michael peter oberlin pearce
founder and principal. LINK TO RESUME
B technology Architectural Science, Master of Architecture, Dipl. Computer Animation, Lic. Real Estate Broker WA Lag 90527
I started my career in architecture with architectural and urban studies in the ‘80s and was employed in Canada + Europe. I lived in Denmark, Britain, France and Germany where my studies centered around concepts of urban living + communities in Denmark, Germany, Scotland and Canada. I worked in culture rich areas such as Paris, Berlin and Toronto. My theses included cultural + self-sufficient communities in Glasgow, Denmark and the Arctic. I was also fascinated with the idea of being able to provide affordable housing and a way to help the homeless with container housing. Further travels to Europe + Japan further reinforced my understanding of higher density sustainable pedestrian based communities. These communities were designed with a high level of art and culture on the street; intrinsically necessary to a happy prosperous community. Upon returning back to North America I moved in and out of the architectural industry and became somewhat discontent with the capitalist approach to architecture, where city codes and cost constraints determined the form of a building, removing any sense of art form and community values necessary in a healthy society. The meaning for me had been lost.
While working on a 40 storey apartment building in downtown Seattle, building a community and culture seemed to become at ends with the designers overriding vision of steel and glass sculpture and the idea of what the developer felt was marketable. There seemed to be a large chasm between the disciplines. It became clear to me that my high ideals would only reach fruition if I could control the development process from the outset. If Money and cost constraints determined the result, then I would have to control the money, and that meant being in control of the integration of architectural principals into the development process and vice versa. I set my sights at becoming my own developer.
For the next 3 Years I built up my real estate investment company. Successfully studying and applying real estate investing principals. I acquired many properties and more importantly began to understand growing and operating businesses. I entered into single and multi-family deals in conjunction with a growing design company. I grew my knowledge on the subject until the time was right.
To be a developer would mean that I would need to be in control of the funding of projects. Greater good could only be accomplished with projects that were financially viable. The $. This meant understanding investments. With time it became clear that in order to help the people I would also have to create a sound investment vehicle to be sustainable. In Seattle, I strove to provide the community based goals outlined by planning department policy in conjunction with profitable developments. I was sure that under the right circumstances the two could co-exist and consequently the ‘Urban Village Group’ was formed to address this type of development.
Today I focus on building, high density, long term residential communities with a high return for investors.
-
Level Design + 3D
Broderbund - Prince of Persia 3D
Microsoft - Train Sim
-
Sketches + Concepts
-
-
3D Vizualization
3D Visualization
Architecture