Dig Studio Remembers Ryan E. Godderz
Dig Studio wants to share the sad news that Principal, Ryan Godderz, passed away on April 27, 2023, from ALS. Since 2014, Ryan has been an integral part of building Dig Studio. His creativity and meticulous planning can be seen in parks, communities, and urban settings in and around Colorado. His thoughtful design and dedication to detailing is evident on projects throughout the Front Range, including Market Station, Paco Sanchez Park, Superior Town Center, ELK – Environmental Learning for Kids, The Coloradan at Union Station, and many others.
When he wasn’t at Dig Studio, you would likely find Ryan out on his bike. He was an avid bicyclist, always pushing to go farther and faster. He had a love for adventure either on two or four wheels.
Ryan was diagnosed with a terminal illness in early 2022, but remained committed to serving his clients and projects as long as he could. Ryan was only 47 years young, a dear friend to all at Dig Studio, and his spark will always be a part of us and our work. We at Dig Studio miss his sense of humor, and his daily presence.
Ryan’s family and Dig Studio have established the CU Denver Ryan Godderz Memorial Fund for Excellence in Landscape Architecture in his honor. Please make your gift in Ryan’s memory to the scholarship fund by clicking HERE. After selecting an amount, please select “In Honor/Memory” as YES, and then type in Ryan Godderz name as prompted. You can also donate to the ALS Rocky Mountain Chapter HERE.
Dig Studio will host a celebration of life in the next few weeks. Look for details coming soon.
Remembering Ryan:
“Ryan was the consummate team player, his passion and caring for our clients, projects (especially the details) and colleagues was unparalleled. He will be sorely missed.”
– Bill Vitek, Principal | Co-Founder
“He really did love what we do. I remember the meticulous attention to detail, I think he once framed a DD set at his desk. I always felt it was a bit more than just about the projects and design though. There was a family-like aspect to it. There were a lot of late nights working on projects overseas that we’d never ultimately see. Long hours and middle of the night conference calls, but I remember it being so fun. He balanced humor with this crazy work ethic that just demanded endurance and focus and made designers around him try harder and push farther. I think that’s what I’ll remember most, he was genuine and kind, and when our paths crossed, I always felt he made me a better professional and person.”
– Brandon Sobiech, Principal | Co-Founder
“He is an amazing person who had such a spark and wanted us to remember him only that way. I admire his fortitude and conviction. I’ll always remember how much he loved what we all built together and how dedicated he was to the craft of our profession. I hope we can continue to evolve his spirit of experimentation and innovation here at Dig and out in the broader community. Maybe in some way we can honor him through the scholarship by challenging students to show what they do to innovate and experiment with new tools and new ideas. I’ll never forget how passionate he got about exploring different rooftops for the 47th and York bridge and 3D printing them.”
– Gretchen Wilson, Co-Founder
“I first started working with Ryan more closely 14 years ago. As Ximena and I were talking about those times, immediately she could recall, as our office was going through so many changes, Ryan making her feel so comfortable and learning so much from him as we all jumped into international projects, unsure of what was next. Ryan had a way of earning your respect without the slightest bravado. Someone with so many skills I wish I had; being genuine and talented is his indelible impression. A stellar human.”
– Chad Atterbury, Principal