Rosa T. Sheng, AIA, LEED AP BD+C is a Principal at SmithGroup, Higher Education Studio Leader in San Francisco and national Director of Equity Diversity Inclusion. AIASF Past-President 2018, and Founding Chair for Equity by Design an AIA San Francisco committee. As a licensed architect with over 26 years experience in Architecture and design, Rosa 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 LEED NC Gold–certified Lorry I. Lokey Graduate School of Business at Mills College in Oakland, California. She is currently working on innovative and sustainable projects for the institutions of higher learning in northern California including UC Davis, SF State, CSU Chico and City College San Francisco.
Most notably, as the Founding Chair of the AIASF Committee: Equity by Design, Rosa lead “The Missing 32% Project,” a 2014 Equity in Architecture Survey and research study, which launched a national conversation for achieving equitable practice in Architecture. Since the group launched its key findings, Rosa has been presenting in Boston, New York, Lisbon, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Seattle with other cities planned for 2016. The Equity in Architecture movement has inspired many and created new connections around the world. The group’s outreach for equity in architecture has received national press in Architect Magazine, Architectural Record, Wall Street Journal, TEDxPhiladelphia and KQED/NPR.
Rosa is also a member of the AIA National Equity in Architecture Commission, AIA Equity and the Future of Architecture Board Committee, AIA Public Outreach Committee, SCUP, USGBC, and NCARB Supervisor.
SmithGroup, San Francisco, Principal, Higher Education Studio Leader, Director of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion
Rosa T. Sheng, FAIA is a Principal at SmithGroup as the Studio Leader of Higher Education and Director of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion. She was AIA San Francisco President in 2018 and Founding Chair of Equity by Design. As a licensed architect with 24 years of experience in architecture and design, Rosa 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 projects for Institutions of higher learning for Student Success in California. Rosa’s thought leadership and activism has been recognized for catalyzing a national movement for equitable practice in Architecture marked by three pivotal surveys and public speaking outreach both nationally and abroad including TEDxPhiladelphia, Cannes Lions Festival, Harvard, Stanford and KQED/NPR. In 2018, Rosa was featured as a Metropolis Gamechanger for her activism and advocacy.
About the Equity by Design
The 2018 Equity in Architecture Survey was designed in partnership with the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture and over 50 volunteers from around the country with the goal of generating a comprehensive national data set detailing current positions and career experiences of architecture school graduates. With the assistance of architecture’s national collateral organizations, AIA components, firms, and academic institutions, survey invitations were sent out to a broad cross-section of the profession.
The resulting data set—the largest ever collected on equity within the profession—documents the experiences of 14,360 individuals representing all 50 states and nations on six continents. This unprecedented collection of professional voices is the testimony that allows us to build a deeper understanding of our strengths as a profession, and to gain insight into the critical work needed to provide each individual within our field with opportunities to thrive and to make a lasting impact within the communities that we serve.
Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, San Francisco, Senior Associate
Rosa T. Sheng, AIA, LEED AP BD+C was a Senior Associate at Bohlin Cywinski Jackson. As a licensed architect of 20 years in Architecture and design with the firm, Rosa 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 LEED NC Gold–certified Lorry I. Lokey Graduate School of Business at Mills College in Oakland, California. She also contributed to innovative and sustainable projects for the University of California, Davis.
Rosa served as Treasurer on AIA San Francisco’s Board of Directors, a member of the AIA National Equity in Architecture Commission, AIA National Diversity Council, SCUP, USGBC, and NCARB Supervisor.
Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation, Award
