His projects included the St. Louis Gateway Arch, Seagram Building and Madison Square Garden.

[3] Severud attended the Bergen Cathedral School and later studied at the Norwegian Institute of Technology.

[4][5] Severud utilized the experience he gained in his early years of designing successful housing projects.

[7] Frei Otto, the German architect and engineer known for membrane and tensile structures such as the Olympic Stadium in Munich, visited his office in 1951 during the construction of the Raleigh Livestock Arena.

The American Institute of Architects presented him with its prestigious Honorary Associate Member award for his lifetime of contributions to structural design.