About

Marissa Kasdan, Associate AIA, holds the position of Director, Research and Development for the R+D Studio at KTGY. The R+D Studio’s goal is to further the vision of KTGY: to move the discourse of architecture forward by continuously searching for better.

In her role, Mrs. Kasdan leads the creation and execution of R+D projects at KTGY, exploring new and emerging ideas related to building design and technology. She is the liaison for the studio, working with KTGY’s national executive leadership on new concepts and developing these concepts together with the creative and research staff of the R+D Studio. Mrs. Kasdan represents KTGY’s R+D Studio with presentations and 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 innovator of KTGY’s Expand Magazine

Mrs. Kasdan offers more than 15 years of design experience to the thought leadership of KTGY, having joined the firm after she obtained her BArch from Cal Poly, 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 competitive regional design firm.

KTGY’s R+D Studio has been awarded numerous design awards and was most recently honored for the second year in a row with the AIA Orange County Inspire Award. In 2018, KTGY’s R+D Studio won the AIA OC 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 AIA OC Inspire Award for Park House, a re-use concept that transforms under-used parking structure space into a modern residential community.