Marian Marum has practiced landscape architecture in the San Diego area for 34 years, serving as principal of her own design consulting firm for 28 years. She founded Marum Associates in 1984, and transitioned to Marum Partners, Inc. (dba Marum Partnership) in 2001. The firms became Marum Partnership (sole proprietorship) in 2009, the same year Marian received LEED AP credentialing. In 2014, she celebrated 30 years of client services.

Marian has consistently provided leadership in civic affairs, water conservation and sustainable landscapes, lecturing extensively on these topics. She has compiled extensive knowledge in the San Diego environment of federal, state and local code requirements, and established an excellent reputation for comprehensive issue analysis, creative problem solving and consensus-building.

Specializing in sustainable landscapes, the firm's portfolio includes award-winning civic, commercial, healthcare, military, and academic projects throughout Southern California.

The staff consists of LEED accredited landscape architects, certified water auditors/irrigation specialists; and skilled technicians working with AutoCad, Microstation and Photoshop software.

Licensure:
California # 2164

Education:
Bachelor of Landscape Architecture, 1979 University of Arizona, (Sigma Lambda Alpha Honorary)

Professional Affiliations:
State Board of Landscape Architects 1992-95, President 1994-1995 (appointed by Gov. Pete Wilson)
ASLA 1979-2015, Chapter President 1991
ASLA 2008-2013, Founding Chair, San Diego Stewardship Committee
Partners for Livable Places, San Diego, 1984-2015, Chapter President 1992
City of San Diego Park & Recreation Design Review Committee, 1999-2010
USGBC Member 2008-2015

General Atomics Corporate Garden, La Jolla, Calif.
In alignment with Caterpillar's corporate sustainability goals, Solar Turbines, a subsidiary, reduced landscape water consumption by removing 90,000 sq. ft. of grass and creating a sustainable, water-smart employee amenity. Sustainable site design strategies included turf replaced with drought tolerant "show-piece' plants; upgrade to water smart/high efficiency irrigation; mature trees salvaged; mounds sculpted into river beds, creating a network of rain swales; site cobbles used for riverbeds; site soil used to create raised mounds for new trees and shrubs; decomposed granite pathways allow water to percolate; soil amended with bark mulch to improve moisture retention; inline drip tubing, high efficiency "rotator' nozzles and Smart controllers tied to weather station data.
Project team: Landscape Architect: Marian Marum, ASLA,LEED AP; Irrigation Consultant: Steve Sherman, ASLA; Landscape Contractor: Brickman Group

Pierview Way Undercrossing, Oceanside, Calif.
Marum Partnership provided design plans and specifications for the revitalization of the multimodal transportation hub in downtown Oceanside, Calif. When the new Sprinter Line began operation, new pedestrian circulation paths and wayfinding elements were needed. Improvements included new thematic monument signage and directional signs.

Solar Turbines Executive Courtyard, San Diego, Calif.
Solar Turbines Inc., a subsidiary of Caterpillar Inc., is one of the world's leading manufacturers of industrial gas turbines. Solar's courtyard replaced a patio with poor drainage, damaged paving and overgrown trees. Visitors enter the space at the upper level, a main pedestrian path between buildings. King palms flank the promenade. A carpet of rich brown colored concrete in the sunken courtyard forms the foundation for up-scale tables and colorful umbrellas. Recessed "seating nooks' offer smaller tables and seatwalls. Amenities include brightly colored awning canopies, over-sized decorative pots, custom fabricated trash receptacles and recycle bins. Drip irrigation waters the succulents and other drought tolerant plants.

Miramar College Aviation Technology, San Diego, Calif.
This $10 million renovation, completed in 2012, offers a sleek, modern fa?????ade to the historic aviation building at Miramar College. The facility includes additional classrooms, staff offices, lab technology spaces and an outdoor aviation display space. Drought tolerant succulents arranged in geometric "panels' complement the crisp architecture. A canopy of shade trees along the promenade offer pedestrian scale and comfort. The plazas have custom benches and enhanced concrete paving, all tied to the building colors. This facility incorporates LEED Silver performance standards, with state-of-the-art energy and water conservation elements. There's biofiltration for site runoff, drip-irrigation and a smart weather-based controller.

Pierview Way Undercrossing, Oceanside, Calif.
Railroad tracks cuts off downtown Oceanside from the beach and its historic pier. The Oceanside Redevelopment Commission and city engineering staff created a pedestrian and bike underpass that now links Oceanside City Hall to the pier. The "ocean breeze' hardscape design incorporates colorful ribbons of in-laid glass into the concrete, which reflect sunlight. The customized wrought iron fencing sports Oceanside's wave logo. Bike lanes are separated from the pedestrian path. Clumping palms and colorful bougainvillea shrubs enliven the space.

Q & A

1. What was the pivotal or motivating factor(s) that made you choose a career in landscape architecture?
I switched out of architecture school after hearing about the landscape architecture program, a better fit for me as the daughter of a civil engineer. My best friend from 1st grade, also the daughter of a civil engineer, had gone into that program; I followed her. We're still best friends, both practicing landscape architecture; parallel lives from birth.

2. If you had not become a landscape architect, what profession might you have pursued?
Architecture, with a minor in anthropology.

3. What do you most enjoy about being a landscape architect?
Creative problem solving, with nature as my lab partner. Nature always does it better.

4. Do you think women landscape architects generally get the same respect as their male counterparts? Have you experienced any discrimination because of your gender within the profession or by clients?
In general, clients seem to have a certain fascination with what we do as landscape architects. Some have been dismissive, thinking that we just decorate, but most clients have been very respectful throughout my career. I think it's because I carry myself as a professional, giving them respect and asking for that same level of respect in return. The fascination with our profession has been a benefit to me. I've had the honor of representing landscape architecture to clients and to the public, helping move our profession to a higher level.

5. When you first meet people not affiliated with the profession and explain that you are a landscape architect, how do you describe what you do?
I get to explore the myriad connections between humans and the natural systems around us. I'm fascinated by how people perceive and connect with nature in their own unique way, based upon their own life stories.

6. What in particular do you attribute your success to?
My life-long desire to play by the boys' rules. Keeping up with three brothers taught me toughness, tenacity and gave me an independent spirit. My desire to live up to my father's legacy (a gentleman with integrity), and my mother's consistent message that I could do whatever I put my mind to.

7. What is (are) the most important contribution(s) made by landscape architects in the field of design today?
Projects and publications that raise our awareness of the need to give back to the environment that has taken such good care of us! Projects that focus on connections to nature that enrich our lives in so many ways.

8. How has the landscape architecture profession changed since you first began working in the field?
I've seen so many predictions about the value of our profession come true. I've seen so many predictions about the degradation of this planet's nature resources also come true. Visionaries recognized long ago how valuable the connections to nature are and to the human body and spirit.
Our dependence on nature's ecosystems; our ability to shape nature"?uin very good and very bad ways! Finding books like Silent Spring; Walden Pond; The Desert Smells Like Rain (Gary Paul Nabhan); and Natural Capitalism (Paul Hawken, Amory Lovins and Hunter Lovins).

9. What career advice would you give to recently graduated landscape architectural students as they enter the profession?
Strive to educate yourself about "ecosystem services," and then strive to educate those around you! The more you understand their value, the less ego you will have!

As seen in LASN magazine, November 2016.

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