• Brief and longer versions
  • Selected list of speaking experience
  • Awards
  • Publications
  • More

MARK LAKEMAN, – PRINCIPAL at COMMUNITECTURE, FOUNDER AND SUSTAINER OF CITY REPAIR, CO-FOUNDER AND LEAD TEACHER AT PLANET REPAIR INSTITUTE

Brief Version

Mark Lakeman is the founder of the City Repair Project, as well as the founder and Design Director at communitecture, architecture & planning. Both organizations are Portland, Oregon-based world-changing initiatives that transform social, political, and physical infrastructure in order to embed permanent transformative effects. He has also been lead instructor for the Planet Repair Institute’s Urban Permaculture Design Course for a decade. Mark’s work has been published by El Mundo, Dwell, Architecture Magazine, New Village Journal, Sotokoto, The Utne Reader, Permaculture Activist and many more. With City Repair, in 2003 Mark was awarded the National Lewis Mumford Award, and his collaborative work has been featured at the Global Venice Biennale Exhibition. Additionally, in 2017, Mark’s work in City Repair was awarded “Social Design Circle” global recognition by the Curry Stone Design Prize.

Longer Version

Mark is an international leader in the development of regenerative public places. In the last two decades he has directed, facilitated, or inspired designs for more than six hundred new community-generated projects in Portland, Oregon alone. Through his leadership in communitecture, inc., and it’s various affiliates including the The City Repair Project (501(c)3), The Village Building Convergence, and the Planet Repair Institute, he has also been instrumental in the development of dozens of participatory organizations and urban permaculture design projects across the United States and Canada. Mark works with governmental leaders, community organizations, and educational institutions in many diverse communities.

Mark Lakeman is the founder and activist-elder of the non-profit placemaking organization The City Repair Project, and lead eco-urban designer and architect at the regenerative architecture and planning firm Communitecture. Through the Planet Repair Institute, Mr. Lakeman is also a leading teacher of urban permaculture design and place making. Since returning in 1995 from a seven year series of immersions in indigenous communities, Mark has been an inspiring catalyst in his very active commitment to the emergence of regenersative cultural landscapes everywhere.  Every design project he is involved with furthers the development of a beneficial vision for human and ecological communities. Whether this involves urban design and placemaking, ecological building, encourages community interaction, or assists those who typically do not have access to design services, Mark’s leadership has benefited communities across the North American continent. These include cities such as Los Angeles, Seattle, and Ottawa where City Repair Projects are underway.

Stories of Mr. Lakeman’s projects have been told widely, including in such publications as El Mundo, Dwell, Architecture Magazine, New Village Journal, Sotokoto, Yes magazine, The Utne Reader, Permaculture Activist and many more. With City Repair, in 2003 Mark was awarded the National Lewis Mumford Award by the international organization Architects & Planners for Social Responsibility for his work with Dignity Village, one of the United States’ first self-developed, permanent communities by and for previously homeless people. His work in collaboration with his core affiliate organizations has been featured at the Global Venice Biennale Exhibition, and has also been supported by the National Endowment For the Arts. In 2017, Mark’s work in City Repair was awarded “Social Design Circle” global recognition by the Curry Stone Design Prize.

Mark L 2017 Art Museum POD Exhibit

Mark Lakeman Selected Speaking Venues:

  • Keynote, Community Built Association National Conference, Half Moon Bay, CA 2020
  • Presentations & Workshops, EcoFarm Conference, Monterey, CA 2020
  • Keynote, Canadian Communities Conference, Vancouver Island, BC 2019
  • Keynote, Both West and East Coast Canadian Natural Building Colloquia Events, Victoria & Halifax, Canada, 2019
  • Keynote, Seattle Slam Summit, NW EcoBuilding Guild, Seattle, WA 2018
  • Plenary Speaker, Living Future Conference, Portland, OR 2018
  • Special Presentation, Center For Disease Control (Leadership & Staff), 2017
  • Public Presentation, Oregon Eclipse Gathering, Bend, OR 2017
  • Special Presentation of Design Prototypes for Los Angeles Mayor’s Office, City Bureau Staff, and Public, Los Angeles, CA 2016
  • Keynote, Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture, Taliesin West, Scottsdale, AZ 2015
  • Tedx Speaker, Santa Cruz, CA, March 2014
  • Featured Speaker, Harvard Graduate School of Design, Lecture Series, Cambridge, MA 2014
  • Keynote, Creative Mornings at ZIBA, Portland, OR 2014
  • Keynote Speaker, CPTED International Conference, Calgary, Alberta, Canada 2013
  • Featured Speaker, International Transition Town Webinar, 2012
  • Plenary Speaker, Great Lakes Bioneers, Chicago, Illinois 2012
  • Keynote, Living The New Economy Conference, Victoria, BC 2013
  • Keynote Speaker, Southern California Permaculture Convergence, Malibu, CA 2011
  • Keynote, NW Permaculture Convergence, Seattle, WA 2010
  • Keynote Speaker, Twin Cities Sustainable Communities Conference, St. Paul, MN 2010
  • Keynote Speaker, National CoHousing Conference, Seattle, WA 2009
  • Plenary Speaker, Rocky Mountain Bioneers 2008
  • Lead Speaker, Dwell Magazine Sustainability Conference 2007
  • 2010 Olympic Village Design Process, Whistler BC 2006
  • Keynote, US Green Building Council, Annual CA Conference, 2005
  • Public Talk on Place Making, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) 2004 
  • Pennsylvania School of Architecture, Philidelphia, PA 2003

