CREATE WITH US
The power of long-standing relationships manifests with our clients
and within our team.
DEMESNE’s story begins at The University of Texas at Austin, where Richard and Jamie met while obtaining their Masters in Architecture. With two distinct personality types—Jamie, intelligent and contemplative and Richard, scholarly and creative. We each helmed our own firms for several years. Our ambition, however, eventually circled back to one another, and DEMESNE was launched in late 2016.
Though we honor our individual talents, collaboration fosters a unique perspective, one that can inspire, provoke, and create. With offices in Aspen and Dallas, we also value longstanding relationships with our communities. Jamie was raised in Aspen, and has been in Dallas for 15 years. Conversely, Richard honed his skills in Dallas and fine-tuned them in Aspen. We continually find as much inspiration in our hometowns as we do in our extensive travels. As such, we connect past and future, define lifestyle, create a legacy, and do so with a keen spatial awareness and a fierce sense of style.
JAMIE OLSEN ALI
Managing Partner/Dallas
Prior to co-founding DEMESNE with Richard, Jamie founded Olsen Studios, located in Dallas. With the simple vision that buildings are experienced from the inside out, Jamie believes architecture and interior design should be developed together to create distinction by design. Jamie values a commitment to excellence and attention to detail, and to maintaining lasting relationships with clients. Jamie’s designs have won numerous awards; an international audience seeks out her keen eye and work. Jamie, who grew up in Aspen and resides in Dallas, is an active member of her community including a member of the Board of Trustees, Saint James Episcopal School. Jamie is the Mom of Maxim and Zane, two rambunctious little boys.
TRAINING GROUNDS
Education:
BA Georgetown University; M.Arch University of Texas at Austin
Notable Projects:
Modern Farmhouse, Dallas, Texas
Ferrari’s Restaurant, Grapevine, Texas
Woodard Residence, Dallas, Texas
L Spa, Dallas, Texas
Rosewood Mayakoba Resort, Playa del Carmen, Mexico*
Umstead Hotel, Cary, North Carolina*
Reno Sportsdome, Reno, Nevada
Baylor Tom Landry Fitness Center, Dallas, Texas*
*Jamie worked on these projects while at ThreeArchitecture in Dallas, Texas.
RICHARD MULLEN
Managing Partner/Aspen
Richard was born in Boston, yet raised overseas. He lived in Germany, Guam, Fiji, Australia, and Kenya, before he moved back to the United States to attend Boarding School at Milton Academy. Educated as an architect and trained in interiors, Richard brings a sharp focus and creativity to every project he approaches—be it a home in Aspen or a boutique hotel abroad. His diverse experience and background allow him to effectively work at the different scales that exist during the design process: site planning, architecture, interior design, furniture design, and product design. His professional experience began at Wilson & Associates in Dallas, where he worked as an architectural designer and was exposed to large-scale, global hotels and resorts. Richard moved to Aspen in 2002 to helm the interior design division at Poss Architecture and Planning. His experience in interior design combined with his architectural background allowed him to bridge the gap that often exists between interior designers and architects, providing a seamless process for clients. In April 2006, Richard launched the design firm Caroline-Edwards, Inc. with partner Barbara Glass, prior to co-founding DEMESNE. Richard is the father of an intelligent and adventurous 11-year-old, George. Richard continues to pursue other creative outlets with his sketching, painting, photography and cooking. Although he no longer lives abroad, he continues to travel extensively.
TRAINING GROUNDS
Education:
BA, Architectural Studies, Connecticut College, Cum Laude; M.Arch., University of Texas at Austin; Adjunct Professor of Design, Texas Christian University
Notable Projects:
Atlantis Hotel & Resort, Bahamas, W.I.
The Ritz Carlton Bachelor Gulch, Beaver Creek, Colorado
The Hilton of the Americas, Houston, Texas
Prince Bandar Bin Sultan Residence, Aspen, Colorado
The Caine Residence, Aspen, Colorado
The Hecht Residence, Aspen, Colorado
The Bolin Residence, Basalt, Colorado
Current Buildings Most Admired:
The Copenhagen Opera House, Henning Larsen; and the architecture of Herzog & DeMeuron and Peter Zumthor.
Historic Buildings Most Admired:
The Pantheon, Rome; The Barcelona Pavilion, Mies Van Der Rohe; and the architecture of McKim, Mead & White.
Current Obsessions:
Architecture of Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa. The Landscape architecture of Fredrick Law Olmstead. Detail Sketches of Carlo Scarpa. The art of Richardo Mazal.
Bucket List Trip:
Bringing my son to Kenya, to see where I grew up. India.
Inspired By:
Nature. Sketches of the human figure. Travel. Modern art.