Male, US, born 1940
Associated with the firms network
Anderson, Ralph D., Architect; Anderson, Ralph D., and Partners, Architects; Olson / Sundberg, Architects; Olson / Walker Architects; Olson Kundig Architects; Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen (OSKA); Olson, James, Architect
Résumé
Designer, Ralph Anderson and Partners, Architects, Seattle, WA, c. 1965.
Principal, James Olson, Architect, Seattle, WA, 1966-1971.
Partner, Olson / Walker, Architects, Seattle, WA, 1971-1985.
Partner, Olson Sundberg, Architects, Seattle, WA, 1985-2000.
Partner, Olson Sundberg, Kundig, Allen, Architects, Seattle, WA, 2000-12/31/2009.
Partner, Olson Kundig, Architects, Seattle, WA, 01/01/2010-present. The firm changed its name on 01/01/2010. (See Stephani Miller, Architect Magazine.com, "Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Changes Firm Name," 11/18/2009, acessed 01/25/2022.) It had about 85 employees in 2009, and about 150 in 2015.
Teaching
Olson served as one of two holders of the Bruce Goff Professorship of Creative Architecture, University of Oklahoma, College of Architecture, 01/1999. (The other in 1999 was Eddie Jones of the Jones Studio Incorporated, Phoenix, AZ.) (See NewsOk.com, "Architecture Chair Endowed," published 04/14/1999, accessed 06/15/2018.)
Professional Activities
Member, American Institute of Architects (AIA), Seattle Chapter.
Professional Awards
Fellow, American Institute of Architects (FAIA);
Recipient, American Institute of Architects (AIA), Seattle Chapter, Seattle AIA Medal of Honor, 2007.
Recipient, AIA, National Firm Award, Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen (OSKA), Architects, 2009. (See Tracy Ostroff, AIArchitect.com, "2009 Architecture Firm Award Goes to Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen," published 12/05/2008, accessed 01/25/2022.)
College
B.Arch., University of Washington (UW), College of Architecture and Urban Planning (CAUP), Seattle, WA, 1963. He was listed as a junior in the UW Tyee Yearbook of 1961 (p. 311).
Relocation
Olson attended the University of Washington c. 1959-1963. He pledged to the Alpha Delta Phi Fraternity.
Spouse
He married Katherine Olson.
Biographical Notes
Member, Board of Directors, Seattle Art Museum (SAM), Seattle, WA. Olson designed a number of houses for prominent art collectors around the U.S.
PCAD id: 2382