Education

Life-long Family (architect parents) Indoctrination in Realms of Design Activism, including architecture, planning, cultural symbols, and politics of transformation, 1961 – now.

Ongoing Urban Experiments within the Civic Laboratory of Portland, Oregon 1988 – Now.

Numerous Cultural Immersion Projects & Studies in International Settings including Lacandon Maya, 1987-95

University of Oregon in Eugene, Bachelor of Architecture, 1980-85

Special Mentoring with Will Martin, Architect & Artist, 1975-1985

Affiliations

The City Repair Project, Portland, Founder & Co-Director, Creative Vision, 1995-present

Village Coalition Advisory Council, Portland, OR, 2016-18

Dignity Village Advisory Council, Portland, OR, 2014 – now

ECOSA, Guest Teacher 2010-Ongoing, Board Member, 2013-15

MotiveSpace, Board Member, 2013-15

SE Uplift Neighborhood Coalition, Land Use Committee & Board Member, 2000-04

Portland Chapter American Institute of Architects, Associate Member, 1995-2005

Prescott College, Adult Degree Program, Adjunct Faculty, 2002-04

Metropolitan Learning Center, Portland, H.S. Special Projects, Cultural Places, 1998-2001

Selected Awards for Cultural, Ecological, and Public Place Projects

* Curry Stone Design Prize Social Design Circle, 2017

* AIA National Honor Award, Cully Green Cohousing Project (Design Consultant), Portland, OR 2017

* Featured Project, ​”Designing Affordability” Exhibition, Center for Architecture, NY, 2015
* Venice Bienale Global Design Exhibition, “Intersection Repair” concept featured in the American Pavilion entitled “Spontaneous Interventions: Design Actions For the Common Good,” 2012
​* Build Local Challenge, First Place, New Home Category, Build Local Alliance, 2009
* Root Awards for best “Retail” & “Entry,” Portland Spaces Magazine, 2008
* National Lewis Mumford Award, Architects & Planners for Social Responsiblity, 2003
* National Endowment for the Arts, Community Development Support Award, 2002
* Governor’s Livability Award, special place-making category, 1999
* Monumental Ideas Competition, Portland Arts Festival, 1998
* Special Merit Award, Portland Chapter of the AIA, 1998
* People’s Choice Award, Portland Chapter of the AIA, 1998
* Spirit of Portland Award, Office of the Mayor of Portland, 1997
* Citation Award, Portland Chapter of the AIA, 1997
* People’s Choice Award, Portland Chapter of the AIA, 1997
* People’s Choice Award, Portland Chapter of the AIA, 1996
 

Selected Publications for Cultural, Ecological, and Public Place Projects

* (See updated list at communitecture.net)

* Dwell magazine, Feature Article, December 2005

* Oregon Quarterly, Feature Article, Winter 2005

* Hope Magazine, On the Global Commons, December 2004

* Utne Reader, “Views” Article, August 2004

* Arcade Design Magazine, Special Portland Issue, Autumn 2003

* Architecture Magazine, Feature Article, May 2002

* Natural Home Magazine, Feature Article, February 2003

* The Oregonian, Homes and Gardens Section, Cover Article, September 2003

* Permaculture Activist Magazine, Cover Article, Fall 2003

* Daily Journal of Commerce, Feature Article, February 1999

* Sunset Magazine, Article, April 1998

Previous Professional Experience

Munz & Lakeman, Atelier: Numerous Residential Projects, 1988-94

GBD Architects, Lead Designer, Corporate & Institutional Projects, 1987-88

Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Architects, Project Designer, Corporate Projects, 1986-87

Michael & Lakeman Architects, Intern Designer, 1985, 1989