Associate Ian Parlin grew up in the woods and on the ocean in Maine, developing a deep love for the outdoors and the state's seasonal variations. From a young age, family trips to Portland and Boston inspired an interest in the built environment and a passion for balancing architecture with the natural world. This early inspiration, combined with his love for the outdoors, led to a strong dedication to creating buildings that are sensitive to their sites and sustainable in their approach to resource use—both during construction and throughout the life of the building.

Ian holds degrees in Fine Arts and Architecture from Rhode Island School of Design. During his time at RISD, he studied abroad in Glasgow, Scotland, where he met his now-wife. After graduating, Ian lived in Edinburgh, Scotland, for five years, working primarily on restoration and adaptive reuse of historic buildings while traveling throughout Great Britain and Europe. Upon returning to Maine, his work has focused on energy-efficient, sustainable design, developing a strong understanding of building science and high-performance buildings.

Ian lives in Portland with his wife, two children, and two dogs, who all love spending time outdoors. He is an avid trail and ultrarunner, engaged with the local running community through regular participation in and organization of races. Ian also volunteers as a coach at his children's elementary school.