2022 WIA Architect & Leader of the Year
In the spirit of gratitude we’d like to highlight the incredible women who won WIA’s Architect of the Year & Leader of the Year awards. The mission of Women in Architecture is embodied in the passion, talent & generosity of these women - and so many like them. Please take a minute & get to know these two architects who are helping to build our community.
Leader of the Year
Ann Bennion Robinson
Renovation Design Group
After obtaining a Bachelor of Arts, History as well as a Master of Education degree, Ann taught elementary school for several years until deciding to follow her true passion to become an architect. In her late 30’s she returned to the University of Utah to pursue a Master of Architecture degree, graduating in 1990 as one of only four women in a class of 21. She was a single parent of a young daughter at the time.
Upon graduation she began working as an intern for Richardson Design Partnership. She obtained her architectural license in 1993. She worked at Richardson for 13 years, becoming the project architect on several education projects, both renovation & new construction, seeing the projects through from programming to completion. She was one of two females in the architecture department at Richardson and often the only female on the jobsite. An experience that typifies the challenge of those situations was once having an electrician on a new high school jobsite call her “little lady”. Through sheer determination she learned to navigate and hold her own in a man’s world and proudly describes that by the end of each job she had generally earned the respect of the other members of the team by being extra knowledgeable, competent, prepared, and diligent. She also occasionally had to get downright tough!
In 2003 she quit Richardson to start her own firm, Renovation Design Group, with two younger business partners. They started the firm with the vision of providing professional architectural services to the underserved market of homeowners wanting to renovate their homes. Her vast architectural experience was key in developing the business model and adapting the architectural process to the residential remodeling market. Her ongoing wisdom, vision, and stamina, have contributed to the firms continued success. Renovation Design Group is now in its 20th year and has served nearly 1400 clients.
Over the years, Ann has personally met with over 5000 homeowners, educating them on the role and value of hiring an architect. She co-wrote a weekly “Renovation Solutions” column that was published in the Deseret News for 10 years. Those 500+ articles still attract internet activity as a resource to homeowners today. Her projects have been published in Utah Style & Design and Renovation Style magazines and she’s won several regional Chrysalis Awards. That being said, she is more interested in what architecture can do to improve people’s lives than she is in garnering public accolades for her work.
In addition to her work with Renovation Design Group, she has served as the architectural representative on the Judge Memorial Catholic High School Advisory Board since 2013, helping them navigate the long term plan for their Salt Lake City campus.
Ann makes a great effort to mentor those around her. When Annie Schwemmer (business partner) first met Ann in 1993 when she was 17 years old. She had recently graduated from high school and had been hired on at Richardson as the runner for the summer, but had dreams of becoming an architect herself. While other (male) architects in the firm questioned her sanity and desire to attend architecture school, Ann quietly and consistently supported her. Ann would consistently give practical and “real” advise about how to navigate the challenges that architecture school presented on a day to day basis, from a female perspective. “I don’t think I would have made it through without her support.” (Annie Schwemmer).
Ann & Annie started Renovation Design Group a couple of years after Annie graduated with her Master’s degree, where Ann has continued to mentor her and others in design, business, and life. There aren’t words to express the gratitude they have for the profound and positive impact she has had on their lives. “I really would not be where or who I am today without her influence.” (Annie Schwemmer).
“I don’t personally know anyone who has done more to positively influence the architectural profession than Ann.” (Annie Schwemmer). From overcoming educational obstacles, to handling herself professionally in challenging circumstances, to dedicating her career & life to educating and positively impacting lives through architecture, to mentoring the next generation of architects, Ann is a great asset to our profession and well deserving of this recognition.
Architect of the Year
Julia Oderda
VCBO Architecture
Julia Oderda, AIA, is a Utah licensed architect and Associate Principal at VCBO Architecture. Over the past 16 years at VCBO Architecture Julia has participated in numerous notable building projects that have served to enhance our community. Her work covers multiple market sectors, including but not limited to, K-12 Schools, Higher Education (University Buildings) and High-Density Housing projects. Of the numerous projects Julia has participated in as the lead project manager / project architect, there are four recent projects that really stand out:
Odyssey Elementary School, Davis School District, 2014 – Odyssey was the first iteration of a brand new elementary school prototype for Davis School District. In addition to the reflecting the most cutting edge educational pedagogy, it was designed to be highly efficient, using less than 1/6th of the energy of an average school It is also the first certified zero-energy public school in the State of Utah
Graham Science Center, Snow College, 2014 – The Graham Science Center was a very important addition to the Snow College’s Campus, replacing an aging and unsafe facility. It is a fully modern science facility that will help propel the science program into the upper echelons of science capabilities within the state. It also serves a crucial role in fostering science learning in central Utah, operating as part museum, part hands-on display, and part science education facility.
