Olson Kundig Architects to Design New Museum of Art for WSU

The Pierre / Olson Kundig Architects © Benjamin Benschneider

Seattle-based architect Jim Olson of Olson Kundig Architects has been selected by State University to design a new Museum of Art. Over the years, Olson has complied a spectacular portfolio of stunning homes designed for art collectors worldwide. This experience has given Olson a “wealth of experience in not only crafting beautiful environments for works of art, but in working with artists to discover new opportunities for expressing their creativity,” according to Chris Bruce, director of the museum.

Shadowboxx / Olson Kundig Architects

© Tim Bies

Architects: Olson Kundig Architects
Location: Lopez Island, , USA
Year: 2009
Photographs: Michael Burns, Tim Bies, Kevin Scott, Benjamin Benschneider

The Pierre / Olson Kundig Architects

© Benjamin Benschneider

Architects: Olson Kundig Architects
Location: San Juan Island, ,
Project Team: Tom Kundig, FAIA
Project Architect: Jon Gentry, LEED AP
Project Manager: Chris Gerrick, LEED AP
Project Year: 2010
Project Area: 2,500 sqf
Photographs: Benjamin Benschneider

Foss Waterway Seaport / Olson Kundig Architects

Courtesy of

Designed by Olson Kundig Architects, the Foss Waterway Seaport, Puget Sounds premier maritime heritage, education and recreation center began undergoing historic rehabilitation and adaptive re-use. When building rehabilitation is completed, the new 45,000 square foot public facility will feature an expansive maritime heritage museum, compelling indoor program spaces (including a K-16 marine science and environmental education center), a heritage boat building shop and the “Discovery Wharf” childrens learning center. More images and architects’ description after the break.

2012 AIA Housing Awards for Architecture

Nakahouse / - Courtesy of the

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has selected the 10 recipients of the 2012 Housing Awards. The AIA’s Housing Awards Program, now in its 12th year, was established to recognize the best in housing design and promote the importance of good housing as a necessity of life, a sanctuary for the human spirit and a valuable national resource.

Continue after the break to view the 2012 recipients.

Delta Shelter / Olson Kundig Architects

© & Tim Bies

Architects: Olson Kundig Architects
Location: , Washington, USA
Project Team: Tom Kundig, FAIA – design principal; Ellen Cecil – project manager; Debbie Kennedy – interior designer
Contractor: Tim Tanner
Consultants: Monte Clark Engineering – structural engineering; Turner Exhibits – shutter engineer and fabricator
Size: 1,000 sqm
Photographs: Olson Kundig Architects / Tim Bies, Benjamin Benschneider

Record Store Installation at [storefront] / Olson Kundig Architects

© Tim Bies
[storefront] Olson Kundig Architects is an experimental work place for their community collaborations, pro‐bono design work, philanthropic and volunteer work, and for design research and the development of design ideas. Since its inception this summer, [storefront] has served as an artist’s working studio, a dancer’s stage, a non‐profit’s arts education on workshop and outreach hub, a design festival’s pop‐up space, and more. Record Store is the latest and current iteration of [storefront]. More images and architects’ description after the break.

Jim Olson: Architecture for Art Exhibition

Rolling Huts / OSKA Architects

The Museum of Art at Washington State University is organizing ‘Architecture for Art,’ the first comprehensive exhibition devoted to the career of Jim Olson, one of the Northwest’s most significant architects and founder of the internationally recognized Seattle-based firm, Olson Kundig Architects.

The exhibit, which is open from now until December 10th, will serve as a retrospective for Olson’s 45-year career, highlighting his residential legacy, including his own homes-an apartment in downtown Seattly and his cabin on Puget Sound-as well as his public design work, which encompasses the Lightcatcher Museum in Bellingham, Washingtom, St. Mark’s Cathedral and the Pike and Virginia Building in Seattle, and the Noah’s Art Exhibit at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles.  More information on the event after the break.

Exhibition: “Jim Olson: Architecture for Art”

Glass Farmhouse

The Museum of Art at Washington State University is organizing “Architecture for Art”, the first comprehensive exhibition devoted to the career of , one of the Northwest’s most significant architects and founder of the internationally recognized Seattle-based firm, Olson Kundig Architects.

The exhibit will serve as retrospective for Olson’s 45-year career, highlighting his residential legacy, including his own homes -an apartment in downtown Seattle and his cabin on Puget Sound- as well as his public design work, which encompasses the Lightcatcher Museum in Bellingham, Washington, St. Mark’s Cathedral and the Pike & Virginia Building in Seattle, and the Noah’s Ark Exhibit at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles.

Along with the projects themselves, the exhibition will explore the artistic, cultural, natural and personal influences that have made the architect’s career so highly regarded by his peers and sought after by clients. “Architecture for Art” will include a range of materials that showcase Olson’s process, including notebooks and ephemera, original sketches and drawings, stunning large-scale photo displays, and models. Original art work from selected residences will be on display, as well as a custom-designed art installation that will provide visitors with a first-hand experience with Olson’s use of space and collaboration with art.

For more information, please click here.

Olson Kundig Architects wins two National AIA Housing Awards

1111 E. Pike / © Francis Zera

Olson Kundig Architects shared with us that the American Institute of Architects () has honored two of the firm’s projects with 2011 National AIA Housing Awards. Located in , Washington, Art Stable and 1111 E. Pike, which have both been featured on ArchDaily, have received awards in the Multifamily Living category, and are among the eighteen projects recognized nationwide.

The AIA’s Housing Awards Program was established to recognize the best in housing design and promote the importance of good housing as a necessity of life, a sanctuary for the human spirit and a valuable national resource. More images and architect’s description after the break.

Gethsemane Lutheran Church / Olson Kundig Architects

Courtesy of Studio 216
will be breaking ground this year for the construction of the Gethsemane Lutherane Church in Seatle.  The $20 million project includes the remodeling of the church’s main sanctuary, design of a garden, chapel and a new parish life center that includes offices, a library, fellowship hall, kitchen and social services.  Above the parish life center, a five-story, fifty-unit complex of affordable housing, designed by SMR Architects, will provide the final addition to the Church.
More about the remodeling of Gethsemane Lutherane Church after the break.

Art Stable / Olson Kundig Architects

© Tim Bies/

The seven-story, five unit adaptive live-work space is designed for residents who want to both live and work in the city. Art Stable, is situated on a plot of land previously housing horse stables. A recipient of the 2010 AIA Seattle Citation Honor Award, the urban infill project features large art doors, manually operable by a custom-designed hand wheel and hinge. The 80′-5″ hinge terminates at a rotating davit crane on top of the building.

A collaboration between architect, client, engineer, builder, and fabricator resulted in a hinge mechanism that opens 8 foot tall by 12 foot long steel clad doors on all seven levels. The vertically stacked art doors face the alley side of the building and provide a great ease in moving large materials and/or art pieces into and out of each unit.

Architects: Olson Kundig Architects
Location: Seattle,
Design Principal: Tom Kundig, FAIA
Managing Principal: Kirsten R. Murray, AIA
Project Manager: Kudo-King, AIA LEED AP (Construction Documents and CCA) and Jim Friesz, AIA LEED AP (Schematic Design through Design Development)
Project Architect: Jeff Ocampo, LEED AP
Project Team: Sky Lanigan, LEED AP, Wing-Yee Leung, LEED AP, Ming Yuan
Graphics: Kevin Scott
Project Area: 25,556 sqf
Project Year: 2010
Photographs: Courtesy of Point32, Tim Bies/Olson Kundig Architects