People

Derek Marks  Assoc. AIA

Development Director / Associate

Derek Marks is an Associate at David M Schwarz Architects, serving as a project manager, director of recruiting and publications, and the co-chair of the firm’s Community Outreach Committee. He joined DMSAS in 2015, attracted by the firm’s diverse portfolio – particularly its performing arts work – and its iterative approach to design. Since then, he has contributed to projects including The Waycroft Apartments in Arlington, VA; Rosewood Le Guanahani, three private residences, and studies for higher education campuses and a decorative arts museum. On each project, he has valued the opportunities provided for collaborative exploration in the pursuit of excellence.
When Derek was a kid, he drew comics. As he drew, the settings often surpassed the story. A friend noticed and suggested a career in design and a decades-long love of the built environment was born. He began work in his first architecture office in high school, graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a bachelor’s in Urban Planning, completed co-operative education stints at various architecture, planning, and historic preservation firms, and today is happy to be in an office with a similarly diverse approach to design. Derek and his partner Ed live in the District of Columbia with their two dogs: George, a Boston Terrier, and Otto, a puggle. Outside the office, Derek is an avid cook and a fledgling gardener.