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The mission of the AIA Design for Aging (DFA) Knowledge Community is to foster design innovation and disseminate knowledge necessary to enhance the built environment and quality of life for an aging society. This includes relevant research on characteristics, planning and costs associated with innovative design for aging. In addition, DFA provides outcome data on the value of these design solutions and environments. 

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Sarah Gregory—Getting it Done

By Megan Lorian Crites AIA posted 11-28-2022 09:46 PM

  


Getting it Done


Sarah Gregory is a vocal advocate in design for aging putting her expertise to good use. With an energetic and passionate personality, Sarah may appear modest, but her work is paving the way for future designers and industry leaders.

A University of Arkansas alum, Sarah moved to the Carolinas in 2007. It is here where she first dipped her toe in the water with senior living design. Working for small, medium, and large firms, Sarah shares that she sees the best and most opportunities for individual growth in medium and small size firms. Focusing her attention and professional practice on senior living design, Sarah sought architecture firms to cultivate her expertise. As Director of Senior Living at CJMW Architecture, joining in 2021, she brings 24 years of experience and passion for design to lead and grow her team.

Collaboration and inclusiveness are innate traits of Sarah; when you meet her, you will know this as she intentionally includes those around her in conversation. As a female in leadership, she has experienced road bumps along the way. Sarah stated that there is, “definitely a glass ceiling”. Passive and blatant sexism do still exist, she shared. Sarah conveyed that there are subtleties in personalities, office politics, or “sameness” comfort levels that our industry still needs to deconstruct. She advises young student architects to have courage, “select a specialty, and pursue it.” And in doing so she also advised to, “know where you want to live and if you will have to move” in order to develop and grow this specialty. Sarah made an intentional career move in 2021 to CJMW Architecture where she found support in pursuing her specialty for Senior Living design and opportunity for growth in leadership. Moving for your career is not easy, Sarah admits. Making this move possible for her, her children, and husband is the fact that she has a stay-at-home spouse.

Leading her project teams, Sarah has received design awards and amassed over $370 million in construction of senior living projects. A “normal” day for her is 25% front-end project related work, 50% business development, and then pulling double duty as a project manager into the evening. In true leadership fashion, Sarah ensures her finger is on the pulse of staff development, staying connected with those on her team at all times. From master planning to high end senior living work, she finds excitement in the days ahead and in sharing her expertise through collaboration with her team at CJMW, writing, and speaking engagements.

Author:

Megan Crites, Senior Associate, MKM architecture + design

AIA DFA Communications Committee member


Part of the Design for Aging Knowledge Community – Women in Architecture Series

What is Design for Aging? And who is designing these spaces? The AIA Design for Aging Knowledge Community shares knowledge in the design community aimed at improving the built environment for those in our society who are aging. That’s the short answer; a lot more research and practice goes into improving the spaces we design. And who is designing these spaces? Over the years, the architecture profession has been male-dominated. However, that fabric is changing. Female architects have been growing in numbers across the board, from technical designers, project managers, project architects, design architects, studio leaders, and business owners.

How does this growth in female design professionals reflect in senior living and care environments? The fabric is also changing in their industry. More females are Executive Directors, CEO’s, COO’s, and CFO’s of senior living campuses and care communities. The impact of this shift creates a transformation in dialogue and who’s voice is being heard.

So, the question came up, how can we highlight the growing voices of female architects who are focusing on Design for Aging? Interviews, for a start, and writing articles that highlight the architects and their work.

Several questions were posed to female architects across the United States. Where did you grow up? Where did you go to college? What does your career path look like? How or when did you start designing spaces for aging? What are you the most excited about in the work you are doing? What are you losing sleep over? What advise do you have for other female architects? And so on.

The experiences and conversations varied from interview to interview. Which is an important piece of the narrative for every Architect to hear. There were also some common threads that should not be ignored. What is our industry doing right? What do we need to stop doing? And more over, how can architects continue to positively impact Design for Aging?

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