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Maria Sevely

Hi, I’m Maria Sevely. I have more than 30 years of professional experience planning, designing and strengthening communities. I have had the privilege of working in coastal communities including New York, Long Island, Boston, New Orleans, and Washington. In this work, I have collaborated with other architects, planners, urban designers, developers, builders, and property owners improving built environments.

Since 2002, I’ve worked with partners building an architectural practice based in midtown Manhattan where I hired and led a team of up to 25 designers. Previously, I was a lead designer and associate working with I. M. Pei, one of the world’s most prominent architects. In this capacity, I initiated and

managed major cultural, government, and development projects for over a decade. During this time, I was Senior Project Designer for the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC, as well as contributing to the design, documents, and construction of other major projects. I also worked for both Philip Johnson as Project Architect for his last major project: the Cathedral of Hope and earlier for Richard Meier, participating on projects and developing books, coordinating with graphic designer Massimo Vignelli. My father, Marvin Sevely, was an international architect and educator, trained at the Harvard GSD under Gropius. His career focused on innovation in terms of tall buildings, prefabrication, new materials, and projects grounded in social justice: sustainable affordable housing in the USA and internationally, community development, and reform of prison and juvenile facilities design—and I still rely on the skills and experiences I acquired observing, accompanying, and assisting him!

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