Women in Architecture: Sarah Ebner of See Arch.
Wagner Creative is pleased to share another of our amazing client’s stories. Sarah Ebner, founder of See Arch, reflects on her journey from an upbringing shaped by frequent moves to becoming an architect driven by a passion for the built environment. Drawn to the Bay Area by its climate and landscape, she established her practice with a vision of balance and sustainability. Through challenges and growth, she discovered the importance of adaptability and the value of a supportive team. Emphasizing client relationships and staff well-being, See Arch prioritizes people above all else. Sarah leads by example, paving the way for future generations of female architects, creating a firm where excellence and work-life balance coexist harmoniously.
Starting at the beginning: Where did you grow up, and when did you first know you wanted to pursue a career in architecture?
I grew up moving often (daughter of an air force officer) and was always fascinated by the built environment around us and how it changed place to place and culture to culture.
While I didn’t have dreams of being an architect, I always busied myself with making and activities that, in hindsight, were well suited to the profession. When I was lucky enough to be accepted into a competitive architecture program, I decided to give it a try. It was at undergrad where I immediately found my passion and my place.
What drew you to the Bay Area?
Weather and landscape. It was time to make a change, and the Bay Area called out among a few other places under consideration. In the end, I received a great job offer while en route to scout the area. While I miss Montreal and all things Canadian, I’ve since come to love California for so many reasons.
What inspired you to establish your architecture practice, and how did you start?
After working in architectural firms for a number of years, I took a short break to reflect on what I wanted to get out of my career and the industry as a whole. What came as a result was a desire to create a balanced, sustainable approach to practice. Focusing on my own well-being and exercising the same empathy for my clients, See Arch established itself as a human-centered practice where we hold respect for ourselves, our team and of course, our clients in the highest regard.
Is it how you envisioned it?
I didn’t start with any particular vision in mind except that having the freedom and agency to practice on my terms would be a dream come true. Of course, the reality of firm ownership is much more complex than that!
What I didn’t expect was how much influence the team has in shaping the firm beyond how I could ever define myself. It’s been a pleasant discovery and where the true value of the firm lies.
What have you learned about yourself through this process?
I’ve always considered myself adaptable, but managing the ebbs and flows of small business has taught me to be aware of change, embrace it, and continue to hone skills to help manage it. While chaos is all around us, I’ve learned I enjoy the challenge of it and leveraging change for the better.
When starting an architecture practice, what are the factors that can help or hinder the process?
The initial leap of faith made all the difference in establishing the firm. I had a lot of financial pressure in the early days of the studio, which really helped me stay focused on building a solid foundation of paid work and operational standards.
I often remind myself of the risk of becoming too complacent with business development. It’s not always natural for me, as an architect, to first and foremost set aside time for business development and marketing efforts. Without these, however, new work is hard to come by.
Strong client management was a priority established on day one of the firm. Architecture is a service industry; as such, we do everything in our power to maintain good client relationships, yielding a great working environment for our team, a positive experience for all, and ultimately a strong referral network for future projects.
A firm is only as strong as its team. See Arch owes its success to the dedicated and talented individuals who show up daily and give their best to the business and our clients. While See Arch has grown rather quickly since its establishment, we’ve learned to hire slowly and carefully to protect team culture and the delicate balance of small-business staffing. There is no greater asset (and investment) than our staff, and we do all in our power to value them accordingly.
Are there investments you made early on to ensure success?
As an emerging firm principal, I quickly realized I was underprepared to be a business owner, lacking the education and background needed for financial and operational success. To lay a strong foundation for See Arch, I sought the advice of trusted professionals (legal, financial, and business coaching) to guide me. While we grew quickly and it was a steep learning curve, establishing a strong foundation early meant the firm could grow sustainably within a more organized structure.
So much in this industry is self-taught. Maintaining awareness (of self and others), questioning what is working and what’s not, and exercising the flexibility to pivot when correction is needed are skills I use every day in both design and business. We talk a lot about blind spots in the firm to encourage proactivity and self-reflection.
What have you learned about yourself in the process?
Setting boundaries and respectfully standing behind established values is something that I’ve never consciously done until establishing my own practice. I suppose I discovered a lot about my own personal values and my preferred balance while defining the firm’s values.
Your company’s mission statement emphasizes a focus on both architectural excellence and work-life balance. What practices have you put in place to support that mission and ensure that these two aspects coexist harmoniously within the studio?
See Arch operates with a simple priority: people first. This applies to our clients and our team. With respect, empathy and communication driving this priority, balancing work life with homelife becomes easier. Our team is made up of women, many of which are new moms and the need to balance time in office and at home supporting the family is so important. We make it work with incredibly organized project management and our own, individual accountability to show up to work focused, and ready to give our best.
What challenges have you faced opening/operating your own firm, and have there been any related to being a woman?
A challenge I continue to be mindful of is balance. Many women walk a particularly difficult line between supporting their families, supporting themselves, and supporting their careers. Motherhood has tested this balance for me as I imagine it has for so many others. Becoming a mother during the early months of the pandemic while also facing a very uncertain time for my small business taught me to be decisive, selective and to direct my efforts where needed most. Welcoming a total of 5 babies into our small team over the past four years has been challenging but has also validated all the values we set to establish early in the business.
What are See Arch’s strategies for overcoming potential biases or stereotypes to break down barriers for future generations of female architects?
The AEC industry has historically been, and is still in some ways, male-dominated. The best way to promote diversity and provide equitability is to lead by example with a female-dominated team that provides the highest quality service and design. Our team takes turns with regular lunch and learn seminars, sharing knowledge and each individual’s voice around equity, inclusivity, and industry standards.
Do you have any women mentors that have helped you through the years?
Yes, early in my career, I worked under and alongside some incredible women architects. Observing and mentoring with each taught me just how hard-working women are and how diligence, communication and organization goes a long way in this industry. While each role-model had their own leadership style, it set a strong example for my work ethic and how I carry myself.
Where do you get inspiration?
I’m always scanning the environment around me (don’t we all as architects?). Lately, I’ve been spending much of my time in rural areas (north coast CA and the Sierras) and enjoying the local vernacular of these places — how they weather, how they’re sited, how they measure alongside their community of other structures. When I find a quiet minute, I’ll dive into design publications like Domus, Wallpaper or Dwell and Pinterest is my go-to for late-night scrolling.
What do you do when you’re not working? Other creative outlets?
I really enjoy sketching, however now with young kids at home I tend to focus on creative activities that overlap with my family. Lately, I’ve been reclaiming old materials around the house and crafting them into whatever might be the mood of the day (my toddlers usually lead this effort!). We’ve made some pretty enviable pony homes and paper boats so far.
My husband and I also share creative time together, fixing up a few rural properties in California. With bootstrapped budgets and a lot of sweat equity, it makes them great slow-moving creative projects.
Dream Commission?
Developing a small multi-family that we are our own clients for. I would love to continue flexing our expertise in housing to explore creative ways to rehabilitate existing, underutilized residential properties. It seems like a great creative challenge with the strong upside of alleviating some of the housing shortage.
See Arch is a women-owned Architecture and Design firm based in Berkeley and Petaluma, California. Founded by Sarah Ebner in 2016, See Arch began with the simple intention of improving the work-life balance of studio practice while upholding the excellence of architectural craft and service. To view Sarah’s work and learn more about See Arch, visit them at https://www.see-arch.com/ or on Instagram.
