“ Todd is a humanist with an architectural mind. He has found ways—and continually searches for ways—to put everything that he has into improving the world and improving the lives of others, which is where his design process begins. ”
Michael Rotondi Co-Founder and Former Director, SCI-Arc
–
Todd Erlandson’s “DOING GOOD, BETTER” SCI-Arc Salon Series
Todd Erlandson empowers nonprofit and community-based clients to improve people’s everyday lives through authentic, purpose-oriented architecture. He openly shares his mission-focused model for architects by teaching a new generation of talent about service-centered design.
Todd Erlandson founded his March Studio to advance marketing strategies through design. He found that community projects benefited from the same identitybased design as his commercial work, so he created a specialized process to investigate their brand values. He has since transitioned that practice methodology to serve non-profit, community-centered clients in the US and overseas. His prior experience with branded design in the commercial sector today produces purpose-oriented architecture. It provides the framework for directed studio projects for young architects and collaborators, paving the way for future practices based on mission-focused architecture and design.
Enhancing Non-Profits by Giving Back
Todd’s volunteer service as a designer is felt internationally through real-world and strategic support for non-profit organizations. The COVID-19 pandemic presented an unprecedented opportunity to support communities and their social and economic survival. Building on his non-profit expertise, Todd worked with clients across the globe, combining his resources with relief funds to focus on projects that would positively impact people’s lives. He designed an NGO-sponsored medical clinic in rural Vietnam, outdoor classrooms and a mobile infant unit for a preschool serving children of refugee families in Tijuana, and a pop-up rodeo grounds and drive-in theater for a small rural town in Utah. Each reflects the personalized identity of its organization and location.
As Community Engagement Director of Architecture for Community Los Angeles (ACLA), the non-profit arm of AIA | LA, Todd advocates for initiatives that improve communities through design. He also shepherds community development on Epicenter’s Board of
Directors, a non-profit committed to social vibrancy in rural Green River UT.
Todd has led numerous mission trips to Haiti, helping a small village build a community health clinic and coordinating monthly food deliveries and earthquake relief during the pandemic. He is working with long-term partners in Haiti to establish peanuts as a renewable cash crop, creating a more sustainable income and food source while repairing hurricane-damaged homes for the community’s most needy families.
Embracing Identity to Define Architecture
An organization’s identity is more than a name, logo, or aesthetic. It is their essence and personality, reflecting their mission and values to the world. Users, visitors and customers should instinctively understand the organization’s vision and values, whether looking at their website or experiencing their space. Non-profits and community-based organizations have a mission-driven identity and position. To remain authentic and relevant, all aspects of their organization must represent this identity aesthetically and functionally.
When Todd started March Studio, many in the profession did not consider identity-based design a relevant architecture discipline. Since his own discovery of its value to community-driven work, Todd has shared the approach used in his practice with a broad audience of design professionals, non-profit leaders and students. And his work is extensively published. As a result, architects and designers worldwide embrace the expression of brand as a legitimate aspect of their work based on the work and process Todd shares openly and liberally. Many of his projects have received design awards: The Growing Place, The Children’s Center at
Cal-Tech, and Untitled No. 1 School. Each have their cultures and philosophies central to the design.
Inspiring Students Through Experiential Teaching
Todd brings a new, actionable way of design thinking to the next generation of emerging professionals. He was invited to Tulane University to develop commercial and community crossover projects with students to reshape their understanding of commercial brand and community design. Projects like an Evian-sponsored firehouse, an IKEA community pool, and a Victoria’s Secret Women’s History Museum highlight each brand’s intrinsic values as part of defining their community-based project. Todd continued his teaching at Otis College of Art and Design as part of their Creative Action department, pairing multidisciplinary student teams with community nonprofits, proposing student-led projects that support the organization’s mission using brand as a unifying concept.
Woodbury University invited Todd to bring his expertise in uniting commercial spaces with community design to the INSIDE OUT studio. Students partnered with minority-owned businesses in Los Angeles, analyzing the business’ identity to turn their space “inside out.” The resulting designs created parklet experiences within local communities, allowing these organizations to continue operating in the face of COVID-19 lockdowns that devastated the restaurant and commercial sectors.
Todd Erlandson’s experiential process has expanded the perspective and skills of over five hundred students to date, added insight on community design among peers, and defined a new role for architects to strengthen the work of non-profits and benefit the communities they serve.
2 Accomplishments
The Getty Family Room competition allowed Todd to expand his process of brand and identity recognition in design working with a community-facing organization to create an exhibition design that reflected young children’s unique abilities to experience art with their families.
“As a young architect in New York, I knew I wanted to do more. I wanted to do good. I wanted to use the unique skills I was developing as an architect to make the world a better place and work on projects that make a difference.
My work at March Studio led me to understand that every organization, including non-profits, has a unique identity that can be supported through architecture.
Coming out of the pandemic, I’ve been able to align my personal values to better guide my professional practice, making architecture for good.”
-Todd Erlandson
Todd Erlandson AIA, LEED A.P.
Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc), Los Angeles CA
Master of Architecture January 1994
Tulane University School of Architecture, New Orleans LA
Bachelor of Architecture May 1987
Architectural Association (AA), London UK
Junior Year Abroad Honors Sept 1985-July 1986
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
March Studio brand defining architecture, Santa Monica CA
Principal Architect, 1998-Present
Wolfgang Puck Food Company, Design Group, Santa Monica CA
Project Architect, 1995-1996
Pleskow & Real, Santa Monica CA
Project Architect, 1994-1995
Richard Meier and Partners, Los Angeles CA
Model Builder, Summer 1993
Allen and Killcoyne Architects, New York NY
Project Architect, 1990-1992
Stephen Potters Architects, New York NY
Principal Architect, 1988-1990
ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE
Woodbury University, Burbank CA
Adjunct Faculty 1995-Present
Istituto Europeo di Design (IED), Barcelona Spain
Master in Global Design program Visiting Lecturer Spring 2017
Otis College of Art and Design, Los Angeles CA
Department of Environmental Arts, Creative Action,
Senior Lecturer 1999-2016
Art Center College of Design, Pasadena CA
Environmental Design program Adjunct Faculty 2006
SCI-Arc, Los Angeles CA
Design Faculty 2002
Sud California Istituto d’Architettura (SCI-Arc Vico),
Vico Morcote Switzerland
Faculty in Residence/Vico Fellow 1996-1997
ARCHITECTURAL REGISTRATION
Licensed Architect
State of California January 1996
LEED Accredited Professional
U.S. Green Building Council December 2007
SERVICE
Friends of the Schindler House
Fundraising and Awareness Committee, 2022-2023
Epicenter
Board Member, 2019-2023
First United Methodist Church of SM
Haiti Work Team Leader, 2015-2023
Architecture for Communities Los Angeles (ACLA)
Board Member/Director of Community Engagement, 2021-2022
reDiscover Center
Founding Member/Board of Directors, 2003-2005
Growing Place
Board of Directors, 1999-2003
SCI-Arc Alumni Association
Co-President, 1999-2001
Van Allen Institute
Exhibition Committee Member, 1990-1992
AFFILIATIONS
American Institute of Architects
Architectural Association, UK
Los Angeles Conservancy
Los Angeles Forum for Architecture and Urban Design
Urban Land Institute (ULI)
The Vision Guide Process
Todd helps nonprofits and community-based organizations realize their dreams, discover new possibilities, and make a positive impact through architecture and design.
