Jim Olson,

FAIA Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (FAIA) is a postnominal title or membership, designating an individual who has been named a fellow of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). Fellowship is bestowed by the institute on AIA-membe ...

(b. 1940) is the founding principal of the

Seattle Seattle ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the 18th-most populous city in the United States. The city is the cou ...

-based firm

Olson Kundig Architects Olson Kundig is an American architectural firm based in Seattle, Washington, run by architects Jim Olson and Tom Kundig. Founded by Olson in 1966, the firm’s work has grown to encompass museums, commercial and mixed-use design, exhibit desig ...

. He is best known for residential design, often for art collectors, though his designs have also included

museum A museum is an institution dedicated to displaying or Preservation (library and archive), preserving culturally or scientifically significant objects. Many museums have exhibitions of these objects on public display, and some have private colle ...

s, commercial spaces and places of worship. In 2006, William Stout Publishers released ''Art + Architecture: The Ebsworth Collection and Residence''. His honors include the 2007 Seattle AIA Medal of Honor, selection as the 1999

Bruce Goff Bruce Alonzo Goff (June 8, 1904 – August 4, 1982) was an American architect, distinguished by his organic, eclectic, and often flamboyant designs for houses and other buildings in Oklahoma and elsewhere. A 1951 ''Life'' magazine article sta ...

Chair of Creative Architecture at the

University of Oklahoma The University of Oklahoma (OU) is a Public university, public research university in Norman, Oklahoma, United States. Founded in 1890, it had existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two territories became the ...

, and his induction in 1990 as a Fellow of the

American Institute of Architects The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is a professional organization for architects in the United States. It is headquartered in Washington, D.C. AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach progr ...

. He is an honorary trustee to the

Seattle Art Museum The Seattle Art Museum (commonly known as SAM) is an art museum located in Seattle, Washington (state), Washington, United States. The museum operates three major facilities: its main museum in downtown Seattle; the Seattle Asian Art Museum in ...

, and a founding trustee of Artist Trust, and Center on Contemporary Art, both in Seattle. Olson received a bachelor of architecture degree from the

University of Washington The University of Washington (UW and informally U-Dub or U Dub) is a public research university in Seattle, Washington, United States. Founded in 1861, the University of Washington is one of the oldest universities on the West Coast of the Uni ...

Notable works

*Noah’s Ark, Skirball Cultural Center, Los Angeles (2007) *The Ebsworth Residence, Seattle (2004) *Red House, Denver (1999) * St. Mark's Cathedral Renovation, Seattle (1998) *The Gallery House, Washington (1987) *Hillclimb Court, Seattle (1985) *Pike & Virginia Building, Seattle (1978)
Earth House
Washington (1969)

References

''Jim Olson Houses''. New York: The Monacelli Press, 2009. Ngo, Dung. ''Art + Architecture: The Ebsworth Collection and Residence''. William Stout Publishers, 2006. Ojeda, Oscar Riera, ed. ''Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects: Architecture, Art, and Craft''. The Monacelli Press, 2001.

External links

Olson Kundig Architects website

Architectural Digest, AD 100
{{DEFAULTSORT:Olson, Jim 1940 births 20th-century American architects Living people Articles containing video clips University of Washington alumni 21st-century American architects