Steven Rainville

Steven Rainville brings the heart of a craftsman, the hands of a builder and the mind of an artist to his practice of architecture, which spans nearly 25 years at the firm. Influenced by the legacy of his grandfather and father, both craftsmen and builders, Rainville is drawn to the expression of craft and tectonics in architecture, particularly the ways buildings come together and the materials from which they’re made. He leads many of the firm’s most complex projects across a range of market sectors, guiding teams through design and delivery. As leader of Olson Kundig’s research and innovation initiatives, Rainville pushes the firm to deeply engage with over-arching considerations like energy performance and community accessibility that ultimately create a foundation for progress. His current explorations include: mass timber grid shells, externally shaded façade strategies for commercial projects, and ongoing research on kinetic design elements.