Mark G. Swenson

Mark G. Swenson (born November 29, 1949) is an American architect and founding principal of Elness Swenson Graham Architects Inc. (ESG Architecture & Design) based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Mark G. Swenson
Born (1949-11-29) November 29, 1949
Minneapolis
NationalityAmerican
Alma materUniversity of Minnesota
OccupationArchitect
AwardsFellow of the American Institute of Architects, College of Fellows (2008)
PracticeElness Swenson Graham Architects (ESG)
ProjectsFoshay Tower, Farmers and Mechanics Savings Bank, Milwaukee Road Depot
Websitewww.esgarch.com

Biography

Swenson was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota on November 29, 1949. He attended Minnehaha Academy, where he graduated in 1967.[1] He won an Evans Scholarship from Western Golf Association, which paid his way through college.[2]

Swenson attended the University of Minnesota where he earned both a Bachelor of Environmental Design degree and a Masters of Architecture degree.[3] Upon graduation he taught at the School of Architecture at the University of Minnesota for nine years while maintaining a full-time architectural position at a local firm, Ellerbe Architects.

He later moved to BRW Architects (ESG, Elness Swenson Graham Architects Inc., since 1997), where he served as its president from 1990 to 2016).[4] In 1984, Swenson and David Graham completed their first project, a 270-room Radisson convention center hotel in Lansing, Michigan.[5]

ESG became one of the largest architectural studios in Minnesota and specializes in hotel design.[6] By 2017, it has designed more than 70 hotels.[7] The firm re-designed several buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Minneapolis: the W Hotel / Foshay Tower (2008), Westin Hotel / Farmers and Mechanics Savings Bank (2007), Midtown Exchange (2006) and Milwaukee Road Depot.[8] These projects earned him Career Achievement Award from the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota.[8][9]

Swenson held several positions at the American Institute of Architects, serving as a member of the AIA Minnesota Board of Directors from 2001 to 2007 and AIA North Central States Regional Director from 2011 to 2013.[10] In 2008, Swenson was elected a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (FAIA.)[11] Only 3% of AIA members have received this distinction.[12]

Awards and recognition
Year Recognition Recognition type Awarding body
2008 Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, College of Fellows[13][14] Fellowship American Institute of Architects
2009 Career Achievement Award[15][9] Award Preservation Alliance of Minnesota
2018 Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award[3] Award Marquis Who's Who

References
  1. "Hall of Fame". Minnehaha Academy. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  2. "Alumni Association - Minnesota Evans Scholars". minnesota.evansscholars.org. Retrieved 2019-01-03.
  3. "Mark G. Swenson, FAIA". Marquis Who's Who. August 25, 2018. Archived from the original on September 20, 2020. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  4. Johnson, Brian (March 21, 2016). "Roseth takes over as ESG president". Finance & Commerce. Archived from the original on March 25, 2016. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  5. Leigh Painter, Kristen; Buchta, Jim (December 12, 2015). "Research and speed pay off for ESG, the architecture firm designing so much Twin Cities real estate". Star Tribune. Archived from the original on May 3, 2017. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  6. Hanson, Matt (June 13, 2019). "Twin Cities Largest Architectural Firms:Ranked by Architectural billings". Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  7. Halter, Nick (March 23, 2017). "How ESG became the go-to architect for downtown hotels". Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal. Archived from the original on March 28, 2017. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  8. "2013 AIA National Board Directory - American Institute of Architects". American Institute of Architects. 2013. p. 53. Retrieved November 8, 2020 – via Yumpu.com.
  9. "Architect of the Year Award Judges". Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal. April 18, 2010. Archived from the original on October 25, 2010. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  10. Anderson, Mark (2010-09-06). "Swenson named AIA regional leader". Finance & Commerce. Archived from the original on June 19, 2019. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  11. "AIA Announces the Names of 116 New Fellows | 2008-02-19 | Architectural Record". www.architecturalrecord.com. Retrieved 2023-07-06.
  12. "College of Fellows - AIA". www.aia.org. Retrieved 2023-07-06.
  13. AIA College of Fellows History & Directory. American Institute of Architects. 2017. p. 392. Retrieved November 8, 2020 – via Issuu.
  14. Murdock, James (February 19, 2008). "AIA Announces the Names of 116 New Fellows". Architectural Record. Archived from the original on September 21, 2020. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  15. "2009 Minnesota Preservation Awards". historichomesofminnesota.com. September 16, 2009. Archived from the original on April 13, 2020. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
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