Marissa Kasdan, Director of KTGY’s R+D Studio, Relocates to Firm’s Tysons, Virginia Office to Expand R+D Studio’s National Scope

August 22, 2019

Marissa Kasdan, director of KTGY’s R+D Studio, has relocated from KTGY’s Irvine, California office to the firm’s Tysons, Virginia office where she is expanding the nationwide scope of KTGY’s R+D Studio. In her role, Kasdan leads the creation and execution of R+D projects at KTGY, exploring new and emerging ideas related to building design and technology.

“We established KTGY’s R+D Studio to further the vision of KTGY, which is to move the discourse of architecture forward by continuously searching for better,” said David Senden, principal and board member of KTGY Architecture + Planning. “As the studio lead, Marissa has elevated the work of the R+D Studio in collaboration with KTGY’s national executive leadership. Creative concepts developed under her direction have proven valuable to clients and have garnered acclaim from the American Institute of Architects (AIA), Fast Company and industry award programs. We are excited for Marissa to continue the mission of the studio, expanding the national footprint from the Washington, D.C. area.”

Kasdan represents KTGY’s R+D Studio through presentations, speaking engagements, education on new technologies, by-lined articles and news media commentary on trends and futuristic ideas, conceptualizing social media for the studio, and as a contributor and collaborative innovator of KTGY’s award-winning EXPAND magazine.

Kasdan offers more than 15 years of design experience to the thought leadership of KTGY, having joined the firm after she obtained her Bachelor of Architecture degree from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Her varied architecture experience includes work on residential, retail and mixed-use developments both at KTGY and for several years with a regional design firm.

KTGY’s R+D Studio has been awarded numerous design awards including Fast Company’s 2019 World Changing Ideas Awards, where the studio’s Re-Habit concept was named a finalist in the Spaces, Places and Cities category. In 2018, KTGY’s R+D Studio won the American Institute of Architects, Orange County Chapter (AIAOC) Inspire Award for Re-Habit, a design concept that proposes repurposing underused retail space into supportive transition housing for the homeless. In 2017, the studio took top honors with the AIAOC Inspire Award for Park House, a re-use concept that transforms under-used parking structure space into a modern residential community.