Marpa is a Landscape Architecture + Construction Management Firm

Our landscapes are defined by wondrous, contemplative designs

Rooted in the foothills of Boulder, Colorado, Marpa has designed and built hundreds of projects across the country. Our work spans scales and budgets, from small home landscapes to large private estates, botanical gardens to religious retreats, mixed-use redevelopments to educational campuses. No matter the scale or complexity, whether it be a wildflower meadow or a highly detailed pool, we come back to the concept of the garden — a cultivated space where people can enjoy being outside, where the mind and body can rest, where habitat is restored, and the rawness of the earth and its materials are celebrated.

The garden is not just the finished product, but also the process and experience of creation. We take pride in providing our clients with an experience of utmost care, creativity, and quality — from concept sketch to built project. Marpa’s project management ethos imbues thorough professionalism with a spark of magic, so that the energy of design guides the spirit of the process.

A strong team is essential to the actualization of design into construction. Our close collaborations with project teams result in landscapes that are beautifully harmonious, ecologically functional, and architecturally integrated. In the field, we work directly with artisans and crews to push the edges of landscape architectural innovation. We believe every project offers a chance for the extraordinary.

Ultimately, the garden is not simply a pretty space, but an expression of nature and the particular world-views of the client. All its fleeting phenomena — the fall of a leaf, the sound of water, shadows cast on a boulder — can engage our senses and bring us to greater awareness. In the garden, we can feel fully alive and connected to our history, community, and environment.