Women in Architecture: Sarah Kleiner
Sarah Kleiner, AIA, Principal, Envisage Architecture LLC
What got you interested in architecture?
I grew up thinking I’d be a mechanical engineer like my father, then in high school I discovered my passion for art. I came home one day and told my parents I wanted to be an art teacher. That’s when my dad called a family meeting to discuss fields where I could use my math skills along with my artistic side.
He suggested a few ideas and when he said architect I said “Yes!”. It seemed a bit out of the blue but looking back, my parents had frequently taken me to tour architecture. When I was 16 we took a trip to NYC and the one thing I wanted to do was take a tour of Lincoln Center which surprised us all but I guess my love of architecture was starting to bubble up.
How did you get started in the field?
I took an architecture drafting course my senior year of high school. I applied to the University of Cincinnati DAAP program because my counselor told me it was a good school. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I was ill prepared for the rigors of studio. It’s a good thing I got accepted because I didn’t apply anywhere else!
The benefit of the cooperative education system can’t be overstated. When I was at UC it was a six-year Bachelor of Architecture degree and we co-oped every other quarter, plus I got a job on my own the summer before co-op started. This gave me a wide exposure to the world of architecture. I worked in a few small firms, for a Fortune 500 A&E firm, and got to spend six months at Disney World. The experience was incalculable.
Where are you in your career?
I co-founded Envisage Architecture, a WBE/WOSB firm, in 2016 with Wendy Klepcyk. We are now an eight-person firm. It’s been a fun ride, growing our business and taking on the challenges of running a firm.
What’s the biggest highlight of your career so far?
Renovating a multi-family, multi-use building in Evanston that will be our new office as well as eleven, LEED Silver, affordable apartments. It has been quite an education as we are the owners, developers, contractors, architects, landlords, and tenants. We are working with The Port Authority, the Cincinnati Development Fund, and the Department of Community and Economic Development to make this a reality.
What’s been the biggest challenge in your career so far?
There have been many, but the most challenging thing was deciding to put my career on hold to raise my children. At the time I was concerned that by doing so I was giving up my career altogether. It was an excruciating decision.
Who do you admire or what are you excited about/inspired by right now?
I am excited about the attention being given to women in architecture. I was inspired by the AIA Women’s Leadership Summit last year. I highly recommend going, even for men in architecture.
I am looking forward to the events that are coming up to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Zaha Hadid’s Contemporary Arts Center, which coincides with the 75th anniversary of the Terrace Plaza hotel designed by Natalie DuBlois, and the 25th anniversary of the death of India Boyer, the first woman architect to be licensed in Ohio. In May, the Women in Architecture committee is hosting a panel discussion on how to support women in obtaining their licensure.
What do you wish you’d known starting out in the field? What advice would you give to a young woman considering pursuing a career in architecture?
I am currently reading The Women Who Changed Architecture. It profiles over 100 women architects going back as far as the 1800s. It is really inspiring to see that strong and influential women have been in the field for almost 150 years. It would have been nice to have known about these women when I was a student and a young aspiring architect.
I was lucky that there was the Boyer Guild of Women in Architecture in Cincinnati. I was able to connect with other women in the field at a time when there weren’t many role models. It was incredibly helpful to get to know these women and see how they managed to juggle their personal lives with their professional ones. There isn’t just one way to be an architect. If there was anything I would like young women to know is that there are options.
The piece of advice I have is to get your license as soon as possible. Becoming registered and getting NCARB certification gives you options later on in life.
When you’re not at work, what do you enjoy?
Urban sketching, reading, baking, and walking in the woods.
Are You a Woman in Architecture?
2023 marks the 20th anniversary of Zaha Hadid’s first US commission and the first museum in the United States designed by a woman – the Contemporary Arts Center. As part of the celebrations, AIA Cincinnati wants to highlight the women in our chapter throughout the year. We’ll be sharing these profiles in our newsletter and social media. If you’d like to submit your profile, please follow the instructions on the form.