The creation of a Vision Guide is the first step in making those dreams real. This document clarifies and defines a non-profit organization’s values and goals to effectively communicate their vision to others. The process is broken into three steps to show what the organization can expect, how an articulated identity will improve the design experience, and ultimately, the impact they can make on the people and communities they serve.
“
Todd’s Vision Guide became the tangible tool for conveying our vision to various people I was introducing the project—supporters, prospective parents, the community, media etc. The exercise was critical to allowing me to articulate purpose and values. ”
–
LISTENING AND LEARNING
PROCESS
VISION
To begin the Vision Guide process, Todd meets with the non-profit to discuss their mission, vision, and values. Together, they complete the following steps to define the key elements of the desired impact:
• Discuss the dreams, goals, and ideal audience experience with essential partners.
• Review existing brand materials to understand the story they’re already telling.
• Prepare description of activities and the effect of the proposed project.
POSSIBILITIES
While exploring multiple design strategies, the Vision Guide documents goals and objectives and proposes specific strategies that will influence the design. Deliverables include:
• Inspirational images describing possible solutions, materials, furniture, signage, graphics, and art.
• Graphic illustrations and strategy diagrams showing size and relationship of activities and spaces.
• A concept design proposal with plans and 3-D views of future space.
REALITY
Finally, to round out the Vision Guide, the design team supplies relevant details outlining next steps and all information needed for the non-profit to implement the plan:
• A preliminary budget and schedule.
• Cost of additional consultant services (landscape, lighting, engineers, etc.).
• A finalized and bound VISION GUIDE includes everything to move to the next phase—funding and building their space.
VISION GUIDE
Laila Taslimi
Founder, Untitled No. 1
Cao Bang Medical Center
[Exhibit 3.6] (Pro Bono)
How does a medical center in remote Vietnam reverse a community’s historically distrusting relationship with hospitals?
Teaming with Good Samaritan Medical Dental Ministry (GSMDM) resulted in a family medical facility in Cao Bang, a remote regional city in Northern Vietnam. Todd led the design team to create a welcoming, inviting, and safe space for a community that lacked trust in medical practitioners and facilities. The final building had to be respectful of its culture and context to be functional for community members. The extensive research and documentation collected informed the design of a bright, open building, visible from the street using familiar materials and construction methods, bringing the outdoors in through connected gardens.
Status Completed, 2023
Location Cao Bang, Vietnam
Client GSMDM
Role Principal-In-Charge
Program Medical Clinic
Canyon Nest Outdoor Classroom
[Exhibit 3.4] (Pro Bono)
How does a Preschool that serves refugee children at the US/Mexico border adapt their classroom during COVID-19?
“Nests” are innovative and engaging education spaces where young children can learn and heal through play located in refugee camps around the world. Todd led a Vision Guide process for the Canyon Nest, an early childhood classroom for refugee children in Tijuana, to expand opportunities for children and families during COVID-19 by extending learning outside to the classroom. Working with available found materials and the help of a local contractor, Todd designed and managed construction of an outdoor play yard and classroom space to serve children during school hours and their families in the afternoons and evenings.
Status Completed, 2020
Location Tijuana, MX
Client PILAglobal
Role Principal-In-Charge
Program Preschool
Open Grounds Park
[Exhibit 3.5] (Pro Bono)
How does a small town in rural Utah turn 40 acres of unused land in into a lively community-curated space?
Todd teamed with Epicenter, a non-profit community development organization in the rural town of Green River, UT (pop. 952), to create a plan for turning a large, vacant parcel of land into a flexible-use park. His design aims to provide opportunities for community engagement during COVID-19 with a series of proposed uses including a drive-in theater, pop-up rodeo grounds and BMX pump-track, and artist-designed mobile vehicles as interactive program elements. He engaged local residents, artists-in-residence and designers to develop a concept and visual package proposing use of the site to the city.
Status Concept Design, 2020
Location Green River, UT
Client Epicenter
Role Principal-In-Charge
Program Public Park
The Growing Place
[Exhibit 3.1] (Pro Bono)
How can a modest atelier represent a school’s values and expand its vision for the future?
This Santa Monica preschool was interested in creating a dedicated, flexible studio space to expand their art and science-based curriculum. The first nonprofit, community-based project to use the Vision Guide process, Todd led March Studio’s collaboration with teachers, parents and children in the design process, creating a space that mirrors the ideals, values and cultures of the children and families who engage the school. The new building reflects the school’s strengths, history, community and philosophy by all it enables children to do and how it reflects the Growing Place’s visual identity.
Status Completed, 2001
Location Santa Monica, CA
Client The Growing Place
Role Principal-In-Charge
Program Art and Science Project Studio
Nest Centrito32 Mobile Classroom [Exhibit 3.4]
How does a nonprofit repurpose a bus to provide quality infant care and parental support to refugee families?
Partnering with PILAglobal, a nonprofit providing early childhood education to children of refugees, and Centrito 32, a Tijuana-based community development organization, Todd designed a mobile infant classroom. The goal was to replicate the clean, open learning spaces typical of PILAglobal’s standard classrooms, with access to high quality learning and art materials for children in a mobile environment. The classroom’s mobility allows it to be moved between refugee camps, bringing a safe place for learning and for parent education, extending their reach to a much broader audience across six separate camps.
Status Completed, 2021
Location Tijuana, MX
Client PILAglobal
Role Principal-In-Charge
Program Mobile Infant Classroom
Untitled No. 1
[Exhibit 3.3]
How does a nature-based preschool provide opportunities to consider social justice and engage the community?
This sustainable preschool provides opportunities through natural, human, and real-world connections for social justice and active engagement with its community. In collaboration with landscape architects and the program director, Todd led the creation of a design that embraced the principles of a child centered environment that would act as a “third teacher” inside and outside. Thoughtful interventions, provocations, and spaces for inquiry and social interaction inspire children to learn in an open-ended, flexible environment rich with evocative objects and STEM activities that help children become better world citizens and neighbors.
Status Completed, 2017
Location Santa Monica, CA
Client Untitled No. 1 Preschool
Role Principal-In-Charge
Program Preschool
FAME Senior Housing
How can the identity of contemporary senior housing in Los Angeles be reimagined?
A collaboration with the First AME Church by the Sea (FAME), the City of Santa Monica, a local developer, and Jones & Martinez Architects, Todd led March Studio in developing solutions to the challenge of providing appropriate architectural identities for senior housing in two distinct locations in Santa Monica. He worked with FAME to develop design strategies reflective of their values and create a sense of community and belonging for senior residents at each location, with an emphasis on social and interactive spaces. The design also echoed the progressive and energetic lifestyle of Santa Monica.
Status Completed, 2008
Location Santa Monica, CA
Client First AME Church Santa Monica
Role Principal-In-Charge
Program Senior Housing Community
Children’s Center at Caltech [Exhibit 3.2]
How does an outdoor lab act as a prototype for others and inspire the scientists of tomorrow?
The outdoor science lab at Caltech is a space for learning and testing ideas and provides opportunities for children to explore their scientific and creative potential. Every surface becomes a workspace for sharing thoughts and creating meaning among children and teachers with focus and depth. Todd led March Studio in creating a building that reflects the program’s unique identity, core values and culture of Caltech University and the Children’s Center. The project acts as a prototype for a children’s laboratory that can inspire other science-based curricula. It was replicated in a second iteration at their new campus in 2016.
