Seattle-based architect Jim Olson, the founding partner of Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects, is particularly known for his subtly elegant residences, from a glass farmhouse in eastern Oregon to a Balinese-inspired retreat in Hawaii, from a diminutive waterfront cabin for his own family to two grand art-filled residences on the shores of Lake Washington in Seattle. Modern in spirit, the luxurious houses are characterized by intangible qualities of light and space. Olson balances a deep knowledge of architectural history, from the temples of Egypt to the great buildings of the modern era, with a sensitivity to art and nature. Each work is carefully calibrated to site and client.

When architect Jim Olson designs a home, his distinctive aesthetic, elegant and understated, comes into play. Sensitive to his clients, many of whom are sophisticated art collectors, he creates living spaces that are comfortable and expressive, enabling the room’s art to speak. Jim has an innate talent for combining art and architecture and for working with artists to incorporate their installations seamlessly into his work. I dream of the intimate room of changing light that artist James Turrell created in a Jim Olson house as it was being designed and built. Jim Olson, gracious and self-effacing, has a magic touch.