Her Story
About Sara
I've been in the architecture field for 13 years, though I'd say the last 10 years have been the highlight of my career. I'm currently a project architect, a title I earned after getting my architecture license in just 2 months last year. Before that, I was a project coordinator for 4 years doing the same kind of work, but now I have the credentials to show for it. My role spans everything from programming and conceptual design to construction documents and construction administration. Since we're a mid-sized firm, each of us does everything, which gives me a holistic view of projects. I studied architecture in Iran for my bachelor's degree, where we were very influenced by European architects and their educational approach. I then came to the University of Arizona for my Master of Science in Energy Conservation and Design, and I also worked as a teaching assistant and research assistant there, including research work with Microsoft on data centers and energy consumption. Last year, I finished a Master in Business because I wanted to understand the business side of architecture better, and it's been really eye-opening. One of my most notable achievements is completing a K-8 school from ground up - seeing the kids walk through the doors and the number of people at the ribbon cutting was incredibly rewarding. I'm very active with the American Institute of Architects, currently serving as the national representative for Arizona at the associate level, and I chaired a conference for associates last year. I'm also part of the National Organization of Minority Architects. I've always loved making the world a better place and leaving it better than I found it, and I think that's what drives my success along with hard work and always having multiple plans ready.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Sara
01What do you attribute your success to?
I've always loved to make the world a better place and work hard to leave it better than what I found it. I would say hard work is essential, but I've also learned to look ahead and have different plans all through my life - figuring out 3 different plans at the same time, so if one goes down, I have another. Having that plan B through Z mentality has really helped me navigate my career and stay resilient through challenges.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would only enter the industry if you absolutely love it. I would say it's hard work, but it can be really rewarding. I would tell them to explore the different options they have through architecture. Doing what I do is a very mainstream kind of job for architects, but there are so many different avenues. Architecture gives you the ability to critically think about projects and things, so I would say it's great education. Just don't go off of it just because of how long it is and stuff like that. I think once you have an architecture education, there's many fields you can enter.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenges we face are being very prone to changes because of the economy - how we buy materials, workforce, and all of that. The ups and downs of the market really affect us and our clients. Another big challenge for architects is how we present ourselves and advocate for our value. We've been trying to make our clients understand our value a little bit better through the years, and that's the work AIA has been trying to do for a very long time. Advocating for ourselves is very difficult because we are the designers and not the business people, usually. On the opportunities side, the fact that we get to design things and walk through our creations when they're built is incredibly satisfying. What we do for our communities, how we bring them up, how we can change communities just by good design and good work, and make a difference in the communities that we're a part of has been a really big part for all of us. I think that's why architects love what they do, and if you don't love it, you can't stay in it. Through the buildings we build, all of us one way or another are in contact with buildings - we work in them, we play in them. If a building is well thought through, it really does make a difference in our experience of life, in our experience of working. If you go and it's beautiful, you would want to spend your time there, but if it's dark and dingy, you don't want to be there. So it really does make a difference in your daily life.
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