San Francisco, November 14, 2017 – SmithGroupJJR has hired Rosa Sheng, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, as a principal in support of its growing Higher Education studio at the San Francisco office. Her diverse range of expertise will expand the quality and depth of SmithGroupJJR’s design services in the California marketplace.
Sheng gained extensive experience in the planning, design and construction of large, complex projects during her 20-year tenure with Bohlin Cywinski Jackson as a senior associate. She has led a variety of award-winning and internationally acclaimed projects, from the aesthetically minimal, highly technical development of the glass structures for Apple’s original high-profile retail stores, to the innovative and sustainable Lorry I. Lokey Graduate School of Business at Mills College in Oakland, California.
Sheng’s dedication to elegant, sustainable and responsible architecture supports the firm’s strategic plan to expand its presence in higher education. Her added expertise will continue to advance SmithGroupJJR’s design for public and private universities and colleges in Northern California including current work with Contra Costa Community College District, California State University, Chico, and University of California, San Francisco.
An active member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) San Francisco chapter, Sheng is the 2018 president and founding chair of Equity by Design, a national movement for equitable practice in architecture. Her work has garnered coverage in Architect Magazine, Architectural Record, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, TEDxPhiladelphia and KQED/NPR. Sheng will utilize her industry leadership in this area to lead, develop and implement various firm wide equity initiatives at SmithGroupJJR.
“Rosa is well-respected in the architectural community and among clients,” said Joyce Polhamus, director of the firm’s San Francisco office. “She not only brings thought leadership and innovative thinking to her projects but will also elevate firm-wide initiatives for equity and diversity.”
A registered architect in California, Sheng earned a Bachelor of Architecture Cum Laude from Syracuse University. She has been working in the Bay Area for the duration of her career.
SmithGroupJJR (www.smithgroupjjr.com) is a nationally recognized, fully-integrated design firm with more than 1,100 employees in 10 offices in the U.S and a presence in Shanghai, China. The firm serves clients in the health, workplace, higher education, science & technology, cultural, urban design, and waterfront arenas.
