Alan Maskin’s talent and passion for art and design drives his work at Olson Kundig Architects. His strong interest in the ways that architecture can be represented led him to develop and articulate a firm philosophy on visual information and the ways we convey architecture to clients, in design competitions and in publications. In addition to overseeing the visual representations of the firm’s portfolio, Maskin’s work at the firm includes the design of museums, exhibits, residences, and stage and set designs.
Maskin joined Olson Kundig Architects in 1992, becoming an associate in 1995, and an owner in 2008. Alan was lead designer for the award-winning Noah’s Ark at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles, and he is currently leading the exhibit design for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Visitor Center. He has designed exhibits at the American Academy of Arts & Letters, Syracuse University, University of Washington, and the Swedish Medical Center. Alan collaborated with Rick Sundberg on the award-winning Frye Art Museum renovation; working in partnership on the initial site and building concept, serving as co-project manager, developing the gallery designs and detailing, and leading the interior design.
Maskin’s work has won many awards – he was named a 2006 Fellow of the Northwest Institute for Architecture and Urban Planning in Italy – a research residency in the northern hilltown Civita di Bagnoregio. Noah’s Ark at the Skirball has received a Seattle AIA Merit Award, a TEA Thea Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Creation of Compelling Places, and an Excellence in Exhibition award from the American Association of Museums. The Frye Art Museum has won two Honor Awards from the American Institute of Architects (Northwest Region and Seattle) and an AIA Sustainability Award (Portland Chapter). His project work has been published in a variety of magazines and media including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, Architectural Record, Metropolis, Met Home, The Wall Street Journal, CBS News and Voice of America.
Maskin and principal Kirsten Murray were instrumental in creating Olson Kundig Architects’ intern program, expanding it to a pool of international students and adding a speaker series and presentations. In fall 2006 Maskin served as a design critic in the Department of Architecture at Syracuse University. He has a Master of Architecture degree from the University of Washington, and a Bachelor of Science Art Education from the State University College at Buffalo.