About Dean

Contact Dean directly at dean@awcwest.com.

Dean has been practicing design, architecture, and construction for nearly 30 years. From his early days fabricating musical instruments, to his time in the construction trades, to his career as a project architect and project manager, Dean has demonstrated an entrepreneurial ability to incorporate diverse endeavors into the development and execution of elegant design solutions. He has served as project manager or technical designer to architects, engineers, and fabricators from Paris, London, and New York, to Texas, St. Louis, San Francisco, and Seattle on projects thoughout Asia and the western United States. Most recently, Dean served as principal technical designer for Transformation Phases I and II of Renzo Piano’s Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Dean is distinguished as the only design professional to work on Los Angeles’ two major museum projects: on the Getty Center with Richard Meier and Partners and on the LACMA transformation projects with Renzo Piano Building Workshop.

Whether in-house expert or independent consultant, Dean brings an uncommon approach to his years of experience in design, documentation, and construction management; one that emphasizes creative problem solving inspried by technical knowledge and the interplay between design, fabrication, and construction. He encourages owners, builders, and other professionals to move beyond their traditional roles toward an orchestrated team effort centered around effective use of materials and efficient execution. His approach draws considerable appreciation from clients, owners, architects and contractors alike.

Dean is a graduate from the University of Southern California’s School of Architecture and its College of Letters Arts and Sciences, and has been a California-licensed General Contractor for more than 20 years. He is a past member of the Construction Managers Association of America (CMAA), a current member of the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) and International Code Council (ICC), and is an ICC-certified Commercial Building Inspector. Dean has taught design at USC and 3D computer modeling at Woodbury University. He has lectured on computer technology and design, and has conducted in-house workshops and seminars on design systems and construction technology.