Our People

Beau is a highly professional office dog and moral support specialist in practice since 2014. He brings with him an extensive experience in dog park prototype testing.

His favorite parts of the job include pacing around the office in search of a spare hand to pet him, building relationships with his colleagues that are willing to take him on a walk around the block, and taking long naps under the conference table.

“Watching others around me be so passionate and creative…it inspires me to do the same. I always want to keep growing as a designer and as a person, and I’m very fortunate to have been given the opportunity to do just that.”

“I’ve known from a young age that I wanted to be an artist. I’ve never known specifically what kind of artist I wanted to be—as long as it involves being creative and doing something I love, that’s all I need.”

“I want to be challenged and have the opportunity to grow in other areas of design that I might not have thought of on my own.  Shapiro Didway gives me the space and freedom to learn and grow within the company. I couldn’t ask for anything more.”

“There’s a balance between the theoretical and the practical, you have to think about what the client wants, the budget, compliance, but also what we as a firm can bring to it.

“Here I get to be in on the project from the very beginning—the schematic design, design development, construction documentation—to the end of a project, and that helps me learn and grow.

“I never think of a landscape as being done.  There’s always the chance to rethink, rebuild, reuse…there are always problems to solve and value to bring to people.”

“We contemplate and imagine who and how each facet will be experienced. Will it stand the test of time? Will it meet the needs of the client and the user? We ponder because it matters. We ponder, knowing that each project is a part of us that we leave for others, and they matter.”

“Each staff member is allowed to contribute and is encouraged to pursue their own interests within the field, and the enthusiasm here is refreshing.”

“At Shapiro Didway, I have the opportunity to do the work I love, while living the life I love.  The staff works together as a team, they are quick to answer questions, eager to help when needed, and provide feedback in a friendly manner – that is often hard to find.”

“Outdoor public spaces that are inhabited in a communal way are the spaces that I like to have access to when I’m out in the world and are the spaces that I most like to design. You can impact the most people with an exterior environment.

“Going through the process, coming up with an idea, making it fit within certain parameters, and doing it efficiently is all part of the way that I like to approach not only landscape architecture but everything. Landscape architecture is the blend of the technical and art worlds – and that mix is what I enjoy most about it.

“It feels great to work on a team that priorities autonomy. It is understood that no drawing is ever perfect – we are just working together to get each project to the place it needs to be.”

“Visiting unique spaces inspires me, especially after Covid we learned the value of good open spaces. Moving to Portland, I am excited to be able to design projects that my community, my friends, and I can go visit and fully utilize and enjoy.”

“I find it exciting to meet and learn from new people within the design community and at SD. The opportunity to create personal relationships and forge meaningful connections is truly inspiring.”

“There’s an extra level of commitment in designing projects that you or your friends might regularly interact with, and I find a lot of excitement and inspiration in that.”

“I think it really helps to have first-hand experience with how plants grow, how they mature and change, what kind of diseases they get.  Having worked where I’ve been exposed to this has given me an appreciation of what to expect from a design perspective.

“Young school children today have less access to wild green spaces than ever before. The work we do, specifically for schools, is key for development, learning, and appreciation and concern for the environment.

“I feel like I have access to everyone in the office. The experience in our office is that of a flat hierarchical structure. This allows for easy collaboration. There’s always someone around to talk through ideas.

“Our office collaborates with other external disciplines —civil engineers, structural engineers, architects.  When you have effective interactions with other disciplines, the design is better and it’s an enriching experience.”

“It all comes down to people. People, countries, and governments that take that philosophy seriously— that places are for people and design is for people— they make successful architecture happen.

“Shapiro Didway is a very focused firm, people say what they mean, the working style is collaborative, supportive, positive, and professional…and that’s not true everywhere.

“What is a successful design, how do you measure that? As designers, I feel we need to think deeply about that, to get past just ‘this looks nice’. If we do that, I think every project will be better off for it.

“Work hard, do good…there are no more mysteries in life.”

“I’m most passionate about community-driven work because you’re including people in the process and helping them create a common vision that many people can benefit from.

“You have to hear what people want and need, then, as a designer, help them draw conclusions that they haven’t thought of before… If you can get people excited about a project they invest in it and you know they’re going to protect and maintain it once it’s built.

“Fulfilling a community need, seeing people use a space and enjoying it gives me satisfaction.

“We’ve always had a culture based on teamwork. People are always willing to be available to help. Even if it means extending themselves to help you. Our people are selfless, which is amazing and rare.”

“I’ve spent a lot of time digging in the soil, doing residential landscapes and farm/ranch remediation and all sorts of landscape work…I think it’s important to understand what happens in the field…It’s not as easy as drawing it on paper and building it, you need to be in the field to understand everything in between.

“We all want positive, supportive relationships with anyone we work with…if they’re pushing you to see things from a different perspective, the project always turns out better.

“I really enjoy mentoring the younger staff. It feels good to pass along knowledge. Everyone here is hungry to learn.”

“Allowing room for growth, that’s a main objective here. We’re very intentional about it…providing the support and guidance our team needs to make great work while also giving space for exploration and investigation.

“We’re building a culture that fosters connection. Connection to people, connection to space, connection to the natural systems that surround us. With the type of work we do, understanding those connections is essential.

“Everything that we put in a drawing has meaning and purpose. We understand it’s going to get built, it’s going to be tangible, and we have to be thoughtful and intentional in all the choices we make.

“We have a great team here, all coming from different backgrounds with unique experiences that add value to the conversation. The diversity helps us look at design challenges from fresh perspectives, with a more holistic view of how people see and experience a space.”

“There’s no one right way to do things in the design world. That’s why I think there’s a lot of value in getting people’s input. Your way is not always the best way. But it’s a starting point and you need to open yourself up to others. That’s what drives the design.

“We all talk every day. We talk about good and bad experiences. Everyone knows what’s going on. Because everyone has a different perspective. I’m consistently impressed by the products we create by opening it up to the entire staff.

“A successful client relationship happens when you make that personal connection. Then we can both ask the questions that we need to be asking. When we can be open and honest and build on that, that’s where great work comes from.

“My name’s on the building, but I never wanted this to be about me. And I think that everyone here believes that. Seeing the people around me blossom, that brings me more joy than anything.”

Over four decades, Steve built a stellar career in landscape architecture, first with his mentor Robert Murase, and eventually co-founding Shapiro Didway in 2007. His legacy will continue to shine through his inspiring body of work including urban, campus, and residential designs. His vision for leading-edge design and commitment to sustainability have helped lead us to become the firm we are today. We are wishing Steve many years of good health, exciting new travels, and of course several more marathons.