2024 Class of Fellows, Faith Okuma, FASLA, New Mexico Chapter

Surroundings Studio, Santa Fe, NM
by Surroundings Studio

New Mexico Chapter - Category: Works

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New Mexico Chapter - Category: Works

Faith Okuma has long been a fierce champion of sustainability and resource conservation in landscape architecture in New Mexico and the Southwest. Over decades, her exemplary projects have garnered local, regional, and national awards, showcasing her commitment to integrating water harvesting as a seamless part of her designs, promoting native/drought tolerant plant palettes, and designing community planning projects with a sensitivity to the land. As an advocate, she has advanced these landscape architectural values by teaching and mentoring. Her creative work and passion range from the design of new communities to applying indigenous, high desert plant materials to inspiring gardens and public landscapes that reflect the culture of New Mexico and its native landscape. At the historic Polmood Farm, Okuma's analysis of natural and historic on-site surface water patterns, opportunities for water harvesting, and the plant species that were most endemic or naturalized on the site led to a unique seamlessly integrated water harvesting system. Okuma led the master planning and redevelopment of the historic, 50-acre Santa Fe Railyards. With heavy community engagement, the plan produced the first mixed-use zoning in the city, identified lease parcels, created a new city historic district, and established preservation goals for approximately 30 historic structures on site. Starting in 1985 and continuing over 35 years, Okuma began working with the Los Alamos National Laboratory to manage its 38-square-mile site. She helped craft their first landscape and erosion control engineering standards and created institutional development plans for most of the 23 technical areas to reduce impacts and protect undeveloped lands.