Building performance is the cornerstone of our holistic design philosophy, considering energy and carbonfootprint, material choices, user health and wellness, water conservation, and ecological impact.
Building Performance
We draw meaningful design solutions from each project’s context, with an emphasis on high-performing materials and passive design strategies that minimize environmental impact. By integrating intuitive design insights with data-driven analyses, we ensure that every project meets the highest standards of energy efficiency, indoor air quality, and occupant comfort.
What We Do
Olson Kundig’s approach to building performance unites science and design. Our internal Building Performance team integrates quantitative analysis with experiential insight to develop integrated strategies that address performance, function, and aesthetics. This analysis is customized for each project’s unique environmental context in response to the opportunities and challenges of the site. The resulting architecture is tailored to these conditions, while maintaining connections between users and the surrounding natural world.
Hypothesis | Analysis | Synthesis
Our process begins with a hypothesis, which serves as the creative spark. The analysis phase provides an opportunity for critical evaluation using a suite of industry tools and software, such as Climate Studio, Ladybug, Therm, and eQUEST , as well as in-house tools like our zero-carbon dashboard, Chhaya, dewpoint calculators, and LIDAR mapping workflows, which have been designed and developed by our team. Finally, each of these elements is synthesized into a cohesive and innovative solution.
Climate / Site Analysis
Sustainability Visioning
Photovoltaic Analysis
Thermal Comfort
Daylight & Solar Radiation
Energy Analysis
Ventilation
Water Balance
Lifecycle Analysis
Thermal Bridging
Post Occupancy
2030 Reporting
Curiosity Leads to Opportunity
We believe that research is a design question, and design is a research question.
Innovation and research are integral parts of our design ethos, rooted in a deep understanding of site context, design culture, and sustainability. Through rigorous research, experimentation with new and familiar materials, and collaboration with experts across disciplines, we continuously seek out new solutions to positively impact the built environment.
To broaden the impact of this research, we work to foster a culture of knowledge sharing with our internal teams, collaborators, clients, and stakeholders, as well as through partnerships with universities, white papers, and speaker engagements throughout the broader industry.
Selected Projects
Aro Homes
Bay Area, California
Fourth Ward Office Project
Atlanta, Georgia
Wagner Education Center at The Center for Wooden Boats
Seattle, Washington
ANOHA—The Children’s World of the Jewish Museum Berlin
Berlin, Germany
Sawmill
Tehachapi, California
The LeBron James Innovation Center at Nike World Headquarters
Beaverton, Oregon
Costa Rica Treehouse
Santa Teresa, Costa Rica
Simply Shenandoah
Shenandoah Valley, Virginia