Les Eerkes joined Olson Kundig Architects in 1994, becoming a principal in 2010. He is a versatile architect with a balance of design and technical expertise.
Les has experience in a wide range of project types including residential, commercial and cultural facility design. Current projects include high-end residences in Hawaii and Seattle, a tasting room for Charles Smith Wines in Walla Walla, and two Passive House residences, on which he is collaborating with Steven Rainville. Les has worked on projects at the Mission Hill Family Estate since 1994, most notably their Winery and a master plan including a restaurant, conference center, wellness center and guest cottages. Other recent projects include Mistral Kitchen in Seattle, Georgetown Brewery retail space, and a lodge and guest cabins on Vancouver Island.
Les’s interest in building technology led to his early adoption within the office of Building Information Modeling (BIM) systems. The technology has allowed the the office to collaborate with fabricators to produce high-quality components that reduce time spent on construction. On the passive house projects, Les and Steven are working with students and researchers at Washington State University to explore the limits of high-performance, low-energy building design.
Projects to which Les has contributed have won multiple awards and been published in publications including the New York Times, Architectural Record, and Architectural Review. The Brain, on which Les served as Project Manager, received a National AIA Honor Award and was published in Tom Kundig: Houses (Princeton Architectural Press, 2006). The Mission Hill Family Estate Winery was featured in the book Liquid Stone: New Architecture in Concrete (Princeton Architectural Press, 2006) and in the exhibit of the same name held at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC.
For the past 10 years, Les has guided Olson Kundig Architects’ “Thursday Night Crit” tradition. Outside the office, Les is a member of the Bainbridge Island Arts and Humanities PAC. In Spring 2010, he and Steven Rainville co-taught a studio on Techtonics at Washington State University. Les is a licensed architect and holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Washington State University.