Today we’d like to introduce you to Marilee Hanks.
Hi Marilee, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My journey into landscape architecture began in the vast, untamed landscapes of Northern New Mexico, where I spent my childhood exploring the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Roaming freely across thousands of acres of wilderness, I developed an early and profound respect for the natural world. I believed then, as I still do today, that if others could see what I saw, they too would be inspired to protect and nurture the landscapes that sustain us.
My passion for plants and place-making took root in high school at Culver Academies in Northern Indiana, where I first encountered the work of renowned landscape architect Jens Jensen. This revelation set me on a course to the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS), where I pursued degrees in science and landscape architecture. It was there, in a woody plants course taught by the highly respected botanist and UM professor Burt Barnes, that I found my true calling, blending a passion for native plants, design, and stewardship into a career dedicated to shaping landscapes that foster both biodiversity and human connection.
Since 2005, my work has spanned the globe. As a lead landscape architect for U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide, I have helped craft resilient and inspiring landscapes in more than 30 countries, integrating local ecologies and cultural narratives into diplomatic spaces. My work is driven by a belief in the power of landscapes to bridge divides between people and place, nature and culture, history and the future.
As the Managing Director of Knot Studio, I lead a team of Environmental Graphic Designers, Landscape Architects, Landscape Ecologists, and Environmental Justice Practitioners who resist the traditional divide between nature and human concerns. Our work is rooted in the understanding that environmental struggles are deeply intertwined with issues of social equity, economics, and politics. We approach every project as members of a diverse, interdependent ecosystem of ideas, crafting spaces that are as ecologically sensitive as they are visually compelling.
For me, no challenge is too large, and no detail too small. I thrive on design exploration, drawing from global experience and an open-minded, consensus-building leadership style. Whether navigating the complexities of international projects or collaborating with communities to reimagine local landscapes, I remain steadfast in my mission: to create landscapes and graphic installations that inspire connection to nature, to each other, and to the evolving world we all share.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely has not been a smooth road. Growing and leading a woman-owned design business in a field that intersects with architecture, engineering, and construction has meant navigating industries that have historically been dominated by men and established networks. Early in my career, I often found that meetings and business relationships were not always approached with the same level of professional respect automatically afforded to my male peers. Earning trust, access, and opportunities required persistence, resilience, and consistently proving the value of my work.
There have also been the broader challenges that come with running a small creative business through economic downturns, shifting political climates, and periods of uncertainty in the construction industry. Projects pause, budgets tighten, and schedules change constantly. At times, growth has felt fragile. But those experiences also shaped Knot Studio’s culture and values. We built a practice rooted in collaboration, adaptability, and long-term stewardship, both for our team and for the communities we serve.
Looking back, the struggles taught me how important it is to create pathways for others. Today, mentorship, transparency, and equitable leadership opportunities are deeply embedded in how we operate as a studio.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a landscape architect and the Managing Director of Knot Studio, an anti-disciplinary practice based in Portland, Oregon. Our studio brings together Landscape Architects, Environmental Graphic Designers, Interior Designers, Landscape Ecologists, and Environmental Justice practitioners to create places that connect people more deeply to culture, ecology, and community. My own work focuses on public landscapes, diplomatic facilities, parks, waterfronts, and complex civic environments where storytelling, ecology, and human experience intersect.
Over the past two decades, I have had the opportunity to lead landscape architecture and site design efforts for U.S. embassies and consulates in more than 30 countries. That work has shaped how I think about design. Every landscape carries cultural meaning, ecological systems, and histories that deserve careful attention. Whether we are working on an international diplomatic campus, a neighborhood park, or a local restoration effort, I believe good design should strengthen both environmental health and human connection.
What sets our studio apart is that we resist the traditional divide between environmental and social concerns. We approach projects as interconnected systems, blending ecology, storytelling, accessibility, public engagement, and visual communication into one cohesive design process. That often means our work feels both highly strategic and deeply human. We are equally interested in how a place performs ecologically as we are in how it makes people feel.
What I am most proud of is the culture we have built at Knot Studio. We have created a collaborative practice where people from very different backgrounds and disciplines genuinely learn from one another. I am proud that our team continues to take on complex challenges with curiosity, optimism, and care, and that our work consistently reflects both design excellence and a strong sense of purpose.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
We are always excited to collaborate with people who care deeply about community, ecology, storytelling, and the public realm. Much of our work grows through long-term relationships with architects, agencies, nonprofits, cultural organizations, artists, and community advocates who believe design can create meaningful positive change.
One of our major goals right now is strengthening community connections and expanding opportunities for collaboration across disciplines and perspectives. We are always looking to meet thoughtful partners, curious collaborators, and talented people who want to help shape more equitable, resilient, and inspiring environments together.
Oh, and please reach out if you need design services from a deeply thoughtful group of people!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.knotstudio.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/knotstudio.pdx
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/knot-designers
