Category Archives: Donald Olsen

It has been almost five years since Donald Olsen passed away, but the impact that he had on the architecture of the Bay Area is still palpable. Olsen cut his own path at a time when modernism in Northern California … Continue reading →

Today we feature a spare and beautiful mid-century residence designed by Donald Olsen. Olsen studied under Walter Gropius on the East Coast and was one of only a few local architects to embrace international style design rather than the home-grown … Continue reading →

This showy international style residence is another of Donald Olsen’s trademark modernist gems. It has seen a bit of recent updating, but the spirit of the home is definitely still intact and the high contrast paint scheme serves to highlight … Continue reading →

This exceptional international style residence is one of the most creative of the local homes designed by Donald Olsen. The unusual site and large trees forced Olsen out of his normal “box” and the result is two distinct pavilions linked … Continue reading →

This impressive modernist residence is the work of Don Olsen who was one of the few Bay Area designers to embrace the international style that was much more prevalent in other parts of the country. His homes stand out here … Continue reading →

Don Olsen was a bit of an outlier in the Bay Area in the middle of the last century. His international style homes would have been very much in keeping with the prevalent tastes on the East Coast or in … Continue reading →