Meet Thierry Cassan

Thierry Cassan is a Principal Architect at KBZ Architects.

Thierry Cassan was born, raised, and educated in southern France.

He began his career as an industrial designer for Valorga S.A. and quickly became an active member in the group Atelier Patrix (founded by internationally acclaimed Industrial Designer and Colorist, Georges Patrix), which pioneered innovations in design and color in the workplace.

In 1989, Thierry opened his own practice in Montpellier, France before moving to the United States in 1994. After working for architecture firms in Savannah, Georgia and Nashville, Tennessee, Thierry and his wife relocated to her hometown in Santa Barbara, CA. Thierry joined KBZ in 1999 and became a partner in January 2007.

What led you to begin your career in architecture?

As a teenager, I joined a school trip to visit the Cité Radieuse in Marseille, France, which was designed by the famous Swiss/French architect, Le Corbusier.

This rectilinear, weightless structure was like nothing I had ever seen, and it opened my eyes to the transformative opportunities intrinsic in design and architecture.

The building, which locals had dubbed “la maison du fada” (house of the madman), is now regarded as the initial inspiration for the International Style, and it cemented Le Corbusier’s place in history as one the most influential figures in modern architecture. I dreamed of designing buildings that could shatter expectations and open eyes, as well.

What are the most memorable projects throughout your career?

All of my projects have been memorable for different reasons, but two stand out.

(1) The design of the Canyon Country Campus, through which I was given the privilege of collaborating with community college leaders and the community to transform what once was a barren hillside in Canyon Country, CA into a thriving and vibrant campus complete with award-winning educational facilities.

(2) The Institute for Culinary Education (iCUE) at College of the Canyons.

I was born and raised in a small village in southern France where food, cooking and eating were not only central to my upbringing, but defining aspects of my life.

It was a dream come true to design hi-tech culinary teaching spaces dedicated to baking, patisserie, wine tasting, and chocolate creation.

I was also given the chance to re-design the SBCC Culinary Kitchen.

Quite simply, these are my favorite projects, as they allow me to combine my passions for both gastronomy and architectural design.

What awards, certifications, or achievements are you most proud of?

One of my proudest achievements was having my son attend classes in the West Campus Center at Santa Barbara City College. My goal in designing that project was to create spaces that not only provided opportunities to connect, learn, teach, and grow, but ones that reflected the community’s commitment to education. I wanted the building to show students like my son and his classmates how much they mattered.

How has your work positively impacted the communities you serve?

It has been a tremendous honor to work with the inspirational Community College system we have here in California. Community colleges provide one of the greatest equalizing forces we have in society, especially for students who might not have access to a costly four-year college.

To the extent the community college spaces I design have contributed to these students’ education and support, I am grateful.

Why are you excited to be working with the KBZ Architects team?

I feel lucky to have joined KBZ when most of the founding partners, Don Ziemer & Don Bensen were still participating, in some way, with KBZ’s practice. I learned so much from them and am honored to be carrying on their legacy alongside our current team of dedicated architects and designers.

We complement each other in terms of our skill sets, interests, and our unique creative perspectives. Every project is a different collaborative adventure.