Carol Wilson could have been an architect anywhere in the country, but she chose Maine. After a few visits to the state in the ’70s and ’80s, she was so inspired she decided to stay. The environment influences everything she creates at her Falmouth-based firm. “Our work is a direct result of living in Maine,” she says. “It responds to every physical aspect of Maine.” The climate, landscape, and topography are carefully considered with each design Wilson creates and affect the end result of each project. She says Maine is an engaging place to be an architect because of the geographical variety. Designing a home by the ocean calls for a different approach than one in the woods, which is also different from one built in one of Maine’s more urban areas. “Architecture is inseparable from both the physical landscape and its inhabitants,” Wilson says. “Design in architecture demands problem solving.” She shares the power of her field with others through curated exhibitions her firm hosts to showcase modern architecture in the state. She says the events “help people understand the potential of architecture.” Wilson’s work has won numerous awards from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Maine and AIA New England. Wilson doesn’t do her work for awards, though. “I cannot imagine doing anything else,” she says. When she started architecture school at age 17, she says, “everything about it felt like a perfect fit. It still does.”