Her Story
About Sara
Sara Stewart Jehn is an accomplished architect with a career spanning more than a decade, specializing in the relationship between architecture, human health, and environmental psychology. Based between Hawaii and Colorado, she brings a human centered perspective to the design of spaces that support physical and psychological wellbeing. Sara is the owner of Studio Modus LLC, a creative studio and retail space in Golden, Colorado, and the owner/architect with Architecture 7272, a full-service practice focused on environmental psychology and community-led design and development. Throughout her career, Sara has developed expertise in neuroarchitecture design, including environments that better support individuals with autism and ADHD, as well as trauma-informed design, sustainability, and human health. Her academic background includes a Bachelors of Architecture from the University of Oklahoma, a Master of Arts in Architecture for Human Health in Remote Environments from Boston Architectural College and a certificate in Space Resources and Human Habitation from Colorado School of Mines. She is also a WELL Accredited Professional and has experience as a senior project engineer in US Antarctic Support Contract, reflecting her interest in designing for challenging and remote environments. Sara is also committed to professional leadership, historic preservation, and community-centered architecture. She served as an elected member of the AIA Honolulu Board of Directors and as Hawaii State Representative for the AIA National Small Firm Exchange, while also contributing as a conference peer reviewer. One of her notable achievements is the reconstruction of the Kapaia Swinging Bridge on Kauai, which received a Hawaii Historic Foundation Preservation Award in 2019. Through her work, Sara combines architectural expertise, environmental psychology, preservation, and innovative human centered design to create spaces that are healthier, more resilient, and responsive to the people and communities who use them.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Sara
01What do you attribute your success to?
My success comes down to intuition and support from my friends, family, and community. I had a wonderful mentor who purposefully made his firm a safe place to work and obtain my license, which is rare in my industry. My husband is also my structural engineer, and he's wonderful about it.
Intuition has been key throughout my journey. It has guided me through tough decisions, big moves, and life-altering decisions. My practice is so much healthier since I've been centering my intuition.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Do not force it. Having to force a result means something important is being ignored - the correct path is therefore blocked - and ultimately leads to a loss of self over time.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Live your life authentically, especially in creative fields. The minute you start living to somebody else's expectations, your creativity starts to wither. It's okay to say no and back away from a project or client that doesn't feel right.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
There are several huge challenges facing architecture right now. They mirror the other issues happening in the country right now.
10 We face a tough situation with hyper-capitalism and developers. This has created an unfortunate built environment.
20 The devaluation of art and design has led to funding cuts in education. This has created a mentality that ugliness is acceptable.
30 As a general population, we ignore human psychology, the destruction of beauty, and environmental exploitation. That creates acceptance of a depressing built environment.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Integrity, Intuition, and Restoration.
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