Daniel Kaven (born New Mexico, 1977) is an American artist working in architecture, painting, film and photography and a co-founder of the multi-disciplinary design studio William / Kaven Architecture in Portland, Oregon. He is widely known for creating visionary architectural concepts and interventions that lie at the intersection of the built environment and art. His architecture has won a number of honors, including an Architecture MasterPrize; an International Architecture Award from the European Center for Architecture, Art, Design, and Urban Studies; and several distinctions from the American Institute of Architects (AIA). Kaven’s work has been published in outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, The Architect’s Newspaper, Dwell, Designboom, Wallpaper, Architectural Digest, Dezeen and Hypebeast.

"In his new book, Architecture of Normal (through Birkhäuser), Portland-based architect Daniel Kaven explores the contrast between the grandeur of the American landscape and the underwhelming architecture of its suburban strip malls, fast-food chains, motels, and tract housing." (Rachel Gallaher in GRAY magazine, 03.2022)

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"Architecture of Normal: The Colonization of the American Landscape reads like an enthralling textbook—a breezy history teeming with photography, original artwork, and timelines—even as its author offers a more cautionary take on what we have wrought." (Brian Libby, Metropolis)

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"Kaven has crafted a thoroughly researched and well-reasoned treatise in which he argues that historical eras’ dominant modes of transportation—walking on foot, riding horses, trains, cars, and airplanes—have inexorably influenced our public and private spaces." (Richard Speer, The Democracy Chain)

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"The book blends text and extensive imagery to document and reflect on the impact that the evolution of transport has had in the country: accelerating urbanisation and enabling urban sprawl, carving up rural landscapes, and colonising places with cars and strip malls." (Francesca Perry, ICON Magazine)