Practice
Biography
Sheri Olson, FAIA, holds degrees from Columbia University (Master of Advanced Architectural Design) and the University of Arizona (Bachelor of Architecture). She established an independent architectural practice after working for Bernard Tschumi and Asymptote Architects in New York. Since then, she pursued parallel careers as an architect, educator, and writer. She taught at the Rhode Island School of Design, the University of Texas at Austin, and the University of Washington. She was the Architectural Record’s Northwest-based contributing editor, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer’s architecture critic, and the author of several architectural monographs.
In 2004, she established Sheri Olson Architecture in Seattle. Current design work focuses on custom residences, new construction, and significant remodels, specializing in Mid-Century Modern homes. Sustainability is integral to all her projects, and she is Passive House Certified. She keeps her studio small and takes on a limited number of projects because she prefers a hands-on way of working and believes it makes for better design and happier clients.
Awards & Press
Selected Publications
“A Legacy That Just Keeps Building,” The Seattle Times Pacific Northwest Magazine, September 11, 2022.
“An Intensely Personal (and Personally Intense) Project,” The Seattle Times Pacific Northwest Magazine, January 6, 2019.
“Lofty Expansion,” Seattle Met Magazine, December, 2018.
“Architect Sheri Olson’s Favorite Space: Living Room,” Seattle Homes & Lifestyles, October 2010.
“Simply Stated,” Inhabit: The best of The Seattle Times Pacific Northwest Magazine, Fall Quarter, 2008.
“Simply Stated,” Spring Home Design, The Seattle Times Pacific Northwest Magazine, May 18, 2008.
“Elevated, Smartly,” Spring Home Design, The Seattle Times Pacific Northwest Magazine, May 21, 2006.
Honors & Awards
2004 Advanced to College of Fellows, American Institute of Architects
2003 National Magazine Award for General excellence, Architectural Record for March, April and July 2002
1995 Federal Design Achievement Award from the National Endowment for the Arts for Modernism at Mid-Century; The Architecture of the United States Air Force Academy
1992 Lucille Symser Lowenfish Memorial Prize for Design at Columbia University
1992 William Kinne Fellows Memorial Traveling Fellowship
Community Service / Pro Bono Work
West Seattle Garden Tour, Executive Committee
Architects Without Borders
Mary’s Place volunteer, White Center
Seattle Design Review Board, Downtown, Design Professional Representative, 2010 -2012
Seattle Design Commission, Design Professional Representative 2004-2006
Pro Bono Design Services for the Queen Anne Farmer’s Market
Stakeholder, Uptown & South Lake Union, Visioning Charette Stakeholder Group, A Joint Vision for Uptown and South Lake Union Urban Centers, 2007
Writing
Books
James Cutler Architects. Gloucester, MA: Rockport Publishers, Fall 2003.
“Out of the woods: The work of Cutler Anderson architects,” introduction to Making Things Fit: The work of Cutler Anderson Architects, Hanover, NH: Dartmouth College, Spring 2004.
The Miller/Hull Partnership: Architects of the Pacific Northwest. New York, NY: Princeton Architectural Press, Summer 2001. Reprinted 2002.
Contributing essayist to Modernism at Mid-Century; The Architecture of the United States Air Force Academy, Robert Bruegmann, editor. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1994. Recipient of a 1995 Federal Design Achievement Award from the National Endowment for the Arts.
As a contributing editor to Architectural Record
*Designates issues distinguished by the 2003 National Magazine Award for General Excellence.
[Cover] “Thanks to OMA’s blending of cool technology and warm public spaces, Seattle’s Central’s Library kindles book lust,” Architectural Record, July 2004.
“Antoine Predock makes a landscape abstraction of the Tacoma Art Museum, and aids the transformation of a gritty industrial city through culture,” Architectural Record, August 2003.
“Sedgwick Road: Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects Gives a lift to an ad agency with an office that fosters creativity and openness,” Architectural Record, July 2003.
Mission Hill Estate Winery; Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen creates a hilltop village for a winery that us both tourist destination and manufacturing facility,” Architectural Record, May 2003.
“Firm of the Year Award; A spirit of openness propels Miller/Hull to excellence,” Architectural Record, May 2003.
“William Matthews found a warm berth in this nautical Bainbridge Island setting,” Architectural Record, January 2003.
“Design studios: Suyama Peterson Deguchi,” Architectural Record, December 2002.
“Houses X Artists challenge conventional architectural wisdom with idealized schemes,” Architectural Record, November 2002.
“1310 E Union, Miller/Hull’s striking steel-framed transparent live/work lofts, sing an ode to Modernism,” Architectural Record, October 2002.
“Grid meets glass: seven Portland architects explore the limits of fabrication with chandelier designs,” Architectural Record, August 2002.
