 GIACCARDO, MARC ALAN Born in Greensburg, Pennsylvania on October 22, 1946 to Irene and Louis Giaccardo, was a beloved father, grandfather; husband, brother, uncle, and friend. Marc was taken from us too soon on November 24, 2013, after a hard-fought battle with cancer. He is survived by his wife, Pacharee; his daughters, Gina and Genevieve; his daughters' mother, and former wife, Felice Lucero; granddaughters, Cyrrene and Mavri; sister, Anita Geis; brothers, Edward and Kim; and nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews. Marc, a LEED-AP certified architect and AIA member, studied at Drexel University in Philadelphia; where his mentor, Louis Kahn, profoundly influenced him. He continued his studies at the University of New Mexico, earning his Master's degree in 1977. Marc practiced architecture in Albuquerque, independently and for firms Long and Waters, Barker/Bohl, and Van Gilbert Architects. His passion for sustainable design, technology, and natural materials manifested itself from the earliest of his works, including a first-place Reynolds Aluminum competition award for an innovative "green" Alaskan pipeline road design; the geodesic dome-based Gibbon Flight Cage at the Albuquerque Zoo; a passive solar print studio for El Cerro Graphics in Los Lunas; the Bliss House; and the NM Educators Federal Credit Union in the North Valley. In 1980, he designed the gondola, Jules Verne, for balloonist Maxie Anderson who along with Don Ida, attempted to fly around the world the following year. Marc was a founding member of the Albuquerque United Artists; an organization comprised of over 200 visual and performing artists, and served as its first president. His distinguished teaching career spanned four decades, beginning at the University of New Mexico (UNM) as a graduate teaching assistant to another mentor and dear family friend, Bob Cohlmeyer; and as an instructor at the Technical-Vocational Institute (TVI) in Albuquerque. He went on to hold Associate Professorships at The Catholic University of America (CUA) in Washington, DC; Texas Tech University in Lubbock, TX; and the University of Texas (UTSA) in San Antonio, TX. While at CUA from 1985 to 1992, Marc was the founding director of the Computer Aided Design Lab Studio (CAD Lab), where students were introduced to early AutoCAD software and Mac computers. He was the Senior Editor for the 8th edition of Architectural Graphic Standards, which included a chapter on historic preservation for the first time. At Texas Tech from 1992 to 2004, he was President of the Faculty Senate, and Principal Design Architect for the Junction Campus master plan proposal that emphasized sustainable design principles. At UTSA from 2004 to 2009, Marc revamped the environmental systems courses and developed a junior level competition design studio, focused on sustainable design and technology. He authored and negotiated the proposal for the new Construction Science and Management degree program, and was appointed Director at its inception in 2008. The program successfully attained the status of the Department of Construction Science on March 1, 2013. Marc retired from teaching at the end of 2009, to develop his greatest project, Verdant Design-Build, LLC. This work was the culmination of his life-long pursuits: specializing in environmentally sustainable building design, passive and hybrid solar, and renewable, low energy materials; and applying the principles of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Regenerate. Loyal to his Pittsburgh roots, Marc was an avid Steelers fan, as well as a talented basketball player and all-around athlete. Marc's proclivity for reason, immense knowledge, steady guidance and sense of humor made him the best of fathers and teachers, and the truest of friends. We hold him close in our minds and hearts, with love and strength always. Services will be held on Saturday, December 7, 2013 at Resurrection of The Lord Parish, 7990 W. Military Drive, San Antonio, Texas 78227. Visitation, 9:00-10:00 a.m.; followed by Mass, 10:00-11:00 a.m. A memorial service for Marc will be held in Albuquerque in the spring; details to come. For information, contact Genevieve Giaccardo, (505) 604-5023.
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