Status Completed, 2008
Location Pasadena, CA
Client Children’s Center at Caltech
Role Principal-In-Charge
Program Outdoor Science Laboratory
Todd uses the community to inform his service-based practice. By supporting nonprofit organizations, he recognizes their challenges first-hand and applies his process to benefit others.
AIA | LA, Architecture for Communities Los Angeles (ACLA)
Member, Board of Directors, 2020-present
Director, Community Engagement, 2020-2023
Todd has served as Director of Community Engagement for ACLA, the AIA Los Angeles nonprofit arm. The entity strives to inspire Angelenos to value architecture through outreach to students and the community. Todd has implemented a mapping workshop, locating and identifying opportunities with key nonprofits and neighborhoods for outreach across LA. With the Community Engagement Committee team, Todd has initiated “Ask an architect” pavilions at local farmers’ markets, engaging adults, students, and children regarding the value of architecture in their community.
Epicenter, Green River UT
Advisor & Member, Board of Directors, Vice Chair, 2019-2023
Member, Summit Advisory Committee, Spring 2022
Todd serves as architectural advisor to the Canal Commons project, a local affordable housing initiative, building 10 new houses in response to the rural community’s housing shortage. The 2022 Spring Summit was a multi-day gathering of experts in rural arts, design and government from across the country; Todd was responsible for attaining the event’s keynote speaker, MASS Design. Todd’s work with Epicenter has extended to other Utah non-profits, including the grassroots community radio station, KZMU, where he is currently involved in the planning, fundraising and design of a Media and Cultural Center to support the neighboring town of Moab.
First United Methodist Church SM
Chair, Board of Trustees, 2010-2016
Member, Lay Leadership Committee, 2017-2022
Leader, Haiti Mission Team, 2013-present
Todd leads FUMC’s Haiti Mission to support Haitian communities in the wake of the 2010 earthquake through annual mission trips to Haiti repairing community buildings and overseeing the construction of a new medical clinic. Since the pandemic, Todd has remotely coordinated humanitarian relief including food support and the repair of storm damaged residences. He is in the process of coordinating a sustainable food relief program to plant drought-resistant peanuts as a long term cash crop.
Todd has mentored 10 Tulane students in the last decade. Throughout a student’s senior and thesis year, Todd engages in formal meetings, in resume and portfolio reviews, and provides outreach lists of relevant firms. He also serves as advisor to Tulane’s design/build program, URBANBuild, throughout its post-Katrina transition to an affordable housing provider, designing and building 1 house/year for under-resourced New Orleans families. He was featured in the URBANbuild TV series, “Architecture School” (Sundance Channel) and has returned to Tulane over 10 times as a design juror for URBANbuild.
AIA LA ACLA, Board of Directors Inauguration, ‘22
Haiti Mission Trip, 2017
Tulane University, Urban Build Critique, 2021
Epicenter Spring Summit, 2022
2.1 Accomplishments |
SCI-Arc [Exhibit 3.7]
Member, Alt_50 Steering Committee, 2023
Speaker, Sci-ARC Salon Series, 2022
Co-president, Alumni Association, 2001-2002
Co-creator, Sci-ARC Alumni Association, 2000-2005
Lead Organizer, Inaugural Alumni Gala, 2002
On the Alt_50 Steering Committee, an adhoc group formed in response to recent challenges at the school, Todd collected and compiled comments and suggestions from over 150 alumni for the board’s review and consideration. He continues to provide recommendations regarding a return to core values, scholarship availability, and proper compensation for leadership. His leadership provided the first alumni-funded scholarship. For the Salon Series, an intimate lecture opportunity for selected alumni and board members, Todd presented March Studio’s shift to non-profit projects.
The Growing Place [Exhibit 3.1]
Member, Board of Directors, 1999-2003
Todd provided volunteer leadership for this nonprofit child development center through facility maintenance and site improvements. His work enabled the school to enact their philosophy of Reggio Emilia education—a self-guided curriculum that allows children to express themselves in ways that aid the development of their individuality. Todd also led reworking the play yard and various classroom projects, helping to convert their former public school building into a high quality childcare facility. During his membership, the board funded and constructed an arts and science studio designed by his office to help fulfill their Reggio Emilia mission.
reDiscover Center
Member, Founding Board of Directors, 2002-2005
This non-profit arts education center collects discarded sustainable materials for hands-on making, sorting and distribution
directly to private and public school faculty for use in the classroom. Through involvement at the Growing Place, Todd was again inspired by the Reggio Emilia philosophy of allowing children to express creativity in self-directive ways through access to high-quality materials and designated studio space. The reDiscover Center continues today as a materials supply resource and makerspace, with expanded youth programming for all ages.
Mesa Scramble
Organizer, Fundraising Walk, 2012-2022
Construction Advisor, New Orphanage, 2018-2023
The Mesa Scramble is an annual fundraiser for the Buena Vida Orphanage in La Mision, Mexico. Todd and a dozen acquaintances make a 10-mile hike across the mesa to bring funds collected by each participant’s network to the orphanage. Over the last decade, the Mesa Scramble has collected over $60,000, allowing the orphanage to grow from its rented space to a groundup building, for which Todd served as a
construction advisor, supporting 30 children from infant to adulthood.
Loyal Order of the Moose
Member, Loyal Order of Moose, 2013-present
Originator & Host, Mondays at the Moose, 2016-2020
Todd has partnered with the lodge as a host site for community meetings, including raising awareness for his work in Haiti. He launched Mondays at the Moose, a 2 hour monthly get together, to connect friends and colleagues, discuss current projects and neighborhood news, and create organic network opportunities for his local community. One success story is the financing of a community theater through the random introduction of a business owner and banker.
“ Beyond the client’s vision, Todd is always considering the health and welfare of the community. ”
– Meryl Holland
SCI-Arc Alumni ALT_50 Event, 2022
Mesa Scramble, Mexico, 2016
GSMDM Medical Center Site Visit, Vietnam 2018
“Doing Good Better” SCI-Arc Salon Series, 2022
The M Company & Friends
“INSIDE OUT” - Part 2
[Exhibit 3.10]
How does a flexible design model create authentic exterior experiences for local businesses?
Continuing to respond to the needs of the Los Angeles community, INSIDE OUT Part 2 targeted restaurants, bars and venues that struggled during the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Focusing on the neighborhood of Inglewood, the goal was to design outdoor spaces reflective of the current business’ environments, oriented around nighttime gatherings. Students worked with 3-D technologies to share designs with their partners, and Todd and his co-faculty worked with a filmmaker to document the entire process, concluding the studio with a screening and Q&A of the film shown in a local theater venue.
and understand what was special about their business and conceptually pull their spaces “inside out”. They created COVIDsafe exterior spaces, preserving and celebrating their partner’s brand to help them survive and thrive during challenging times.
expandable, brand-specific educational experience with the Launcher One rocket as its centerpiece. In an unprecedented opportunity, the students were invited to present their ideas to the Virgin marketing team at their corporate offices.
Status Spring 2022
Location Inglewood, CA
School Woodbury University
Role Co-Faculty
Program Design Studio
Status Spring 2021
Location Los Angeles, CA
School Woodbury University
Role Co-Faculty
Program Design Studio
Status Spring 2019
Location Los Angeles, CA
School Woodbury University
Role Co-Faculty
Program Design Studio
asked how these unique qualities can be represented as a “brand” to strengthen and direct future development related to commerce. Todd led art and design students in the Vision Guide process to create new forms, graphics and displays based on this new brand identity.
