Ibsen Nelsen | |
|---|---|
 Nelsen in 1984 | |
| Born | Ibsen Andreas Nelsen October 2, 1919 Ruskin, Nebraska, United States |
| Died | July 19, 2001 (aged 81) Vashon Island, Washington, United States |
| Education | University of Oregon |
| Occupation(s) | Architect, urban planner |
| Years active | 1951–1990 |
| Spouse |
Ruth Hanawalt (m. 1946) |
| Children | 4 |
Ibsen Andreas Nelsen (October 2, 1919 – July 19, 2001) was an American architect and urban planner active in the Pacific Northwest. He was born to a Danish immigrant family in Ruskin, Nebraska, which fled west during the Dust Bowl and settled in Medford, Oregon. After serving in the Pacific during World War II, he received his Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Oregon in 1951. He moved to Seattle, where after working for several smaller firms he began his own practice in 1953. He partnered with Russell Sabin shortly afterwards, with Gordon Bennett Varey joining the firm in 1961 to form Nelsen, Sabin, & Varey. With the firm, Nelsen designed projects such as the home of painter Morris Graves in Loleta, California.
Nelsen left to form his own practice in 1967, where he designed the Museum of Flight and a series of academic facilities for Western Washington University. He frequently incorporated art and sculpture into his designs, and worked in a variety of architectural styles. In addition to his architectural work, he worked as an urban planner and historical preservationist. He helped to found the Seattle Design Commission and the Municipal Arts Commission of Seattle, and worked to protect and revitalize Pike Place Market and Pioneer Square.