“Mott Children’s Center,” Architectural Record, July 2002.*
[Cover] “Patkau Architects cast dappled light into its Vancouver house through the glowing prism of a glass-bottomed pool,” Architectural Record, April 2002.*
“Attuned to Lopez Island’s rugged beauty, Jim Cutler sets his sod-roofed Reeve residence seamlessly into a wild coastal cliff,” Architectural Record, April 2002.*
“Vancouver is transformed into a city of glass,” Architectural Record, April 2002.*
“Coal Harbor Community Center, Vancouver,” Architectural Record, March 2002.*
“Portland International Airport,” Architectural Record, January 2002.
[Cover] “For the Bellevue Art Museum, which values making art as well as viewing it, Steven Holl invented a place that engages visitors with architecture—and with one another,” Architectural Record, August 2001.
“Allied Works Architecture gives Pacific Northwest vernacular an entirely modern twist in its Blue Lake House,” Architectural Record, July 2001.
“Irvington Place; Sienna Architecture Company adds condominiums to a busy retail strip,” Architectural Record, December 2000.
“Timberland Library; Carlson Architects creates a new civic presence and reflects a timber town’s past,” Architectural Record, October 2000.
“How Seattle learned to stop worrying and love Rem Koolhaas’ new central library,” Architectural Record, August 2000.
“Miller/Hull Partnership tries out metal in a new house that challenges the stereotypes of Pacific Northwest design,” Architectural Record, July 2000.
“Predock’s Tacoma Art Museum will capture the elusive qualities of Mt. Rainier,” Architectural Record, June 2000.
“Mayor versus council in Seattle design tiff,” Architectural Record, May 2000.
“Inventive use of off-the-shelf lights help a loft-style Seattle house glow on a budget,” Architectural Record, February 2000.
“The Ace Hotel, Seattle,” Architectural Record, February 2000.
“Jim Cutler’s penchant for trees and fine detailing drives his design for three new houses,” Architectural Record, January 2000.
“Yaquina Head gives visitors the key to a kingdom by the sea,” Architectural Record, October 1999.
“Trying to craft a new image, Waco plans a new arts enter,” Architectural Record, November 1999.
“Seattle City Hall awarded,” Architectural Record, September 1999.
“After an intense competition, Koolhaas nabs Seattle library,” Architectural Record, July 1999.
“As construction continues to boom in Seattle, a mayor and a mogul are reshaping the future look of the city,” Architectural Record, January 1999.
Interview with Mayor Schell, Hon. AIA. “Design Visions For a City in Flux,” Architectural Record, January 1999.
“An aerial hike through the forest,” Architectural Record, November 1998.
“St. Mark’s Cathedral,” Architectural Record, July 1998.
“Architects Are Well Placed…” Architectural Record, March 1998.
“While Some Symphonies Struggle, Seattle Builds,” Architectural Record, February 1998.
“Latteland is Viewed Through Beantown Eyes,” Architectural Record, January 1998.
“Senior Housing: A Quiet Revolution,” Architectural Record, January 1998.
[Cover] “What Is Sacred Space? Steven Holl’s Chapel St. Ignatius,” Architectural Record, July 1997.
“A True Community College,” Architectural Record, November 1996.
“Fees: Wider Service Scope Promises Profits,” Architectural Record, July 1996.
“Structure Both Concealed & Revealed,” Architectural Record, May 1996.
“Work + Family: Balancing the Equation, “Architectural Record, March 1996.
“End of the Pure Design Firm?” Architectural Record, March 1995.
“Architecture Doesn’t Look Much Like America,” Architectural Record, November 1994.
“Where Washington Slept a City Restores and Restores and Restores,” Architectural Record, October 1994.
As Architecture Columnist for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer
“Best of Northwest Architecture,” Seattle Post-Intelligencer, May 14, 2004.
“Broadway Flop: Mediocre apartment-retail building misses an opportunity to be a star,” Seattle Post-Intelligencer, April 12, 2004.
“Barrier-free design: An architect with disabilities champions public accessibility for all,” Seattle Post-Intelligencer, March 8, 2004.
“Stunning bridge is a gateway to research complex by the bay,” February 9, 2004.
“Design is overdue for a change: More thought is needed for the addition to the stately Douglass-Truth branch,” Seattle Post-Intelligencer, January 12, 2004.
“Habitats with heart: Architects design 10 West Seattle homes with humanity and modern beauty on mind,” Seattle Post-Intelligencer, December 8, 2003.
“UW law review: The new William H. Gates Hall and its well-lit library project a spirit of welcome openness,” Seattle Post-Intelligencer, November 10, 2003.
“Seattle Art Museum unveils expansion design,” Seattle Post-Intelligencer, November 13, 2003.
“Four under forty; Young architects can face huge career barriers but these Seattle designers are making their mark in tough times,” Seattle Post-Intelligencer, October 13, 2003.
“Confusion trumps beauty at Seattle’s new City Hall,” Seattle Post-Intelligencer, September 8, 2003.
“McCaw Hall is a real star at night with its 30-foot-tall mesh scrims bathed in colored light,” Seattle Post-Intelligencer, June 19th, 2003.