Status Summer 2018
Location Barcelona, Spain
School Instituto Europeo di Design
Role Lead Faculty
Program Design Studio
Spirit Awakening Seminar
[Exhibit 3.9]
How can a brand-centered framework be applied to nonprofit organizations?
Spirit Awakening, a nonprofit organization supporting young women in the juvenile justice system, paired with a team of Todd’s multidisciplinary students for a series of design studios as part of the Creative Action department at Otis College. In these studios, Todd shifted focus from large-scale brands to nonprofit identities, and students utilized a similar Vision Guide process to capture a clear understanding of the partner. These were then translated into an object, product or campaign to support the Spirit Awakening mission. Outcomes included journals, jewelry and a revised graphic identity emphasizing partner values.
Status 2015-2017
Location Los Angeles, CA
School OTIS College of Art & Design
Role Lead Faculty
Program Design Studio
How can design students co-create with youth experiencing homelessness?
Building on previous collaborations with the Creative Action Department at Otis, Todd’s next studio partnered with Safe Place for Youth (SPY), a daytime drop-in center and service provider for homeless young adults, with a focus on arts programming. In this studio, the students met with SPY Art Director and volunteered on-site to engage with youth, culminating in a “happening” event where Otis students and SPY youth created a communal art piece over an afternoon. The experience was particularly ground-breaking, allowing students and youth of the same age but from extremely different circumstances to create as equal collaborators.
Status Spring 2014
Location Los Angeles, CA
Partner OTIS/Safe Place for Youth
Role Lead Faculty
Program Design Studio
Community Crossover Design Wkshp
[Exhibit 3.9]
Can existing public spaces be reimagined through brand identity?
This “mini studio” in Architecture/ Landscape/Interiors at Otis College served as an extension of Todd’s experience teaching brand and community focused studios at Tulane but shifting to public spaces. He led discussions centered on real-time, brand-sponsored public spaces such as the Nikeplatz in Berlin and Nokia Plaza in Los Angeles as successful community spaces influenced by a specific brand personality. Students paired relevant brands and local park sites to design a sponsored project that supported the community while incorporating brand authenticity and values.
Status Fall 2006
Location Los Angeles, CA
School OTIS College of Art & Design
Role Lead Faculty
Program Design Studio
Tulane Design Studio and Seminar
[Exhibit 3.8]
How can brands support community to create a win-win outcome?
Tulane’s School of Architecture asked Todd, as visiting faculty, to teach a design studio and seminar based on the relationship between brand and architecture. Through an immersive investigation of brand values and place, students created designs to support community and the identity of selected brands, benefiting both. The parallel seminar explored examples of brandfocused design offices, documenting exceptional projects while encouraging students to go further. New Orleans was used as an example of an extremely localized brand culture, exploring how those brands reflect the city.
Status Fall 2004, Spring 2005
Location New Orleans, LA
School Tulane University
Role Lead Faculty
Program Design Studio/Seminar
SPY Safe Place for Youth
2.1 Accomplishments |
Service
“Doing Good, Better” [Exhibit 3.7]
Speaker, Sci-ARC Salon Series, Los Angeles CA, 2022 Lecture about Todd’s shift from commercial to community and non-profit clients (open to students, faculty, practitioners and the public)
“Follow Your Vision: A Dynamic Dialogue Between Pedagogy and Architecture”
Presenter, Early Childhood Stem Conference, Anaheim CA, 2018 Lecture about using the Vision Guide to lead future educational building projects (open to early childhood educators)
“Design + Culture: Stories of Reggio-Inspired Schools”
Presenter, ECSTEM Fall Symposium, Boulder CO, 2018 Collaborative presentation of award-winning Untitled No. 1 with the director, sharing the Vision Guide process with educational leaders (open to early childhood educators)
“Invasion of the Land Snatchers: Brands and Public Space”
Presenter, A+D Museum Pecha Kucha, Los Angeles CA, 2008 Lecture about the prominence of brands and their effect on public spaces (open to practitioners, educators and the public)
“From Content to Play”
Presenter, The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles CA, 2005 Lecture about Todd’s submission for the Getty Family Room project (open to museum administrators, curators and the public)
“ There’s the “right” thing and then there’s what will work. Most people just choose efficacy. Todd creatively engages both simultaneously. He has an ability to synthesize what has been with what can be. ”
– David Bremer Associate Professor, Ombudsman
Professional
“Branded Architecture: Brand Slaves to Brand Steward”
Presenter, AIA LA Design Conference, Los Angeles CA, 2008 Todd’s work with brand, client identity and its effect on community organizations (open to practitioners)
“Branded Architecture: Brand Slaves to Brand Steward II”
Presenter, Mobius AIA LA, Pacific Design Center, Los Angeles CA, 2008 Todd’s work with brand, client identity and its effect on community organizations (open to practitioners)
“Building Brand Value through Architecture”
Presenter, AIA Western Mountain Region Conference, Santa Fe NM, 2008 Lecture exploring the unique relationship to branding strategy in Todd’s work and its relevance to the profession (open to practitioners)
“Emergent Practice”
Presenter, Mobius AIA LA, Pacific Design Center, Los Angeles CA, 2007 Influence of Todd’s methodology combining brand identity and architecture (open to practitioners)
“Emerging Talent”
Presenter, The AIA CA Monterey Design Conference, Pacific Grove CA, 2005 Todd’s professional and academic work around brand strategy and community (open to practitioners and educators)
“On the Map Lecture Series”
Lecturer, LA Forum for Architecture + Urban Design, Los Angeles, 2003 Todd’s design methodology and its effect on clients and communities (open to practitioners, educators and the public)
“Changing the Context of Practice”
Lecturer, AIA Point Break Symposium, San Francisco CA, 2001 Todd’s design methodology with brand strategy and community (open to practitioners)
Haiti Mission Trip, 2015
Dwell on Design, 2015
OTIS Spirit Awakening, 2014
2.1 Accomplishments |
Academic
“Unmentionables Symposium”
Co-presenter, Woodbury University School of Architecture, Los Angeles CA, 2017 Lecture about student work exploring the future settlement of Mars, focusing on the potential effect of organizations like Space-X and Virgin Orbit (open to architects, teachers and the public)
“Community Crossover”
Lecturer, American University of Sharjah, UAE, 2010 Lecture exploring the prominence of brands and their potential positive effect on community buildings and public spaces (open to students and faculty)
“Building Brand Value through Architecture II”
Lecturer, American University of Sharjah, UAE, 2010 Lecture exploring Todd’s relationship to mission-based strategy in his work (open to students and faculty)
“ Todd led the charge in creating two innovative educational spaces for refugee children in Tijuana, projects fraught with obstacles but brimming with possibilities. The outcome was transformative. ”
– Alise Schafer Ivey Founder, PILAglobal
“Team Work: Can it be Taught?”
