-Kit for Detroit 2012
John Marshall: Re:Tool-Kit for Detroit 2012 John Marshall: Re:Tool-Kit for Detroit 2012 Faculty John Marshall: Re:Tool-Kit for Detroit 2012
John Marshall: Re:Tool-Kit for Detroit 2012 John Marshall: Re:Tool-Kit for Detroit 2012 Faculty John Marshall: Re:Tool-Kit for Detroit 2012
John Marshall: menotme 2012 John Marshall: menotme 2012 Faculty John Marshall: menotme 2012
John Marshall: menotme 2012 John Marshall: menotme 2012 Faculty John Marshall: menotme 2012
John Marshall: menotme 2012 John Marshall: menotme 2012 Faculty John Marshall: menotme 2012