Mary Ann Lazarus, FAIA, LEED® AP BD+C, has accepted a two-year consulting position with the American Institute of Architects in Washington, DC. Her new position, which begins March 1, will focus on increasing the AIA's impact on sustainability across the profession. The St. Louis-based architect will continue consulting at HOK.
Lazarus, an architect with HOK in St. Louis since 1980, has served as the global firm's director of sustainable design since 2001. She co-authored the second edition of "The HOK Guidebook to Sustainable Design," an influential textbook used by design professionals and universities. Lazarus won Eco-Structure's 2012 Evergreen Award in the Perspectives category, which recognizes one individual each year for advancing sustainable design. In 2011, based on her significant contributions to sustainable design over her career, the AIA elevated Lazarus to its College of Fellows.
"Mary Ann has served as a sustainability teacher and mentor for an entire generation of architects," said HOK President Bill Hellmuth, AIA, LEED AP BD+C. “We are thrilled that she has this opportunity with the AIA and that she will continue to work with us as a consultant. She is an important part of our HOK family."
"I am incredibly proud of HOK's commitment to sustainable design and of what our people have accomplished," said Lazarus. "Our Sustainability Steering Team will continue to keep HOK on the leading edge of innovation in sustainability." The steering team includes Tim Gaidis, LEED AP BD+C, sustainable design leader in HOK's St. Louis office and board member of Sustainable St. Louis.
"Mary Ann has made sustainability central to our culture and practice in St. Louis and all over the world,” said St. Louis Management Principal Rebecca Nolan, IIDA, LEED AP. “As much as we will miss her leadership, we are proud to share her expertise and passion for sustainability with the AIA and our entire profession.”
Lazarus has played a key role in many milestone HOK sustainable projects. In 2010, she led a St. Louis-based project to design Net Zero Court, a prototype for an affordable, zero carbon emissions office building. Since 2011, she has directed HOK's pro bono design team on Project Haiti, a U.S. Green Building Council-sponsored, biomimetic, LEED Platinum, net zero energy orphanage in Port-au-Prince.
HOK's current projects in St. Louis include serving as executive architect for the BJC HealthCare campus renewal project at Washington University Medical Center, executive architect for the Heritage multi-tenant lab and office building in the CORTEX district, architect for the St. Louis Science Center Agricultural Gallery site planning and design, and architect-of-record for the new 200,000-sq.-ft. expansion of the Saint Louis Art Museum.
HOK is a global architectural firm that provides planning and design solutions for high-performance, sustainable buildings and communities. Through its collaborative network of 24 offices worldwide, the firm delivers design excellence and innovation to clients globally. Founded in St. Louis in 1955, HOK's expertise includes architecture, interiors, planning and urban design, engineering, strategic facility planning, consulting, lighting, graphics and construction services. In 2012, DesignIntelligence ranked HOK as the #1 role model for sustainable and high-performance design for the third consecutive year.
Related Stories
Museums | Apr 22, 2015
Check out Ralph Johnson's stunning nature-inspired Shanghai museum
The newly opened Shanghai Natural History Museum, designed by Perkins+Will’s Global Design Director Ralph Johnson, mimics the shape of a nautilus shell, and features natural elements throughout.
Green | Apr 22, 2015
GSA's Federal Center South Building honored with AIA Top Ten Plus Award for 'verified' sustainable performance
The annual award recognizes green building projects that have quantifiable metrics demonstrating the performance and positive impact of the sustainable design.
Architects | Apr 21, 2015
Megatrends shaping commercial building design
Gensler’s 2015 Design Forecast focuses on how changes in demographics, workplace preferences, and technology are affecting how and why structures get built.
Office Buildings | Apr 21, 2015
Stop the endless debate over open vs. closed work environments
Rather than be confused by the constant stream of opinions, leadership teams contemplating workplace investments should start with powerful employee engagement strategies that drive results.
BIM and Information Technology | Apr 21, 2015
Software tools shouldn't dictate the AEC process
With over 200 solutions on the market, construction software is one of the most complex and fragmented markets, writes Gensler's Mark Thole.
Cultural Facilities | Apr 20, 2015
Jean Nouvel loses court battle against Philharmonie de Paris over alleged design ‘sabotage’
Nouvel boycotted the January opening of the facility and asked for his name to be removed from all references to the work.
Contractors | Apr 20, 2015
Too many construction projects don’t meet owners’ expectations: KPMG report
Causes for delays, overruns, and underperformance include project management talent shortages, distrust between owners and contractors, and the lack of fully integrated project management systems.
High-rise Construction | Apr 17, 2015
Construction begins on Goettsch Partners-designed Nanning China Resources Center Tower
The tower's design is derived from its multiple uses, which include 170,000 sm of Class A office space, 5,000 sm of boutique retail, and a 45,000-sm luxury Shangri-La hotel.
Museums | Apr 16, 2015
SANAA and Snøhetta tie at first place for Budapest museum bid
The two firms submitted designs for the New National Gallery and Ludwig Museum, one of five planned museums to be constructed in a park just outside the urban center of Hungary’s capital.
High-rise Construction | Apr 16, 2015
Construction begins on Seattle's Tibet-inspired Potala Tower
Construction on the 41-story Potala Tower in Seattle finally kicked off following a ground-breaking ceremony seven months ago.
