John Marusich

Master of Science in Construction Management, Louisiana State University, 2021
Bachelor of Architecture, Auburn University, 2007
Bachelor of Interior Architecture, Auburn University, 2007
Associate of Arts in Pre-Architecture, Northwest Florida State College, 2003
Applied Associate of Science in Architectural Design & Construction Technology, Northwest Florida State College, 2003

American Institute of Architects
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional
National Green Building Standard Green PRO

John Marusich is a Lecturer and Design Build Manager at the Auburn University Rural Studio in the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture. John joined the Rural Studio team in 2022 and assists with 3rd year and 5th year design build projects. He previously served as a 3rd year instructor at Rural Studio from 2008–2014, where he assisted in teaching design studio and managed student construction activities.

He is a registered architect in Illinois. Prior to rejoining the Rural Studio team he practiced professionally in Chicago, IL where he brought his passion for perfection in the details and a strong desire to bring good design to those in need. During that time, he relied heavily on his construction background to create and refine elegantly detailed, award-winning projects; some of which the project team built in-house. His work has been focused primarily in the multi-family affordable housing industry where he has contributed to over 900 units of affordable housing across the midwest. His professional experience also includes work on a diverse range of project types including single-family housing, several brewpub and production breweries, and a mix of several hospitality projects which have received multiple AIA Chicago Design Excellence and Small Project design awards.

John’s multidisciplinary career is informed by his background as a maker and a builder. He has designed and constructed numerous finely crafted furniture pieces, which has led to opportunities to manage and build larger apartment renovation projects, including custom millwork installations. As his projects increased in size, he elected to pursue a master’s degree in Construction Management to refine his skills in estimating, scheduling, and management of the procurement process. To date, he has supervised numerous construction projects at a variety of scales including multiple apartment renovations, custom residential projects, a light commercial kitchen, community farmers market stands, and a passive solar greenhouse. He remains focused on blurring the lines between design and construction through collaborative project delivery methods to produce great works of architecture and design.

Interest areas in research and practice:
His research interests include building construction technologies, high-performance buildings and affordable housing.