Competitions

Throughout the decades architectural competitions have helped source some of the best and most unique designs for projects while allowing architects to showcase their creativity, gain international notoriety, collaborate, and explore conceptual designs. Olsen entered over twenty architectural competitions during his career in which he received several honorable mentions, top three placements, and even winning the top prize. Two of the three competitions shown here are well-known projects: The Sydney Opera House and the Oakland-Alameda Coliseum. While Olsen did not win either of them, viewing his entries illustrate what could have been. The third competition, for the Stephan Hannah Corporation, was a conceptual competition in which Olsen took first prize. The competition called for entrants to design stylish single-family houses that would sit on a golf course in Santa Rosa, CA.