ABOUT PAULSON pOEI projects
Founded by Principals, Kristi Paulson and Daniel Poei, PAULSON POEI PROJECTS is an architectural practice based in Los Angeles. We are interested in exterior, interior and ulterior space, those that exist beyond the immediate, off the beaten path, and that which require discovery. Our work seeks to contemplate and design a diversity of environments that focus on connection, wellness and craft, while considering the impacts to our environment. We believe in an intrinsic union between the natural and cultivated world to improve the quality of people’s everyday lives and our planet.
Kristi Paulson, AIA
Kristi Paulson is an impactful leader and Principal of Paulson Poei Projects. She designs buildings that deal with today’s most urgent challenges: addressing climate change, fostering human connection, promoting wellness, and championing equity.
-
Her expertise is honed by two decades of experience delivering exceptional structures that maximize their impact by seamlessly integrating visionary design and advanced sustainability strategies. She balances building performance, ecological responsibility, and design excellence to create enduring spaces that are inviting and accessible for everyone.
-
Prior to transitioning it into the eponymous office, Kristi was a Partner at Behnisch Architekten, leading the Los Angeles office since 2020, expanding and elevating the firm’s national profile.
-
Kristi’s award-winning work includes cultural, educational, and commercial examples at the forefront of design and innovation, including Google’s Spruce Goose Workplace in Playa Vista, the Samuel Oschin Air & Space Center at the California Science Center, UC Berkeley’s Maximino Martinez Commons, a 415-bed student housing complex at the campus edge, and Harvard University’s Science and Engineering Complex (SEC), a LEED Platinum building recognized as one of the healthiest and most energy-efficient laboratories in the world. Most recently, Kristi co-led the design and construction of the SC Workplace, a 110,000-square-foot, four-story interconnected office in Los Angeles.
-
Kristi is a licensed architect in California and Washington. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Architectural Studies at the University of Washington and her Master of Architecture from the University of British Columbia and studied architecture in Cairo, Athens, and Rome. Kristi lectures internationally and sits on student design juries at the University of British Columbia, the University of Southern California, the University of California Los Angeles, the University of California Berkeley, and the University of Arkansas.
--
Daniel Poei, AIA
Daniel Poei is a Principal of Paulson Poei Projects. He believes architecture can positively impact culture and the communities they serve. With over two decades of experience, Daniel has delivered exceptional buildings that are not only recognized for their contributions to the architectural discipline, but also their precision in detailing and long-term building performance.
-
Daniel leads a collaborative design process built around transparent and direct communication with clients. His portfolio includes large-scale, mixed-use, and urban design projects, high-rise residential buildings, retail, higher education, and research laboratories. Prior to forming Paulson Poei Projects, Daniel was the Director in the Los Angeles office of Behnisch Architekten, and co-led the design and execution of the recently completed and award-winning, SC Workplace project, a 110,000-square-foot, four-story collaborative office space in Southern California. The duo also completed the Healthy Haus Campus, a research project stemming from their work on a local workplace campus, which prioritizes the health and well-being of the user, the health and stewardship of the site and the use of healthy construction materials and methods.
-
Daniel draws on his experiences living in vibrant cities across the Pacific Rim, from Los Angeles to Seattle and Tokyo. His inclusive perspective, shaped by these diverse environments and extensive architectural experience, is evident in his holistic approach to creating spaces that seamlessly blend the natural and the built world. He advocates for integrating sustainable techniques and building practices to form dynamic, community-focused spaces and environmental stewardship.
-
Daniel is a licensed architect and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Architectural Studies from the University of Washington and a Master of Architecture with Distinction from the University of California, Los Angeles. Before joining Behnisch in 2019, he worked at a number of notable Los Angeles-based architectural practices, including Brooks Scarpa, Rios Associates, Neil M. Denari Architects.
--