Remembering and Honoring Marsha Maytum, FAIA
Our thoughts are with Marsha Maytum’s loved ones and our friends at Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects this week as we remember and honor Marsha, her positive impact, and her tremendous legacy as a design practitioner and change-maker. Marsha moved the needle in our profession, redefining design excellence through her persistent pursuit of climate action, social justice, and practice with purpose. BNIM is proud to be part of a cohort of architects like Marsha Maytum, FAIA, who are deeply committed to the role we hold as architects and designers in our collective future. We call on our design community to help us honor Marsha's life and legacy by embracing her approach to mission-driven design.
Kira Gould, Hon. AIA, LEED AP, shared a tribute to Marsha as a visionary architect and close friend:
“Maytum embodied the ethos of Ruth Bader Ginsburg's advice to 'fight for the things you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.' Her passionate commitment to deploying the power of design to address two of the most pressing challenges of our time - the climate emergency and social justice - gave her a deep tenacity and purpose. Her impact on both the built environment and the profession of architecture is indelible; her influence on legions of colleagues and others continues to ripple.
Maytum relentlessly campaigned for an understanding of design as a holistic endeavor -- an activity with social and environmental implications, not just material and aesthetic ones. She was an empath of the highest order, applying her skills and visions toward advancing the profession of architecture with persistence, rigor, and diplomacy for the benefit of all. She dedicated her career to dismantling the split between design and environmental and social issues. She transcended the day-to-day practice of architecture, thinking and acting more broadly on behalf of the future of the profession. This manifested in tireless advocacy work through the American Institute of Architects and other groups, and numerous trips to the Hill in Washington, DC, to talk with legislators about design, climate, health, and community.”
