Susan Atkinson

Susan Atkinson is an architectural designer, public artist, and founding principal of an architecture and planning practice focused on the intertwining aspects of sustainability and culture. Her award-winning firm designs affordable housing and civic buildings that are highly responsive to the local climate and that directly engage community members in the designs.

As a Lecturer with the Environmental Design Program at University of Colorado Boulder, she shares her 25 years of professional experience to teach architecture and human-centered product design studios to the next generation of environmentally responsive designers. Past work includes projects with Phoenix Art Museum, Seattle Arts Commission, Seattle Public Schools, Navajo Housing Authority, the University of Colorado Boulder’s Artist-in-Residence Program, and Montana Arts Council’s Percent for Arts Program. Each summer, Susan guides and teaches painting in the borderless biosphere of Glacier International Peace Park.

She holds her Master’s degree in Architecture from Harvard University and received degrees in Architecture from University of Washington and Business/Finance from Montana State University. Her firm’s work was recently presented at the Venice Architecture Biennale as part of an immersive exhibit showcasing indigenous architecture from across Turtle Island, highlighting themes of sovereignty, colonization, and landscapes of resilience.