Dear Martin,

On behalf of AIA Colorado North Chapter, congratulations on becoming named our 2005 winner for ‘Contribution to the Built Environment by a Non-architect’! Awards were selected by the North Chapter Board. I thought you might enjoy hearing some of the comments and thought process behind your selection.

The Board was deeply impressed by the consistently exemplary quality and wide variety of your firm’s work. Marpa’s focus on beauty and harmony, and your reverence for the natural elements was of particular significance in our decision. Your book and your public engagement around landscape design issues set you apart from many other fine landscape firms. We felt that your firm’s philosophy was clearly and elegantly explained and executed in your work, and that this represented the highest potential of landscape design. We also appreciated the way your landscapes seamlessly interacted with and complimented the architecture in your projects.

This is among the most competitive categories in our awards program, and the board was extremely pleased to have such a strong candidate to win this year’s. Congratulations again.

Scott Rodwin, AIA
President, AIA Colorado North