Archinect
Donna Sink

Donna Sink

Indianapolis, IN, US

 

About 

2021-present: Senior Owners Representative at IFF. We are a Midwest CDFI nonprofit that offers real estate and facilities services to non-profit organizations. I work in the Indianapolis office. 

2017-2021: Architect at Rowland Design in Indianapolis.

2012-2017: Campus Architect at the Indianapolis Museum of Art 

2005-2012: Self-employed as an architect in Indianapolis doing mainly custom residential remodel plus some commercial, public art, and public housing interiors work, and teaching Professional Practice at Ball State University's College of Architecture

I'm very involved in the local arts and design community, and hold positions or volunteer with local design-related groups including:

For about 5 years here on Archinect I went by the screen name liberty bell.

Elsewhere:

Donna's Featured Articles on Archinect

Remembering Phil Freelon; A Full Transcript from Our Podcast, Fri, Jul 12 '19

This week brought the sad news of the Phil Freelon's passing. Our conversation with Mr. Freelon had quite an impact on us when we recorded the conversation two years ago. Before our recording we had already understood his incredible talent as an architect. Hearing his story, first-hand, however ...

Remembering Phil Freelon; A Full Transcript from Our Podcast
 

Nader Tehrani on Thesis and Its History at Cooper Union, Sun, Nov 18 '18

On Tuesday, October 23 2018, The Cooper Union opened a new exhibition entitled Archive and Artifact: The Virtual and the Physical, presenting 50 years of undergraduate architectural thesis projects by students of The Irwin S. Chanin School of Architecture. Immediately before the opening ...

Nader Tehrani on Thesis and Its History at Cooper Union
 

Archinect Op-Ed: Generous Criticism: Don't Be Lazy, Sun, Sep 28 '08

I recall reading an interview with a singer/guitarist in the grunge era, a small local band, who said after a performance he was typically surrounded by people telling him it was a great show, but inevitably one person would say something flippantly negative, and sadly that was the only comment ...

Archinect Op-Ed: Generous Criticism: Don't Be Lazy
 

Employment 

Rowland Design, Indianapolis, IN, US, Architect

Feb 2017 - Jul 2021
 

Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indianapolis, IN, Campus Architect / Art and Nature Park Coordinator

On-site Campus Architect for the main Museum campus which includes an Edward Larabee Barnes main building and the historic Lilly family house, Oldfields, as well as the Saarinen-designed Miller House in Columbus, Indiana. Also responsible for construction coordination for new and existing projects at the Museum's 100 Acres: The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park.

Aug 2012 - Mar 2017
 

Kentucky Center Governor's School for the Arts (GSA), Co-Chair and Faculty, Architecture Department

The Governor's School for the Arts is a summer program for high-achieving high school students with an interest in fine and performing arts. As Co-Faculty in the Architecture discipline I teach 20 students in a program that exposes them to theory, practice, and design within the profession of architecture.

May 2006 - Sep 2013
 

Wabash College, Crawfordsville, Indiana, Visiting Professor

Co-teaching an undergraduate Art History class in Contemporary Architecture with Michael Bricker of People for Urban Progress.

Jan 2012 - Jul 2012
 

Donna Sink, Architect, PC, Principal

The official architecture half of my two-firm involvement. I was equally employed by both my own PC (a registered professional corporation) and by MWHarris LLC Architecture Interiors Design. The Donna Sink side dealt with projects requiring the use of my registered architect stamp, as well as very small personal projects that do not require stamping at all.

Jan 2011 - Jul 2012
 

MW Harris Architecture Interiors Design, Partner

MW Harris is a small architecture and interior design firm. The majority of the work is for high-end custom residential projects, as well as small commercial work such as cafes and office interiors. Our work is characterized by design that is appropriate for its context but always sophisticated, contemporary, and customized for the Owner. We love working with clients who appreciate what good design can offer: who have their own ideas of what they like but are willing to collaborate to make the project better than either we or they imagined it could be.

Mar 2005 - Jul 2012
 

Ball State University, Temporal Professor, Architecture Department

Graduate level Professional Practice course and one section of graduate level Studio Design: 501, the Comprehensive Studio.

Jan 2010 - Dec 2011
 

Atkin Olshin Schade Architects, Staff Architect

When I was employed there the firm's name was Atkin Olshin Lawson-Bell Architects. While I was at the firm, my focus was twofold: Masterplanning for institutions such as private schools and churches, and Exhibit Design.

May 1995 - Mar 2005
 

Education 

Cranbrook Academy of Art, MArch, Architecture Department

Master of Architecture under Professor Dan Hoffman

Sep 1993 - May 1995
 

University of Arizona, BArch, College of Architecture

Bachelor of Architecture with professors Kirby Lockard, Corky Poster, Doug MacNeil, Robert Geibner, and Larry Medlin.

Sep 1985 - May 1990
 

Awards 

Maverick Fellowship for the Attingham Summer School for the Study of the British Country House, Grant

The grant paid for my three-week study course with the Attingham Summer School.

1997
 

Areas of Specialization 

Skills