DAVID MERLIN

David is Principal and Founder of MADE, where he leads projects through all phases of design and directs firm innovation. An award-winning architect registered in Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, and Mississippi, he utilizes his keen understanding of design technology to solve highly technical and complex design problems across multiple realms, including the healthcare industry, historic renovations, and façade consulting. David received his Master of Architecture from Tulane University and a Bachelor of Arts from Vanderbilt University with cum laude distinction. For over a decade, David has held an appointment at Tulane School of Architecture, where he teaches design technology, including Building Information Modeling, Design Computation, Digital Fabrication, and 3D Modeling and Rendering. David’s academic research focuses on the relationship between information and design.

Prior to starting a practice and joining the faculty at Tulane, David worked at Trahan Architects, where he co-led the implementation of digital production processes on the Louisiana State Museum and Sports Hall of Fame and renovations to the Louisiana Superdome. In his teaching, research, and design work, David is inspired by the myriad ways state-of-the-art technologies can be leveraged to enhance the process of designing and creating. At MADE, David leads his team in their explorations of these technologies and design thinking, resulting in cross-disciplinary, tech-driven, and client-oriented outcomes of a high caliber.