SHAPIRO DIDWAY - Key Persons
"I've spent a lot of time digging in the soil, doing residential landscapes and farm/ranch remediation and all sorts of landscape work…I think it's important to understand what happens in the field…It's not as easy as drawing it on paper and building it, you need to be in the field to understand everything in between.
Job Titles:
- Memorial Park & Bay City Campground Master Plan, Bay City, or
- Memorial Park Public Outreach & Master Plan, City of Bay City, or
¿Qué representa para usted un monumento conmemorativo? / What does a memorial mean to you? Public Outreach, City of Tualatin, OR
Job Titles:
- Graphic Designer
- Marketing Coordinator
"Watching others around me be so passionate and creative…it inspires me to do the same. I always want to keep growing as a designer and as a person, and I'm very fortunate to have been given the opportunity to do just that."
"I've known from a young age that I wanted to be an artist. I've never known specifically what kind of artist I wanted to be-as long as it involves being creative and doing something I love, that's all I need."
"There's no one right way to do things in the design world. That's why I think there's a lot of value in getting people's input. Your way is not always the best way. But it's a starting point and you need to open yourself up to others. That's what drives the design.
"We all talk every day. We talk about good and bad experiences. Everyone knows what's going on. Because everyone has a different perspective. I'm consistently impressed by the products we create by opening it up to the entire staff.
"Outdoor public spaces that are inhabited in a communal way are the spaces that I like to have access to when I'm out in the world and are the spaces that I most like to design. You can impact the most people with an exterior environment.
"Going through the process, coming up with an idea, making it fit within certain parameters, and doing it efficiently is all part of the way that I like to approach not only landscape architecture but everything. Landscape architecture is the blend of the technical and art worlds - and that mix is what I enjoy most about it.
"I'm most passionate about community-driven work because you're including people in the process and helping them create a common vision that many people can benefit from.
"I think it really helps to have first-hand experience with how plants grow, how they mature and change, what kind of diseases they get. Having worked where I've been exposed to this has given me an appreciation of what to expect from a design perspective.
"It all comes down to people. People, countries, and governments that take that philosophy seriously- that places are for people and design is for people- they make successful architecture happen.
"Shapiro Didway is a very focused firm, people say what they mean, the working style is collaborative, supportive, positive, and professional…and that's not true everywhere.
"What is a successful design, how do you measure that? As designers, I feel we need to think deeply about that, to get past just ‘this looks nice'. If we do that, I think every project will be better off for it.
"Allowing room for growth, that's a main objective here. We're very intentional about it…providing the support and guidance our team needs to make great work while also giving space for exploration and investigation.
"We're building a culture that fosters connection. Connection to people, connection to space, connection to the natural systems that surround us. With the type of work we do, understanding those connections is essential.
"Everything that we put in a drawing has meaning and purpose. We understand it's going to get built, it's going to be tangible, and we have to be thoughtful and intentional in all the choices we make.
"We have a great team here, all coming from different backgrounds with unique experiences that add value to the conversation. The diversity helps us look at design challenges from fresh perspectives, with a more holistic view of how people see and experience a space."
Job Titles:
- Founding Principal Emeritus
Over four decades, Steve built a stellar career in landscape architecture, first with his mentor Robert Murase, and eventually co-founding Shapiro Didway in 2007. His legacy will continue to shine through his inspiring body of work including urban, campus, and residential designs. His vision for leading-edge design and commitment to sustainability have helped lead us to become the firm we are today. We are wishing Steve many years of good health, exciting new travels, and of course several more marathons.