My name is John Swanson. I have a background in Architectural design, city planning, and data analysis. My experience at Carnegie Mellon University's School of Architecture and Government Finance Research Group has provided me a wide range of skills from city to state level financial data analysis to 2D/3D design techniques across a multitude of software tools. Having applied these skills in a variety of projects I have been able to hone my fluency with the Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe Creative Suite and numerous 3D design applications (primarily Rhinoceros, AutoCAD, and Revit). 

My work with Government Finance Research Group involves the audit and extraction of datasets from .CSV and .SQL files into large Excel and Access databases for analysis and insertion into long range forecasting models to aid in decision making and city planning. Clarity of communication and presentation of the data are paramount in the work I do in order to provide the best possible information to advise clients and decision makers. The work has provided a diverse look at urban planning and the field of big data—each project being unique as no two State or Local agencies are alike in their decision making needs or datamanagement. Thus with every new project, the breadth and depth of my abilities in these areas has grown, and my appreciation for the burgeoning field of big data has likewise developed greatly. 

My design skills stretch across a wide range of media from the various tools of the Adobe Creative Suite (including, but not limited to: Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign) to computer aided drafting, NURBS and BIM modeling (autoCAD, Rhinoceros and Revit, respectively). I strive to be constantly immersed in all of these tools as to develop my fluency. Having worked at Bastien Architects, I am familiar with the workflow and the multiplicity of tasks involved with working at a mid-sized architecture firm. I am well versed in the production of working drawings stemming from projects both professional and personal. I have worked on design/build teams and have experience in project management and construction. I strive to expose myself to a multiplicity of approaches to design so that my decision making may informed from as many angles as possible.