Presenter, Faculty Brown Bag Colloquium, Otis College of Art & Design, Los Angeles CA, 2009 Professional discussion about the Vision Guide process and its use in the classroom to build consensus amongst students (open to faculty)
“Building Brand Value through Architecture”
Lecturer, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque NM, 2008 Lecture exploring Todd’s relationship to mission-based strategy in his work (open students)
“Architect in Hollywood”
Lecturer, Auburn University School of Architecture, Auburn AL, 2007
Lecture describing Todd’s work in the entertainment industry (open to students and faculty)
“Architect in Hollywood II”
Lecturer, Woodbury University School of Architecture, San Diego CA, 2007
Lecture describing Todd’s work in the entertainment industry (open to students and faculty)
“The Brands Go Marching In”
Lecturer, AIAS Forum
New Orleans LA, 2005 Lecture about Todd’s work related to brands and community (open to students and faculty)
“Beyond Logo: Adding Value and Meaning Through Architecture”
Lecturer, Tulane School of Architecture, New Orleans LA, 2004 Lecture about Todd’s work related to brands and community (open to students and faculty)
“March Studio Recent Work”
Lecturer, Eclectic Wonders Lecture
Series, Oxford Brookes University, School of Architecture, Oxford UK, 2002 Lecture exploring Todd’s work with brands and its effect on community organizations (open to students and faculty)
“Strategies from the Architectural SubConscious”
Lecturer, Woodbury University School of Architecture, Los Angeles CA, 1998. Lecture about student work exploring rural building form in Europe (open to students and faculty)
“ Todd listens to and uses the community’s input and experience to inform the architecture and design, making a more visionary and functional environment. ”
– Rich Shelton Director of Creative Action, OTIS
URBANbuild Final Review, 2023
Woodbury University Mars City Design, 2018
OTIS Travel Studio, Barcelona, 2018
Honorable Mention
American Institute of Architects/LA
Design, CalTech Children’s Center Outdoor Laboratory, 2008
Honorable Mention
American Institute of Architects/LA
Design, The Growing Place Art and Science Studio, 2001
Certificate of Appreciation
Architecture for Communities LA,
Recognition of Leadership, 2022
“ I want to continue to teach, research, write, and speak about the relationship between architecture and branding and its importance to the community with strong exemplary projects. ”
–Todd Erlandson
10 to Watch, Up-and-Coming Design Talent
Honorable Mention: Interior Institutional
Architect’s Newspaper Best of Design, Bay Area Children Center, 2020
Design Award Winner
Mars City, Interior Design + Branding, 2018
Participant: New Blood, Next Gen Exhibition
A+D Museum of Los Angeles, Todd Erlandson, 2008
Silver Award Winner: Architecture and Interiors
Spark Design Awards, Children’s Center at CalTech Outdoor Laboratory, 2008
“ The award-winning Growing Place enthusiastically conveys the mission of the nurturing and inspiring environment within. ”
– LA Architect
10 to Watch, Up-and-Coming Design Talent
Gold Award Winner
Spark Design Awards, Friends of Ballona Wetlands Field Lab, 2007
Emerging Talent
“ Domestic and institutional scales are hard to combine, and this pavilion inserted between two houses has a character all its own. ”
– AIA Jury
Children Center at Caltech
Honorable Mention: “Bigger than a Street, Smaller than a City”
A+D Design Awards, Epicenter’s Open Grounds, 2020
Design Award Winner
Westside Urban Forum (WUF), Untitled No. 1 Preschool, 2019
“ There’s
materiality
It is
a playful
to the building.
very successful in making each space feel comfortable and unique in its own right.
”
– Westside Urban Forum Jury
Untitled No. 1
The Monterey Design Conference, Todd Erlandson, 2005
City of Santa Monica Commendation
The Growing Place, Art + Science Project Studio, 2001
Design Studio Award
Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture, Annual Meeting, 1996
Authored by Todd
INSIDE OUT
“INSIDE OUT.” Woodbury School of Architecture, 2022.
Newspaper publication documenting an interior design studio taught at Woodbury University in response to the disproportionate effects of COVID-19 on minority-owned small businesses.
Follow Your Vision
“Follow Your Vision: Inspiration for Dreamers, Innovations in Early Education.” The International Reggio Exchange, 2010. “What can happen when you bring together one architect with two very inspired and driven preschool directors? The creation of beautiful spaces for children that make a difference.”
“ Todd wants to create something that will make a difference, and expose the process. ”
– Architectural Record
Strategies From the Architectural Subconscious
Strategies from the Architectural Subconscious, Publication #30, Public Access Press, 1998.
Architectural seminar taught by the author at SCI-Arc Vico, Switzerland, and based on the observation and analysis of common yet exceptional buildings in the landscape.
Primal Adaptation: Natural Selection in Construction
“Primal Adaptation: Natural Selection in Construction” Journal of Architectural Education, 1997.
Article documenting a fourth-year undergraduate design studio co-taught by the author based on spontaneity and improvisation in full-scale construction.
Alchemy of the Ad Hoc
“Alchemy of the Ad Hoc.” L. A. Forum for Architecture and Urban Design Newsletter, 1995.
Article documenting and analyzing the construction of an ad-hoc ex-pat community off Highway 1 in Baja California
8x8x8
8x8x8, Publication #4. Public Access Press, 1994.
Book describing the ad-hoc design and construction process of a 64 sf type five building at Southern California Institute of Architecture from cast off materials.
About Todd, Authored by Others
March Studio 20th Anniversary
Cagle, Kate. “Local Architects Celebrate
20 Years in Santa Monica.” Santa Monica Daily Press, March 27, 2018.
“We have a responsibility as architects and designers not only to our clients but to the context the project sits in.”
10 Architects Build for the Future
Spencer, Ingrid. “10 Architects Build for the Future.” Architectural Record, 2006.
March Studio: Brands and the Built Environment, “Todd wants to create something that will make a difference, expose the process, and give people a connection to the place.”
10 to Watch
Balcony Media, INC. “10 to Watch.” LA Architect, 2006.
“[March Studio’s] projects—aptly dubbed ‘strategic architectures’—are consistent in their ability to adapt to and benefit the environment and their clients’ programs.”
The Rules of Retail
Ross, Robert Scott. “The Rules of Retail.” LA Architect, 2006.
“Erlandson worked with students to identify emerging retail trends through an analysis of a particular brand—its positioning, personality and promise.”
Exploring Movement
Balcony Media, INC. “New Design, Exploring Movement.” LA Architect, 2006.
“March Studio studies the processes and mentalities of their clients to distill a complex program into a simple flow of moments and movements”
Growing Gains
Milshtein, Amy. “Growing Gains: The Growing Place.” Contract, 2002.
2.3 Accomplishments |
About Todd’s Work, Authored by Others
Untitled No. 1
“March Studio’s Untitled No. 1: A Naturebased Preschool.” FORM Magazine: Pioneering Design, 2019. web. Article on the socio-economically diverse nature and forest preschool in Santa Monica, CA.
Children’s Center at Caltech
“The Children’s Center at Caltech’s Outdoor Science Laboratory.” FORM Magazine: Pioneering Design, 2008. “March Studio wanted to create a building that would reflect the identity and culture of Caltech, support its mission and contribute to the community.”
The Getty Family Room Competition
Riddle, Danette. “Learning Cubed, the Getty Family Room Competition.” LA Architect, 2003.
“March Studio created an environment, part gallery and part studio, where children can explore art in an interactive and immersive way.”
“ The architecture of the Growing Place is unpretentious and conducive to the active, functional, and nurturing philosophy of its educators. ” – LA Architect
The Growing Place
“From Reggio Emilia to California Kids.” Abitare, 2001.
“The large plaza containing the complex, flexible ground plan, natural materials, primary colors and simple furnishings help children to grow confidently and happily with their classmates and teachers.”