“Days of vine & proses; Capitol Hill Library is firmly planted as an urban refuge,” Seattle Post-Intelligencer, June 9, 2003.
“Best of Northwest Architecture,” Seattle Post-Intelligencer, May 14, 2003.
“With this ring…Seattle’s CityDesign office would wed scattered parks into a people-friendly whole,” Seattle Post-Intelligencer, May 12, 2003.
“Visions of light; TAM’s transparent design adds unique qualities to its setting,” Seattle Post-Intelligencer, May 1, 2003.
“Say cheesy; the new Fifth and Jackson Building is a mistake from top to bottom, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, April 14, 2003.
“Book closes gaps in Seattle’s design history,” Seattle Post-Intelligencer, April 10, 2003.
“A tall cool one; the natty new IDX building brings a refreshing touch of class and sophistication to the downtown Seattle skyline,” Seattle Post-Intelligencer, March 10, 2003.
“Designing Diversity; Seattle Architect gives students the building blocks for social change,” Seattle Post-Intelligencer, February 10, 2003.
“Will urban blight ride in on a rail?” Seattle Post-Intelligencer, October 18, 2002.
“Portland firm wins SAM expansion project,” Seattle Post-Intelligencer, October 17, 2002.
“SAM announces architect finalists,” Seattle Post-Intelligencer, October 11, 2002.
“A new school of thought; Mountlake Terrace school is a textbook case of inspired thinking,” Seattle Post-Intelligencer, September 27, 2002.
“Architects become sleuths of space in CoCA exhibit,” Seattle Post-Intelligencer, August 23, 2002.
“Seahawks stadium; an indictment of money not spent,” Seattle Post-Intelligencer, July 19, 2002.
“Instant landmark: eye dazzler redefines Tacoma’s waterfront,” Seattle Post-Intelligencer, July 5, 2002.
“Size matters: Lake Union Center has robbed quirky Fremont of its “point of view’,” Seattle Post-Intelligencer, June 20, 2002.
“Best of Northwest Architecture,” Seattle Post-Intelligencer, May 15, 2002.
“Lofty Heights; Steel-and-glass tower takes advantage of a small lot and incredible views while offering the convenience of modern work and living spaces,” Seattle Post-Intelligencer, April 23, 2002.
“The good, the bad, and the ugly,” Seattle Post-Intelligencer, March 19, 2002.
“Built to last: Many structures assumed public duties,” Seattle Post-Intelligencer, April 16, 2002.
“Maple Valley’s new award-winning library connects to its environment,” Seattle Post-Intelligencer, February 21, 2002.
“An empty vault; Convention center’s huge glass arch is less than what it was cracked up to be,” Seattle Post-Intelligencer, January 3, 2002.
“Turning a Page; Rem Koolhaas’ changes leave basic library design intact,” Seattle Post-Intelligencer, June 5, 2001.
“Weyerhaeuser headquarters lauded,” Seattle Post-Intelligencer, May 22, 2001.
“Green House Effect; Paul Allen plants a suburban-style weed in Seattle’s urban landscape,” Seattle Post-Intelligencer, March 27, 2001.
For the Seattle Times
“Modulated and Modern; Small and simple, a Mountlake home helps reinvent the region’s style,” Seattle Times Pacific Northwest Magazine, May 20, 2001.
“Life inside a three-dimensional puzzle; a young couple designs their first home,” Seattle Times Pacific Northwest Magazine, October 29, 2000.
“Old Queen Anne renewed; A little shop of horrors blossoms as an architect’s do-it-yourself home,” Seattle Times Pacific Northwest Magazine, January 23, 2000.
“Fresh Northwest vision; A Bellevue home takes a different approach to regional style,” Seattle Times Pacific Northwest Magazine, October 24, 1999.
“Among the houseboats; A new home takes a few cues from its Portage Bay neighbors,” Seattle Times Pacific Northwest Magazine, May 23, 2000.
Journals
“Pride and prejudice: Minoru Yamasaki’s Seattle legacy,” Do.co.mo.mo vol. 31, September 2004.
[Cover] “Northwest Exposure: The Miller/Hull Partnership celebrates transparency and light in Bellevue, Washington,” Western Interiors and Design, July/August 2003.
“Roy’s World: Blending art and furniture, Roy McMakin is the subject of a Museum of Contemporary Art exhibition in Los Angeles,” Western Interiors and Design, May/June 2003.
“Into the Woods: Set on a ridge, the Washington house that architect Tom Kundig designed places its owners in the treetops,” Western Interiors and Design, May/June 2003.
[Cover] “Inspired by Art,” Seattle Homes and Lifestyles, May 2003.
“Northwest by Northwest,” dwell, October 2002.
“The cottage grows up,” Seattle Homes and Lifestyles, June 2002.
“Building for Air Travel,” Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians, December 1997.
Guest Editor, “Critical Regionalism,” Arcade; The Journal for Architecture and Design in the Northwest, Volume 16.4, Summer 1998.