D. Marie Olsen
I am a graduate of the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-arc) & worked as an intern/designer at small & medium sized firms while pursuing my degree. I have since been working as an independent contractor on several projects, as well as, designing a few of my own.
I have had the opportunity to manage several residential remodels through all phases of the design process, from as-builts to expediting at the city. Feeling comfortable at the site, after having personally erected a small type-V residence myself, I made frequent visits during both preliminary & construction phases. The scale of the medium sized firm allowed me to shift between departments, targeting specific fields of the architectural process including: planning, schematic design, 3D modeling, physical model making, interiors, redlining, mark-ups, marketing, competition & graphics.
In addition to architecture, I hone my design skills through jewelry design & fabrication, working with clients on custom commissions. I have been practicing jewelry arts in a studio environment for 8 years & specialize in digital to physical procedures. Lost wax casting & stone setting are among the common techniques I utilize, as well as, more specialized applications such as anodizing & cold forming. I have extensive experience working in ferrous, precious & reactive metals.
I pride myself in playing an active role in SCI-arc’s Student Union, the student portion of the governing body of the school. I have been a member since 2005 & have served two semesters as an officer. Among my many goals were opening avenues of conversation between the administration, staff & students and laying down a structure to bridge the gap between terms.
In my spare time, I worked in the school’s shop coordinating CNC/3D print jobs, helping to maintain the machines and supervising safe tool use, or volunteering for school events. I also enjoy learning new software & am often drawn in to the inner workings of them. I have a particular interest in scripting & investigated it’s role in architecture in my thesis.
Education
Southern California Institute of Architecture
B.S., Architecture
2005 – 2010
Studied abroad and traveled to Switzerland, Italy, Japan and Korea.
Activities and Societies:
Student Union, Secretary
El Camino College
A.S., architecture, jewelry design and fabrication
Took every class available in the Architectural program as well as classes in related fields such as construction and carpentry.