The Growing Place
“The Growing Place, Art and Science Project Studio” LA Architect, 2001.
“The architecture of the Growing Place is unpretentious and conducive to the active, functional, and nurturing philosophy of its educators.”
Atomic Burger
Sanders, Devon. “First Look: New Orleans’ Popular Atomic Burger Arrives in Baton Rouge.” [225] Magazine, 2019.
“The new restaurant is bathed in great lighting and a bright red interior color scheme—promising some Insta-worthy backgrounds to a few pictures of its food.”
Providence Cinema Arts Media Center
“New Cinema Arts Facility Unveiled” Pioneer Connections, 2016.
“Reinvisioning the space has allowed the school to enliven and reimagine all parts of the program to better meet the needs and talents of students in this cutting edge industry.”
“ Todd wanted to create a building that would reflect the identity and culture of Caltech, support its mission and contribute to the community. ”
“March Studio’s strategic transformation of a Manhattan parking garage into the offices of the multicultural design firm NiCE is quintessentially New York.”
NiCE NYC
Calmenson, Diane Wintroub. “Office in the Sky.” Interiors & Sources, 1999.
“Strong industrial design elements throughout the space convey an image of cutting edge creativity that seems to say, ‘This is the office of the future.’”
Blur Studio
“March/Blur Studio.” Monitor Unlimited #20, n.d.
“March Studio created a space that allows for both intense individual work and energetic group collaboration, as well as leisurely relief in shared spaces during breaks.”
Abitare, The Growing Place 2001
LA Architect, Unbuilt Built, Family Getty Room, 2003
AN Best of Design, 2020
The Children’s Center at Caltech
FORM Magazine, feat. Children’s Center at Caltech, 2008
“ Through his process, Todd observed how children, parents, and teachers interact in our learning spaces and created environments that serve the specific needs of our school’s entire community—where young children can learn and heal through play. Todd and his team helped transform our spaces to support that vision. ”
3 Exhibits
– Lindsay Weissert Executive Director, PILAglobal
Santa Monica CA, Completed, 2001 (Pro Bono)
Santa Monica CA, Completed, 2018
Outdoor Classroom/Mobile Infant Classroom
Tijuana MX, Completed, 2020 (Pro Bono)
Cao Bang Vietnam, Completed, 2023
SCI-Arc Salon Series Presentation
Los
CA,
New Orleans LA, Fall 2004, Spring 2005
Los Angeles CA, Fall 2006, 2015-2017
Los Angeles CA, Spring 2021-2022
Santa Monica, CA / Completed 2001
“ Todd knew from the beginning that the opinions of the children and teachers as the primary beneficiaries of this space would be integral to its design—and at every step, they were included in the process. ”
– Ellen Khokha Founder & Executive Director, The Growing Place
3.1 The Growing Place
An all-day nonprofit childcare center for working parents in Santa Monica, CA.
CHALLENGE
Located in a repurposed public school building, the teachers and staff did not have the necessary space to support their educational philosophy, which involves long-term, child-led projects and their documentation over time, amid general space requirements for meals, naps, and other daily routines.
Working as a volunteer and a member of the board of directors, Todd led his design team through the Vision Guide process, working with teachers and administrators to establish guidelines for a new art and science project studio to support their specific pedagogy. He identified an appropriate location on site and prepared drawings for building department approval and construction. Todd oversaw construction, taking the opportunity of engaging the children through a process of exploration, questioning, and documentation in alignment with the school’s Reggio Emilia values.
OUTCOME
The completed space allowed small groups of children to plan and participate in in-depth long-term projects with direct access to quality materials. Over time, the building also serves as a visual touchstone for the school’s philosophy and values, providing a clear identity and focal point that differentiates it from the former public school campus. All community activities happen using the building as a backdrop and a stage for presentations, gatherings, and performances.
Clockwise from above: interior is a light filled, flexible space with easy access to materials; diagram shows dedicated interior space, community outdoor space and identity focused facade; a group of children interact with Todd and the construction crew.
Status Completed, 2001
Location Santa Monica, CA
Client Ellen Khokha,The Growing Place
Role Principal-In-Charge (Pro Bono)
Program Art and Science Project Studio
I have personal knowledge of the nominee’s responsibility for the exhibit listed above, whom was largely responsible for design.
Ellen Khokha, Founder and Executive Director
The Growing Place
Role of architecture is to support the learning and creative process for children, giving them the tools and materials (languages) to express themselves
“ The final product had to reflect exactly who we are and not simply Todd’s vision of us. For that to happen, He had to hear us and incorporate our philosophical vision. ”
– Susan Wood
Executive Director, Children’s Center at Caltech
3.2 Children’s Center at Caltech
An all-day childcare center for children of faculty and students at the California Institute of Technology.
CHALLENGE
Located in repurposed residential bungalow buildings, the Children’s Center wanted to make a central space useful to all children, that would engage their large outdoor space and focus on scientific exploration.
Todd met with teachers and staff to develop a science-oriented program to fit their philosophy. To inspire the board of trustees to commit funds for the project, Todd used the Vision Guide to direct a 3-year process: first, he prepared a book of diagrams, text and images capturing the mission and values of the school and shared it at a fundraising event; second, Todd and his team presented a large-scale model of the design at a similar event the following year; and finally in year three, he engaged the entire school community by holding the board event inside the completed lab.
OUTCOME
The building serves as a connector between isolated groups of children in disparate classrooms and a highly interactive outdoor space with high-quality lab equipment, such as microscopes and light tables, that supports the school’s science-based philosophy. A dedicated space that stimulates children’s curiosity and respects their abilities supports their growth as future scientists and attracts like-minded parents and students to the program.
Clockwise from above: outdoor laboratory facilitates science-based learning opportunities; diagram shows the project as both a connector and a microcosm of the larger Caltech campus; children are focused observers with support of teachers as co-creators.
Status Completed, 2008
Location Pasadena, CA
Client Children’s Center at Caltech
Role Principal-In-Charge
Program Outdoor Science Laboratory
I have personal knowledge of the nominee’s responsibility for the exhibit listed above, whom was largely responsible for design.
Susan Wood, Executive Director
Children’s Center at Caltech
“ Together with Todd, we planted the seed and made a difference in Santa Monica. His work as our architect is done but the school will have a long and lasting impact. ”
3.3 Untitled No. 1
Santa Monica, CA / Completed 2018
– Laila Taslimi Founder, Untitled No. 1
3.3 Untitled No. 1
A nonprofit childcare center focused on supporting an under-resourced neighborhood of Santa Monica by providing 30% of their students with scholarships and being a vital participant in neighborhood life.
CHALLENGE
Located within a residential area, the repurposed single family home was reimagined to take advantage of the existing structure and front and backyards for classroom space. The Vision Guide process helped Todd and the school’s director to integrate their values of sustainability, social justice, food justice and inquisitive observation.
Initially challenged by the neighborhood during the planning process, Todd connected with neighbors through presentations, discussions and meetings, using the Vision Guide to explain their purpose, and ultimately allowing the center to become a vital part of the neighborhood.
OUTCOME
The transformation of the finished house and property prioritizes outdoor space that is visibly open and accessible to the community. Care of natural resources is learned, making the school a model for other sustainable programs. The deconstructed house exposes its interior workings, creating an environment rich with evocative objects and diverse spaces, and children and families come together in programmed experiences like an outdoor covered studio and harvestable garden that engages the surrounding community. These elements instill the school’s values and help make its students better world citizens and neighbors.
