Mara Lancaster

PROJECT ARCHITECT

mlancaster@cornerstone-arch.com
616.774.0100 ext. 104

Mara Lancaster, Registered Architect, specializes in the preservation and adaptive re-use of historic buildings.  Licensed to practice in the states of Michigan and Indiana, she is also a qualified professional meeting the federal requirements for Historic Architecture (36 CFR Part 61).  Her years of architectural and preservation experience focus on providing contextually sensitive designs that serve the client’s modern needs.  Mara has been responsible for preparing HABS/HAER quality measured drawings, state and federal historic tax-credit applications, condition assessment reports, master plans and feasibility studies as well as programming, design, and construction administration for a wide range of project types from residential to monumental.

Mara has been with Cornerstone since 2016 when she moved back to her home region of West Michigan.  Prior to that she honed her architectural skills at firms in Chicago, Indianapolis, and Ann Arbor.  Mara attended the University of Michigan, where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Architecture, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, earning her Master's of Architecture degree with a specialization in Historic Preservation.  Mara has served on the local Historic Preservation Commission, on the national board of Alpha Rho Chi - the National Professional Fraternity for Architecture and the Allied Arts, and currently serves on the Michigan Barn Preservation Network's annual Barn of the Year award committee.

Mara believes that the only way for a building to become historic, is for it to be functional for its current tenants.  She is passionate about striking the balance between preserving the elements that tell a building's story while accommodating the needs of today.

In her spare time, Mara enjoys tending her vegetable garden, cooking, reading, and spending time with her husband and step-children.  Renovating their 1910 farm house keeps her busy when she isn't exploring new breweries around the state.