Daniel Shirk brings over 32 years of senior design experience, including both architecture and interior design, on a wide variety of projects including office, hospitality, entertainment, residential, mixed-use, institutional, recreational and civic, both in the U.S. and China. He lead the design on numerous themed lifestyle and recreational projects including amusement parks, water parks, retail centers, infotainment centers, science exhibitions and museums. He was head designer for many interiors projects including boutique and high-end hotels, and a high-rise observation deck attraction. Other project type specialties include numerous small to large-scale urban and suburban master plans; various eco-resorts in Hainan and throughout China; a range of children’s entertainment and educational attractions; and many sustainable agricultural lifestyle attractions promoting non-urban populations to name but a few. Daniel has been honored numerous times by the Society of American Registered architects including Awards for Design Excellence and Honor Awards. His project, Qingdao Cangma Mountain International Resort, was exhibited at the 2016 Venice Biennale of Architecture.
Kay Lang & Assocs., Los Angeles, CA, US, Senior Designer
Downtown Hotel Los Angeles; 15-story, 150-room boutique hotel in Fashion District; lead interior designer for lobby/public spaces, guestrooms and rooftop bar/recreation deck. Ocean Blvd. Hotel; Long Beach, CA; 29-story, 240-room hotel; lead interior designer for lobby/public spaces, guestrooms, pool deck/bar and rooftop bar/restaurant.
The Jerde Partnership, Venice, CA, US, Senior Designer
OCT Yangchun Project +600,000 SM mixed-use development competition next to Wuhan Train Station; 6 high-rise towers of office, hotel and residential use, 6-story retail base; won in-house competition for overall design idea and direction and oversaw comprehensive package.
MCM Group International, Long Beach, CA, US, Senior Design Architect
Erdos Discovery Domes | Senior Architect | Erdos, Inner Mongolia
Mixed-use recreation park that features an indoor theme park with adjoining exterior rides and attractions, a resort hotel, Science and Discovery Center and golf course. The 52,000 SM indoor park is designed as 5 separate entertainment zones, with over 20 total attractions including, a raft ride, children’s rides, car simulation, dark ride, action theater, water show, cultural exhibits and a grand carousel.
South Pearl Island Master Plan | Senior Architect | South Pearl Island, Hainan
One of major design goals was to create a clear brand identity for the island. MCM master planned and provided the architectural designs for the entire man-made island. The vertical theme park was designed to serve as a symbolic beacon and symbol of Hainan Island. The park contained a roller coaster, Ferris wheel and traditional park rides.
Jinxiu Cultural Theatre | Senior Architect | Chengdu, PRC
This cultural village project was designed to celebrate the Shu Culture by providing various entertainment elements anchored by a premier theater and performance show. The project elements include: 1,600 seat theater with Shu Culture show, retail village, bed & breakfast, restaurant, amphitheater, cultural wax museum, miniature Sichuan province attraction, cultural walk-through museum, water & light show, stunt show and hotel.
Dalian Renewable Exchange Tower | Senior Architect | Dalian, PRC
This fifty-story building is organized around an undulating ribbon that divides the building into its functional components of hotel and office lobbies; hotel banquet facilities and rooms; and office lease floors. The hotel occupies the lower portion of the tower and is orientated towards the ocean in such a way that 70 percent of the rooms and banquet facilities have ocean views. A high volume office lobby on the western side of the tower takes visitors from the ground floor to a mid-tower sky lobby where they can transfer to elevators delivering them to each individual floor. A hallmark restaurant is located at the top floor of the tower.
Youth Olympic Games 2104 | Senior Architect | Nanjing , PRC
The Platform Hotel is a 660-room, 72,000 sm luxury business hotel that terminates the land based portion of the YOG Axis experience that runs through the center of the project. The circular forms of the tower are derived from the interlocking circles of the Olympic logo. The glass and metal-panel skin of the facade is an abstract representation of intertwining threads of the famous Nanjing brocade. The substantial, luminescent atrium lobby leads visitors to the main public spaces, including the ballroom, meeting rooms, spa, fitness center, KTV, bar and restaurants.
Cangma Mountain Eco-Resort | Senior Architect | Qindao, PRC
The Cangma Mountain Eco Resort includes two golf courses interspersed with 1,500 homes, a retirement community, a luxury hotel and numerous entertainment amenities. As homes thread their way around golf courses, the golf clubhouse and driving range facilities become focal points for the community as well as architectural icons for the project. The architectural vocabulary of the buildings is developed by taking the characteristic forms and shapes of traditional Chinese temples and infusing them with a dynamic contemporary spirit and modern materials.
Red Star Urban Center | Senior Architect | Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, PRC
The Red Star Urban Center is designed to be the region’s premier “Experiential Center” – attracting people from throughout the region to Live, Work and Relax in a world-class venue – a new type of integrated urban environment. Creating a balance of exciting activities and facilities to appeal to key markets, the Red Star Center surpasses any other destination in the region with the most engaging lifestyle.
Afghanistan National Museum | Senior Architect | Kabul, Afghanistan
The architectural design approach of this national museum is to create an environment with an emotional resonance that supports a richer and deeper dialogue with the many communities it represents. The building design maximizes the purposeful use of indigenous forms and structures – from pointed arches, ribbed vaults, battlements and stylized wind towers – with local materials – brick, marble, ceramics, local stones – that local craftsman can successfully execute
Cofco Eco-Resort | Senior Architect | Beijing, PRC
The positioning of this project, an Eco Resort and Eco Tourist Attraction, will focus on strengthening the client's brand and market share as China’s leader in safe, healthy food products as well as extending that brand positioning to include providing a comprehensive company lifestyle by developing a leading ‘green and healthy’ lifestyle demonstration town in the outskirts of Beijing.