Clockwise from above: outdoor spaces connect dining, gardening and art studio opportunities; diagram shows cycle of food production and other sustainable aspects of the school, art studio collects solar energy while providing focused work space.
Status Completed, 2018
Location Santa Monica, CA
Client Laila Taslimi, Untitled No. 1
Role Principal-In-Charge
Program Childcare Center
I have personal knowledge of the nominee’s responsibility for the exhibit listed above, whom was largely responsible for design.
Laila
Taslimi,
Founder and Executive Director
Untitled No. 1
“ We are so appreciative of Todd’s personal commitment to serve not only his community but the thousands of migrant children south of our border. ”
– Alise Schafer Ivey Founder, PILAglobal
3.4 Canyon Nest/Nest Centrito32
An early childhood education non-profit, PILAglobal builds “Nests,” innovative educational spaces for displaced children and families, providing a focused and peaceful respite from overcrowded living conditions in refugee camps around the world.
CHALLENGE
PILAglobal approached Todd during the pandemic to extend learning spaces outside of their existing classrooms in Tijuana, Mexico. They were also interested in expanding infant learning opportunities to other area camps, using a reclaimed school bus to create a mobile infant care classroom for children and parent education.
Using the Vision Guide process, Todd defined program elements that could extend into both the outdoor classroom and infant space. He coordinated with local contractors and fabricators and sourced new and used materials to create the outdoor play yard and bus interior, and collaborated with an environmental graphics firm in designing a bus exterior that accurately reflected their identity.
OUTCOME
The new spaces serve children as outdoor classrooms during school hours, allowing education and play to continue seamlessly during COVID and a park-like refuge for their families to gather and socialize in the afternoons and evenings. Nest Centrito 32, the mobile classroom, serves infants, toddlers and their parents in six shelters across Tijuana. Staffed by early childhood teachers and parent educators, Nest Centrito 32 also provides parents the opportunity to learn about child development and how to best support their child’s growth.
Clockwise from above: new outdoor spaces provide a calm environment for both students and their families; interior of mobile classroom is open and bright, with clean comfortable surfaces and access to materials: a child takes ownership of playhouse and amphitheater.
Status Completed, 2020
Location Tijuana, MX
Client PILAglobal
Role Principal-In-Charge (Pro Bono)
Program Outdoor Classroom/Mobile Infant Classroom
I have personal knowledge of the nominee’s responsibility for the exhibit listed above, whom was largely responsible for design.
Lindsay Weissert
Executive Director
PILAglobal
“ Working with Todd to lay the foundations for rodeo grounds in Green River helped us take a community idea and turn it into something we can visualize and eventually achieve. ”
– Maria Sykes Founder & Executive Director, Epicenter
3.5 Open Grounds Park
Green River, UT / Completed 2021
3.5 Open Grounds Park
A collaboration between Todd’s March Studio and Epicenter, a nonprofit community design center in the rural town of Green River, Utah (pop. 952), that works incrementally and intentionally alongside community members to identify and build on their town’s assets.
CHALLENGE
Epicenter came to Todd with an idea to create a plan for a large, vacant parcel of land on Green River’s Main Street to become a flexible-use site for drive-in movies, flea markets/swap meets, city events or festivals, and more. Specific aspects in the program include a pop-up rodeo grounds setup, BMX pump tracks, walking trails and a dog park, with the desire to develop it further as a safe and socially distanced gathering opportunity during COVID.
As an outsider, Todd was challenged to make a space that honors the context of the existing town and reflects the community it serves. He drew on the history and personality of Green River to design a space that makes sense for the community.
OUTCOME
Utilizing design strategies and solutions established in the Vision Guide, Todd designed a concept and visual package, which was utilized to secure grant funding and gather community input. Open Grounds aesthetically and functionally embodies the community it serves. The first phase of Open Grounds will include designing and building mobile fixtures that can be used throughout town; with the plans outlined and ideas visualized, the project is moving forward as more resources become available.
Clockwise from above: artist rendering of pop-up drive-in experience; plan of existing riverbed showing phase-3 of the project to include drive-in, rodeo grounds, dog park and BMX bike trails; Epicenter’s headquarters in a repurposed, early-1900’s pool hall on Broadway, Green River.
Status Completed, 2021
Location Green River, UT
Client Epicenter
Role Principal-In-Charge (Pro Bono)
Program Public Park
I have personal knowledge of the nominee’s responsibility for the exhibit listed above, whom was largely responsible for design.
Maria Sykes Executive Director Epicenter
3.6 Cao Bang Family Medical Center
“ Todd’s process ensured the design was centered around our mission and the people we serve, creating an environment focused on high-quality care and a dignified experience. ”
Cao Bang, Vietnam / Completed 2023
– Dr. Vien Doan Founder & Executive Director, GSMDM
3.6 Cao Bang Family Medical Center
A medical clinic in Northern Vietnam operated by local doctors and staff trained in western medical techniques by the Good Samaritan Medical Dental Ministry. The goal of GSMDM is to create collaborative relationships with the people of Vietnam to advance healthcare, education and community development.
CHALLENGE
Todd was first approached by GSMDM in 2002 and traveled to Vietnam to observe remote clinics, hospitals and potential sites. The challenge was to create a welcoming, dignified and safe building for a community that traditionally lacked trust in medical facilities, that would be designed to be respectful of the local context. When negotiations with the Communist government fell through, Todd returned in 2018. Using his Vision Guide to share plans and intentions with local administrators, he gained their approval for the project. Todd and his team conducted extensive research, documenting traditional and contemporary facilities and employing local construction techniques, to ensure the new building both represented the values of GSMDM and fit into the cultural context.
OUTCOME
With the grand opening expected end 2023, the resulting medical facility will provide state-of-the-art care, serving hundreds of patients per month, and relieving pressure on local hospitals and clinics. The building is light and open and visible from the street with plants and gardens, promising a calm and soothing environment for patients to feel welcome and at peace, in keeping with the GSMDM mission of providing the highest level of healthcare for every community and culture.
Clockwise from above: Workers put finishing touches on building exterior, outdoor waiting area and healing garden; interior is bright, open and well-ventilated with live plantings; local tradespeople install Vietnamsourced tile in second level community and classroom space.
Status Completed, 2023
Location Cao Bang, Vietnam
Client Good Samaritan Medical Dental Ministry
Role Principal-In-Charge (Partial Pro Bono) Program Medical Facility
I have personal knowledge of the nominee’s responsibility for the exhibit listed above, whom was largely responsible for design.
Dr. Vien Doan
Founder/Executive Director
Good Samaritan Medical Dental Ministry
“ It’s
about making connections and uplifting the work our partners do, allowing their identity to drive the project look, and designing spaces that are really valuable for the community–for humankind.
”
–
Todd Erlandson
DOING GOOD BETTER, SCI-Arc Salon Series
3.7 DOING GOOD, BETTER
Todd was invited to speak as part of the SCI-Arc Salon Series, an intimate lecture opportunity for selected alumni and board members. Todd presented his professional path and his renewed focus on doing good through March Studio’s shift to non-profit projects.
