Olson Kundig

Derek Santo, LEED® AP BD+C, first joined Olson Kundig through the firm’s International Internship Program in 2002, returning a year later as full-time team member, and was elevated to Associate in 2022.

He has experience working on a range of single-family residential projects, spanning large volumes to very constrained footprints, as well as commercial and public projects, including the Center for Wooden Boats and a new Visitor Center at Washington State University, his alma mater. An athlete and devoted Seattle sports fan, Derek has especially enjoyed projects – such as the LeBron James Innovation Center at Nike World Headquarters – that allow him to bring that passion to his architectural work.

Early in his career, Derek often joined projects late in their lifecycle, as construction documents were being developed and finalized. As a result, he has cultivated a keen eye for detailing and is a knowledge leader within the office for enclosure and envelope detailing, known for his skill at identifying efficient solutions to technical challenges that integrate with a project’s design vision. Derek enjoys collaborating closely with clients, internal teammates and external partners to anticipate and proactively resolve detailing issues. As a member of Olson Kundig’s internal Quality Control review team and dedicated mentor, he shares this knowledge and experience with project teams and colleagues across the firm.