Kevin Vincent O’Brien, AIA, LEED AP

 

Kevin O’Brien is a Los Angeles-based architect and educator with over 25 years of experience in the design of wide variety of architectural projects in myriad locations.  Resisting the specialization prevalent in the profession, his work has spanned multiple scales and typologies with the unifying philosophy of site-specific and people-centric design.

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Prior to founding his own office Kevin was a Design Principal for Los Angeles based mid- and large-sized architectural firms, leading the design of projects for Higher Education, Private / Public  K-12, Fine and Performing Arts, Student Housing & Unions, and Library projects.  His office portfolio also includes single-family / multi-unit residential and commercial projects. 

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With a Masters Degree in Architecture from Yale University, Kevin's design work is influenced by his early years working with the groundbreaking firm Franklin Israel Design Associates and Richard Meier Architects, as well as the early modernist designs of Southern California.  In his design work, he has always sought the integration of landscape, architecture, and craft.

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Kevin is an educator as well; he served as an Associate Professor of Architectural Design at Cal Poly Pomona from 1994-2002, has served as a visiting design studio professor at the USC School of Architecture. He is currently a visiting Professor at Cal Poly, where he teaches an advanced course in Educational Design. He was the Director of the Neutra VDL Research House in Silverlake from 1997-2000.  Kevin has routinely served on academic juries throughout Los Angeles and the country, including the Art Center College of Design, Cal Poly Pomona, Washington State University, SCI-Arc, UCLA, USC, Woodbury University, and Yale University. 

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Kevin has received numerous awards for his work, including national recognition from the Architectural League of New York.  He has written, lectured, and exhibited widely on architectural issues.  His work has been published in several publications, including Architectural Record, LA Architect, Metropolis, Architecture Magazine, Progressive Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Variety, and GQ magazines.