CHALLENGE
Todd presented and discussed the realization as a young architect that he wanted to use the skills he was developing to make a positive difference in the world, which led him to SCI-Arc. Following graduation, a teaching fellowship at SCI-Arc’s program in Switzerland gave him an opportunity to develop the client-centric design methodology of the Vision Guide, implemented in his new practice in 1998. Todd then recognized that identity-focused strategies developed for commercial clients could be easily transferred to non-profit and community-based clients. The pandemic allowed him to use emergency relief funds to focus on pro bono projects forming the basis for a more authentic, value-based practice–doing good, better.
OUTCOME
Over 40 alumni, students and colleagues attended Todd’s Salon Series presentation. All attendees participated in a lively discussion of the work and Todd’s renewed direction. Interactive breakout discussions allowed participants to reflect on what “doing good” meant to them and how to introduce Todd’s process into their work. Todd concluded the lecture with an invitation to collaborate with participants on non-profit projects with partner organizations in need of design services to further their missions. As a result, Todd has teamed up with an attendee to explore an orphanage project in Baja California.
Clockwise from above: Todd’s office in a storefront in Ocean Park CA acts as an important connection to the community; a collage exercise created as part of his strategic planning process reflects a focus on community-based work; Todd and partner volunteer on a service project in Haiti, the start of Todd’s purposedriven process.
Status Spring 2022
Location Los Angeles, CA
School SCI-Arc
Role Speaker
Program SCI-Arc Salon Series
I have personal knowledge of the nominee’s responsibility for the exhibit listed above, whom was largely responsible for design.
Natasha Neufeld
Associate Director of Individual Giving
Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc)
3.8 Tulane Design Studio & Seminar
New Orleans, LA / Fall 2004, Spring 2005
“ Todd extensively studies the products, processes and mentalities of his clients. He takes projects that may be seen as ordinary and makes them extraordinary. ”
– Reed Kroloff
Former Dean of Tulane School of Architecture
3.8 Tulane Design Studio & Seminar
Todd was invited to Tulane University School of Architecture as a visiting faculty member to share his approach of using a client’s mission and identity as the inspiration for design. At a time when ‘brand design’ was just emerging, Todd taught how to develop design strategies based on a brand’s unique identity and to explore ways to employ those strategies to positively engage communities.
CHALLENGE
Students were asked to research large-scale brand identities and their influences through the creation of Brand Bibles, reflecting the brand’s mission, vision, core values and aesthetics in a concise document. This research was then used to execute three projects celebrating unique aspects of the brand: a construction fence, where they designed a barrier that reflected the brand without using recognizable logos or colors; the transformation of a shipping container into a temporary branded experience; and a project for a large public amenity influenced by the brand’s personality.
OUTCOME
Designing projects like a Whole Foods Vertical Garden, which incorporated homeless housing, an Evian Firehouse that expanded the use of water beyond fire fighting, and a Woman’s History Museum sponsored by Victoria’s Secret gave students insight into the subtlety of brand. They also gained a better understanding of how these entities provide opportunities for collaboration with communities, resulting in a win-win outcome both for the brand and for people.
Student work, clockwise from above: Women’s history museum embodies the rich textures and fashion-forward sensibility of the Victoria’s Secret brand; a temporary bike rental and repair facility by IKEA; the Evian-inspired firehouse interior is clean and minimal, with a 2nd floor pool.
Status Fall 2004, Spring 2005
Location New Orleans, LA
School Tulane University
Role Lead Faculty
Program Design Studio/Seminar
I have personal knowledge of the nominee’s responsibility for the exhibit listed above, whom was largely responsible for design.
Reed Kroloff
Former Dean
Tulane University School of Architecture
Creative Action
Los Angeles, CA / 2006-2017
“ Creating course curricula in partnership with community organizations, Todd dedicates himself to the development of his students, generating human-centered designs using identity-based strategies. ”
– Rich Shelton Director of Creative Action, OTIS
3.9 Creative Action
Following Todd’s teaching at Tulane, Otis College of Art & Design invited him to teach in the Creative Action department, an integrated program that introduces students to compelling social and environmental issues within their communities. Creative Action partners multidisciplinary student teams with local and international community organizations to identify and solve real-world environmental and social challenges.
CHALLENGE
Todd led each class to investigate the unique identity of a given organization and focus on a current concern or problem the organization was experiencing. Using brand and identity as an overarching concept and a Vision Guide-based process, he guided students in defining a clear understanding of their organization’s core personality and translating that awareness into a mission-supportive object, product or campaign. Over 10 years Todd worked with multiple partners—among them Friends of the Ballona Wetlands, Baldwin Hills Conservancy, American Lung Association, Spirit Awakening, Safe Place for Youth and the Escola dels Encants in Barcelona—to advance their mission and educate young designers.
OUTCOME
Projects ranged from community outreach, specialized products and advertising campaigns to buildings, interiors and master plans. Students learned that each organization is different, and thus requires an individual solution fitting their particular mission and vision. By defining the “brand” as a group from the beginning, they together delivered a series of projects and ideas that supported the organizations.
Clockwise from above: student concepts for nonprofit Spirit Awakening, including logo development, a short film and organization-inspired merchandise; an artbased “happening” with design students and homeless youth; students meet with incarcerated youth to discuss careers in design.
Status 2006-2017
Location Los Angeles, CA
School OTIS College of Art & Design
Role Lead Faculty
Program Design Studio
I have personal knowledge of the nominee’s responsibility for the exhibit listed above, whom was largely responsible for design.
Rich Shelton
Director of Creative Action
Otis College of Art and Design
Los Angeles, CA / Spring 2021-2022
“ Todd’s approach demonstrates the significance of informed design grounded in a community’s human ecology. It illustrates the motivational impact of design to expand the world view of innovative, small business ownership and to overcome the sociocultural disruptions of our time. ”
– Branka Olson Chair, Interior Design, Woodbury University School of Architecture
3.10 INSIDE OUT
In 2020, Todd was invited to co-teach an interior design studio at Woodbury University. Titled “INSIDE OUT”, the syllabus responded to an article written in the Los Angeles Times, “About Half of All Small Businesses in Danger of Failing During Pandemic...”
CHALLENGE
Funded by a three-year grant from the Donghia Foundation, Todd cocreated a learning experience aimed at supporting minority-owned businesses in the Midcity neighborhood of Los Angeles, celebrating their independent brands to help them survive and thrive during the COVID-19 pandemic. Teamed with a local business and using a version of the Vision Guide process, students were challenged to identify the essential brand touchpoints of the businesses’ interior space and conceptually pull them “inside out” to COVID-safe exterior spaces, while preserving and celebrating their unique personality and experiential qualities.
OUTCOME
Students developed concepts for branded “parklets”—outdoor parkingspace sized environments in front of or adjacent to commercial spaces— that comprise the mission and values of their assigned business. The students later distilled these concepts into individual pieces of street furniture, which were built in collaboration with professional fabricators and gifted to the business. By defining the essential qualities of each business, and creating furniture that were representative of those qualities, students had the opportunity to help local owners succeed despite a difficult business climate. These installations have also expand public awareness of design to serve communities.
Clockwise from above: outdoor dining and community space compliment a Belizean restaurant during COVID; install of student-partner built outdoor furniture for Sankofa Boutique in Midcity; business partner inspects student concepts prior to a formal review.
Status Spring 2021-2022
Location Los Angeles, CA
School Woodbury University
Role Co-Faculty
Program Design Studio
I have personal knowledge of the nominee’s responsibility for the exhibit listed above, whom was largely responsible for design.
Branka Olson Chair, Interior Design Woodbury University School of Architecture
