Women in Architecture: Sari Lehtinen
Sari Lehtinen, International Associate AIA, Senior Designer, MA Design
What got you interested in architecture?
My father was an architect. Design, architecture, and art were central to my upbringing from very early on.
How did you get started in the field?
I studied in Helsinki University of Technology – in the beautiful Alvar Aalto-designed building in Otaniemi, and started working as an intern from my second year on in various Helsinki offices. Two of my early positions there were in businesses owned by women – Anna Brunow and Kaarina Löfström.
In the States, I also had the good fortune to work for a few offices run by women (Susan Regan, Ellen Galland, and Anne McGuire) while I lived and worked in the Chicago area. They all provided great role models for a young female professional. In terms of role models, Zaha Hadid was a big deal for my friends and me as architectural students in the 80s. She was breaking barriers and designing buildings like nobody before.
Where are you in your career?
I’m at the latter part of my career, and lucky to get to focus on what I love the best – concept design, housing solutions, and urban environments. Also mentoring and assisting staff newer to the field brings me joy. I love sharing experiences and knowledge, and collaborating with my team.
What’s the biggest highlight of your career so far?
Probably design of the Mariemont condominiums for North American Properties and Rick Greiwe – all 5 phases of them. The last one, Hampstead Park, is my favorite. Fitting in and working with a beautiful existing town plan from the 1920s, very progressive for its time, has been a real treat. The Fort Thomas mixed use building called One Highland is a logical continuation of that series of buildings. Also, having had the opportunity to design well over a thousand residential units in the Cincinnati area feels like an accomplishment.
What’s been the biggest challenge in your career so far?
After moving to the States in the mid 90s I had to learn local practices and language. The imperial vs. metric translation while free-hand drawing is easy, since the main scales are close together, but in a more technical sense there were lots of new things to learn. Building codes are different in Europe and Finland versus here. Things that are expected from an architect are different in these cultures and business environments. Construction details and techniques differ also.
I also started in the field while computers were just taking over, and learned my trade hand-drawing. The transition to using more technology has been a big one – and, of course, the field is still constantly changing in this respect. The core and essence of architecture are still the same, and it is important not to lose sight of that while the latest fashions in visualization are taking us by storm.
Every project is a welcome challenge – so we face this every day. Working with restrictions and parameters leads to good site and project specific solutions.
Who do you admire or what are you excited about/inspired by right now?
Several people inspire me continuously. Some of my current favorites:
Mary Colter – with her trail-blazing practice from 100 years ago. Her structures are beautiful, site-specific, with amazing spaces, colors, materials.
Samuel Mockbee and Rural Studio – reminding us of our social and ecological responsibility, and proving that with a strong mission, good design can be a powerful tool.
Neri Oxman – with her explorations of natural patterns and design principles, and work of all scales – not limiting herself to architecture.
I am always inspired by early women in architecture, and want to mention here two of my Finnish favorites Wivi Lönn and Elsi Borg because of their powerful, beautiful work.
What do you wish you’d known starting out in the field? And/or what advice would you give to a young woman considering pursuing a career in architecture?
This is a demanding but rewarding field. Only do this if you have to. Learn to listen and collaborate, and don’t be afraid to speak your mind. Designing and constructing buildings requires a team – you need to be able to enjoy working with others and receive sometimes brutal feedback. You can have a profound impact on the world through your profession – to make the built environment beautiful, useful, ecologically sustainable – and to improve people’s lives that way.
When you’re not at work, what do you enjoy?
I love gardening and watching the life around my bird feeders. Being in nature helps me focus and find peace.
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.