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Hidden Gems: Meet Mari McLeod of Poize

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Mari McLeod.

Mari McLeod

Hi Mari, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
After I completed graduate school, I worked in Manhattan for a boutique firm that specializes in residential design. I had the opportunity and pleasure of working on a number of buildings located in historic districts throughout the city, protected by The Landmarks Commission-some dating back to the 1800s. Every project presented a new discovery in the lineage of what had come before, and how the industry had evolved. We would uncover all kinds of things when we opened up walls and floors. I learned a lot about construction, how things translate from paper into a physical structure, and the delicate dance of introducing something new to something that was already existing.

The Challenge: How do you present something fresh, that speaks a new point of view, that ultimately respects and hopefully enhances the current state of the building?

In many ways this influenced my style and approach to projects. It also helped me further understand what it takes to carry a project through to the end. My experiences taught me how to be as much of an observer as an influencer, and how to be decisive when required. The nature of the process of working with a lot of different people- owners, developers, engineers, artists, designers, contractors, city boards, co-op boards, brokers , attorneys- all who play very different roles, and sometimes competing roles, taught me a lot about working with people and the importance of dynamic teams. You need a lot of different expertise to get a really exciting outcome. This energized my desire to create my own team to come together and work on solving interesting problems through the lens of architecture, space making, and design.
After my husband’s career prompted a relocation, I worked for another architecture firm for a few years where contemporary design was the dominant force throughout the office. I then followed that role with one in the construction industry for another few years. I spent a lot of time on construction sites and wanted to circle back to my love of design. I slowly started leveraging my personal and professional contacts to begin the journey of Poize.
Poize started out with its first assignment creating floor plans for an existing multi-unit building that requested our services to create marketing material for their leasable office space. From there, we began taking on residential and hospitality clients and are now moving into larger scale/ ground up commercial building project partnerships. The most exciting and enjoyable part of our evolution is working with a myriad of creative people. We have the privilege to get to work with both the most technical minds and the far reaching dreamers.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The road has not always been smooth nor constantly uplifting. However, It continues to be extremely interesting and fulfilling. I have come to realize that an architecture & design firm need not be anchored in one place. Opportunity is everywhere; and that new insight brought me to San Diego to collaborate on projects with other architects. There is so much more we want to do here. The terrain is always changing and the opportunities that go with that change are impermanent. When opportunity presents itself, we will create and evolve accordingly.
What do you like and dislike about the city?

What I like best about SD is the landscape and natural beauty, the people, and pace of the city. It somehow blends all the ” in-betweens”  in a way that not many other places can. I love that the city is a transitional space from desert to beach. I love the weather,  I love the range of people from all over the world that bring their cultures and traditions to the city. I love that it exists on the outer edge of the country. I love that there is a great range of ages throughout the city -those just starting out in their careers to those ready to, or well into retirement. I love the calm, slower parts of town, and I love the option of city life if you want a little more activity.

It is a “Goldilocks” city, if you will. Not too hot, not too cold, but just right!

Contact Info:


Image Credits
Atiyeh Sadeghi
Angel Villacis

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