mark roddy, faia

In a time when the profession is being challenged to define its position and relevancy Mark Roddy practices architecture with a passion and advocacy for design, education and the greater community. His body of work ranges in scale from residential to high-rise office buildings. His energy and commitment are evident in all that he does.

Mark’s work is consistently characterized within the sprawling cities of the Southwest, derived from a combination of regionalism and sustainability, as influenced by his education at the University of Arizona, and an urban ethic developed during his graduate studies at UCLA. His installation Desert(ed) City exhibited at the Scottsdale Center for the Arts and recipient of the Governor’s Environmental Award brought these ideas together to propose a region-specific urban solution for downtown Phoenix. This interest has continued throughout his career, resulting in a body of work ranging in scale that demonstrates how highly sustainable buildings can affect a growing urban environment.

A prolific designer throughout his career, Roddy has designed projects that hold more than 30 national and regional design awards including 15 from the AIA and published in over 35 regional and national periodicals. Roddy designs buildings that are sensitive to their environment, both in regards to sustainability and urban fabric. This has been especially evident in his portfolio of projects in the urban southwest, where regional considerations go well beyond aesthetics and dive deep into building performance.

Mark Roddy’s commitment to the profession extends beyond mere design excellence, is exhibited in his commitment to education. Mark has taught at the University of Arizona, Montana State University, Arizona State University, UNLV and CSU Sacramento bringing his experience of the profession to the students. He continues to serve on academic juries and has lectured on professional practice.

The same commitment to education and learning has extended to his service in the AIA, actively coordinating speakers and helping craft relevant programs for the AIA Arizona State Conferences. This passion for relevant and engaging programs was the primary focus of Mark’s tenure as President of the Phoenix Metro Chapter, culminating in “Transformation Phoenix”. This five-month lecture series explored four topics of urbanism via multi-disciplinary panel discussions that brought entrepreneurs, city officials and designers together. Roddy has also served on seven AIA Award juries and lectured on design and sustainability at numerous events. This well-rounded and balanced approach to the profession garnered Mark the prestigious AIA Arizona Architects Medal bestowed by the Arizona College of Fellows for his outstanding professional achievements and his sense of social responsibility.