Poul Bertelsen RA AIA International Assoc. Founder, Consulting Architect

 
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After serving for one year as a Architect / Builder for the Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria and 6 years as the head of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania Architecture / Engineering Department, Poul Bertelsen founded Msaada in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1980. Under Poul’s leadership, Msaada completed close to 1,000 projects worldwide totaling close to 800,000 square meters (about 8.6 million square feet). Projects were mostly medical and educational facilities (75%), but also completed were housing, office and church structures. Project involvement extended to 23 African, 9 Asian, 9 European and 6 nations in North and South America.

Poul became a registered architect under the “Architects Register of Denmark” in 1988. Former member in Denmark of Danish Practicing Architects / Associated Danish Architects. Currently is an International Associate of the American Institute of Architects, Minnesota and Minneapolis Chapters. Poul retired from his leadership position in 2019 but is still involved with Msaada as a consulting architect.

Education

1965 Graduated “first class with distinction” Bachelor of Architecture from Aalborg Polytechnic College, Denmark.

1969 Graduate Studies in Missiology and Third World Subjects at Selly Oak Colleges, Birmingham, UK.

1972 Graduate School of Architecture, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA.

Other Activities and Memberships

  • Author of the book, “Design & Dignity” published in 2012 by Kirk House Publishers in Minneapolis, MN.

  • Part-time “Professor in Practice” at the University of Minnesota’s School of Architecture.

  • Former Member of the founding Board of “Lutheran Partners in Global Ministry”.

  • Former Board Member and Vice President of “Operation Bootstrap Africa”.

  • Former Member of the Upper Midwest Board of the “Rebuild National Park Society”.

  • Member or former member of various councils, boards and committees of the Minneapolis Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America as well as his local parish.

  • Extensively involved in the YMCA Boy Scouts both as a parent and a young man in Denmark.