AC Martin, Los Angeles, CA, US, Senior Design Architect
Wilshire Grand Hotel and Office Complex | Senior Architect | Los Angeles, CA
$1 billion, 1,750,000 sf proposal: 40-story tower featuring a 700-room luxury hotel topped by several floors of condos and 60-story office tower connected to 18,000 sf of plazas. Developed masterplan and feasibility studies, schematic site plan, podium and floor plans. Devised building massing and skin treatments to fashion a city landmark as well as reach LEED sustainability standards.
Nadel Architects, Los Angeles, CA, US, Senior Design Architect
Fu-Tien Sports Center | Senior Architect | Shenzhen, PRC
800,000 sf, mixed-use development located in a densely populated neighborhood of Shenzhen, just north of Hong Kong, featuring a 5000-seat stadium for sporting events, two gymnasiums, a swimming hall, an athletic building, administration offices, a hotel and dormitory tower, retail, entertainment facilities and a roof-top public park. Assisted as senior designer on design team to create schematic and design development plans, massing, envelope and interior public space design. Status: built.
I-Max Theater| Senior Architect | Shanghai, PRC
600-person theater above a parking structure and including science-oriented shops and extensive entertainment facilities. Assisted as senior designer on design team to create schematic and design development plans, massing, and envelope.
Beijing Movie Multiplex| Senior Architect | Won Jing, PRC
150,000 sf multi-purpose entertainment complex including a movie multi-plex, a retail mall, an ice-skating ring, a restaurant and a food court. Assisted as senior designer on design team to create schematic and design development plans, massing, and envelope.
The Californian| Senior Architect | Los Angeles, CA
25-story, 80-unit luxury high-rise condominium project located in the heart of the Wilshire residential corridor and alludes to the prevalent Art Deco style with a modern interpretation. As the tower ascends, condominium space increases with a reduction of 4 units per floor to two units per floor, with 10 to 15 foot ceilings. Amenities include outdoor formal gardens, pool and spa facilities with poolside cabanas, wrap-around balconies with panoramic views, a business center, a climate-controlled wine cellar and subterranean parking. Created schematic and design development plans, massing, and envelope and monitored CDs and CA. Status: built 2006.
Van Tilburg, Banvard & Soderbergh (VTBS Architects), Santa Monica, CA, US, Intermediate Design Architect
Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, US, MArch, Masters of Architecture
Summa Cum Laude, Tulane School of Architecture
Architectural Association School of Architecture (AA), London, GB, MArch, Junior Year Abroad
Junior Year Abroad Program
Venice Architecture Biennale 2016, Award
“Time Space Existence: Table 2 Farm"
Cangma Mountain International Tourism Resort, Qingdao, China
Design Concept Award, 2013 The Los Angeles Business Council 2013 Los Angeles Architectural Award, Award
Design Concept Award, 2013
The Los Angeles Business Council 2013 Los Angeles Architectural Award
Wilshire Grand / Los Angeles, California
American Architecture Award, 2014
The Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Center for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies and Metropolitan Arts Press
Wilshire Grand / Los Angeles, California
Merit Award for Design, 2014
SARA – National Council of the Society of American Registered Architects
Tianjin Stadium Redevelopment Project / Tianjin, China
Bronze Award for Design, 2013 SARA – National Council Society of American Registered Architects, Award
Bronze Award for Design, 2013
SARA – National Council Society of American Registered Architects
COFCO Eco Resort and Eco Attraction / Beijing, China
Honor Award, 2013 CCSARA – California Council Society of American Registered Architects, Award
Honor Award, 2013
CCSARA – California Council Society of American Registered Architects
Cang Ma Mountain Eco Resort / Qingdoa, China
COFCO Eco Resort and Eco Attraction / Beijing, China
South Pearl Conceptual Master Plan / Hainan, China
Youth Olympics Games 2014 / Nanjing, China
Zhucheng Dinosaur National Geological Park / Zhucheng City, China
Gold Award for Design, 2013 SARA – National Council of the Society of American Registered Architects, Award
Gold Award for Design, 2013
SARA – National Council of the Society of American Registered Architects
Youth Olympics Games 2014 / Nanjing, China
Elan Award, 2005 Sales & Marketing Council of Los Angeles & Ventura, Award
Elan Award, 2005
Sales & Marketing Council of Los Angeles & Ventura
The Californian on Wilshire / Los Angeles, California
Design Award of Merit, 2003 CCSARA - California Council Society of American Registered Architects, Award
Design Award of Merit, 2003
CCSARA - California Council Society of American Registered Architects
Rio San Diego Plaza / Mission Valley, California
Honor Award, 2000 CCSARA - California Council Society of American Registered Architects, Award
Honor Award, 2000
CCSARA - California Council Society of American Registered Architects
Fu-Tien Sports Center / Shenzhen, China
Honor Award, 1999 SARA - Society of American Registered Architects, Award
Honor Award, 1999
SARA - Society of American Registered Architects
IMAX Theatre / Shanghai, China
Honor Award, 1997 SARA - Society of American Registered Architects, 1st Place
Honor Award, 1997
SARA - Society of American Registered Architects
Xinzi Plaza / Zhenzhou, China
Award for Design Excellence, 1995 SARA - Society of American Registered Architects, Award
Award for Design Excellence, 1995
SARA - Society of American Registered Architects
International Flight Training Center / Bakersfield, California
Design Award of Merit, 1995 SARA - Society of American Registered Architects, Award
Design Award of Merit, 1995
SARA - Society of American Registered Architects
Hengxi Plaza / Beijing, China
