Mark Graham, principal

AIA, LEED AP BD+C, CPHC

Mark C. Graham studied both architecture and structural engineering at the graduate level. In 1997, Mark received a Master of Architecture from the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University after completing a Master of Science in Civil & Environmental Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1994, and a Bachelor of Arts in Engineering Sciences at Dartmouth College in 1991. Fluent in German, Mark studied at the Eidgenößische Technische Hochschule (ETH) in Zurich while working at the architectural firm Burkhalter + Sumi Architekten. Upon graduation, Mark continued his professional career with a unique grasp on both the technical and creative aspects of design. He has practiced at preeminent firms such as William McDonough + Partners and HO+K’s Science & Technology Group, where he shaped projects to the highest level of environmental performance and design quality.

Mark’s design work reflects his belief that architecture plays a vital role in addressing some of today’s most pressing issues. Through careful attention to durability in building envelope design, human and environmental health, flexibility and resilience, advanced construction methods, and energy performance and optimization, Mark creates spaces that prioritize human comfort and well-being, while connecting humans to their surroundings. This sensitivity to both phenomenological and environmental needs is communicated through foundational projects such as Dodging Water, aka The Savannah River Residence, which Mark completed in 2007 for Cheatham Fletcher Scott Architects.

Throughout his professional career, Mark has led and collaborated with teams on projects that employ advanced energy modeling tools, cutting-edge building technologies, and experimental building methods. The minority of his projects have either managed stringent budgets or advanced lofty sustainable goals; the majority have balanced both. He enjoys the research and collaborative effort required to integrate complex problems and reconcile competing demands. His resulting innovative designs bring to light the internal logic specific to each project to produce holistic and timeless solutions.

In addition to his role as Principal Architect at Gehrung Graham, Mark has acted as a guest critic to graduate and undergraduate architecture and interior design studios at both the University of Virginia and Virginia Tech. An early pioneer in the world of sustainable architecture, Mark has been a Certified Passive House Consultant since 2012 and a LEED Building Design + Construction Accredited Professional since 2006. He is also a Registered Architect in the Commonwealth of Virginia and a member of the AIA.