mary ann upton aia | partner, treasurer

Mary Ann’s passion lies in adaptive reuse, breathing new life into aging places.

She admires architecture that leverages context, recognizes legacy, yet is not self-conscious. She believes it is not possible to separate preservation and change. Mary Ann balances a broad vision with attention to detail in her approach to the design process & project leadership.  She uses respect and clear communication to convert imagination and aspiration into reality. As partner, Mary Ann takes joy in cultivating a positive studio culture and advocating for high value, high impact transformations within each project.

Mary Ann is active in the Association for Preservation Technology International as a frequent speaker and as a member of APTNE.  She enthusiastically shares the ideals of Critical Stewardship to broaden the discourse within preservation and what it means to communities.

Mary Ann earned her BArch degree from Rice University, which afforded an enriching term studying in Paris and a full year preceptorship working in New York City. It was surveying the abandoned warehouses of Bedford-Stuyvesant and the Bronx where she learned to love old buildings and all they might one day do.  

Mary Ann enjoys running and writing (check for her entries in the Impact section).  She lives in Foxboro with her husband Zeb and two snack-enthusiasts: James and Ceci.

maupton@designlabarch.com