Mahan Rykiel Associates Inc.

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Mahan Rykiel Associates Inc., founded in 1983, is a Baltimore-based landscape architecture, urban design and planning firm led by President Jingpeng Gu, PLA. With 37 employees and 51% women ownership, the company has been creating distinctive designs for 41 years.

Its projects span corporate campuses, health care facilities, commercial centers, housing and parks. As a women-owned business, the company brings a unique perspective to landscape architecture, emphasizing community-driven, inclusive and sustainable design. The firm is committed to fostering diverse voices, challenging industry norms, and creating spaces that reflect the needs of all users.

What does it mean to you to be a women-owned business?

Being a women-owned business in landscape architecture means leading with a unique perspective that values community-driven, people-centric, inclusive and sustainable design. It’s about creating spaces that reflect the needs of all users, challenging industry norms and fostering diverse voices. As women, we bring compassion, empathy, harmony, creativity and resilience into design, driving innovation in a field that shapes the environment and the way people interact with it. Our work is a testament to the power of representation and the impact of thoughtful, equitable design.

What challenges have you faced as a women-owned business?

As a woman-owned landscape architecture firm in a male-dominated field, we’ve faced challenges balancing life and work, overcoming biases and proving our expertise in a traditionally male sphere. Gaining equal recognition and opportunities has required persistence and resilience.

This profile is part of The Daily Record's In the Lead: Best Women-Owned Businesses in Maryland list for 2024. Information used in this profile was sourced from the honoree. See the full list at thedailyrecord.com.