Meet Tim Nystrom | Member Spotlight

Tim has been practicing residential and commercial architecture in the Bay Area since 2008 and then became licensed in 2012. He not only designs homes, he designs a neighborhood experience. His inviting, aesthetically diverse architecture is art. He chose architecture because he has always had a passion for practical art, saying, “I went to an art high school, so painting and sculpting are something that I’ve always done. I still paint and sculpt. I’ve always loved that, and many architects have that path in terms of the balance of art and math and physics, so I would say that’s part of my journey.”

This journey, from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo to the Bay Area has led him to new developments in residential and commercial architecture. Recently Tim has become most excited about the design and growth of the multifamily home, something he feels the housing market is moving toward in California, “based on density and space availability.” 

It is not surprising that Tim is excited about the growth of the multifamily home, as his own dream project brings communities together. Tim speaks passionately about creating a place where architecture brings people together saying, “People are so important when it comes to architecture and I believe there is a strong social, geographical, political connection that needs to be present in architecture. What we do really does shape a community.” He dreams of bridging the gap with churches, schools and community housing.

He is equally passionate about making an impact within commercial architecture. His architectural contribution to a biotech company that created instrumentation during Covid-19 allowed him to support job creation in his industry, as he hired new employees to grow his team. Tim is a voice of support and change in architecture.

In his desire to have a voice and help encourage young architects, Tim has found a way to give back to the architecture community through the AIA. He is passionate about encouraging students navigating their way through the world of architecture during their school years and beyond. He wishes to guide young architects and help create a path for them after they finish school.

It is no surprise, then, that Tim is devout father. He has two children who he gleefully takes to Little League practice and instills in them a love of art as he volunteers at their school. Like his baseball playing children, Tim also loves the outdoors and in his downtime participates in Spartan races, which is, as Tim says, “a grown up obstacle course.” It is not really a surprise that Tim loves obstacle courses, after all, he is a creator.

He dreams of bridging the gap with churches, schools and community housing.