Paperbox Lofts, anticipated completion early 2022 – Paperbox Lofts has been constructed on a very difficult site in downtown Salt Lake City. It was developed as part of the Redevelopment Association of Salt Lake City, to foster connection through our large blocks and establishing a small pocket park in the center of the block. There will be a significant number of affordable housing units included as part of the project in addition to market rate housing to work toward helping the housing issues we have in our city.
Married, Family, and Graduate Student Housing on West Village Housing Campus Replacements, University of Utah, anticipated completion summer 2023 – The new Married and Family and Graduate Student housing on the West Village Housing Campus replaces outdated housing throughout the University and on that campus. The 504 below-market rate housing units will provide safe and comfortable housing for a very diverse group of individuals, including up to 400 children.
Julia was instrumental in the design, and management of each of these important projects that serve to enhance our community.
As an architect Julia excels at her profession. She is both technically minded, and a creative. She works closely with her architectural, engineering and construction management team, bringing the best out of her colleagues in order to achieve exceptional work. She has been responsible for several hundred million dollars’ worth of projects throughout her career. Internally at VCBO Architecture Julia is committed to mentoring junior staff, and has served on numerous committees focused on enhancing staff project management skills, and office standards. Julia is undeniably deserving of this award on her professional merits alone. However, Julia also stands out in our industry, and the greater professional community, as the first (and perhaps only) openly transgender female architect, serving in a position of leadership at a major Utah firm. As a member of a small and marginalized group she brings a distinct perspective to all of her projects. That perspective is unique within the industry, and one that her clients and colleagues highly value.
Julia is a talented and confident leader who has risen to Associate Principal at VCBO Architecture. Julia is a master of her profession, understanding the complexities of building design and construction. Our industry relies on team collaboration, and Julia has the ability to orchestrate and lead a large team toward project success. For those who may be unfamiliar with design and construction, a typical project team for a project like the University of Utah Housing project (Julia’s current project) will include an internal architectural team, engineering consultants, client representatives, and the general contractor. It is Julia’s responsibility to oversee and manage the development of a project design into a comprehensive set of construction documents (blueprints), and follow through with that vision, representing the project intent throughout construction of the building. Although project members often change from project to project, Julia over and over again earns the absolute respect of her colleagues, our consultants, and clients in the industry at large.
Julia has been involved with education within the profession, speaking at several local and national conferences. She has presented about her project Odyssey, providing a road map to achieving zero-energy status. Julia also is involved within the architectural community, serving on the board and as the president-elect of the Utah Center for Architecture (UCFA). The UCFA is a non-profit organization that is tasked with educating the public about the benefits and positive impacts of architecture and the built environment.
Julia also serves as an advocate, a model example, and a mentor for transgender professionals. At the time of Julia’s transition in 2018, the leadership of VCBO Architecture had no experience in shepherding an employee, let alone the office, through this change. Despite the deeply personal journey Julia faced aligning her publicly perceived gender with her internal one, she took great effort to provide the office the tools and resources to support her coworkers, and clients, through the change. For many people in our design and construction community, Julia is the first openly transgender professional they know. That can be an overwhelming responsibility for anyone. Yet Julia fearlessly, and seemingly effortlessly, carries the weight of that responsibility with grace, all while managing multi-million-dollar design projects.
When Julia began her transition, she looked for support and resources to help her journey. Realizing there are very few openly transgender architects in the nation, Julia now serves as a vocal and public advocate for transgender professionals. Julia has helped provide guides to firms, and transgender professionals across the country to use in developing their own inclusive policies. She has served as support and a resource for numerous individuals on their own transition path and has been an invited speaker at multiple American Institute of Architect (AIA) events.
In an industry that is overwhelmingly cis gender, Julia is able to bring a more inclusive approach to building design. She currently advises the Utah AIA Legislative Committee regarding changes to building code in regard to more inclusive restroom requirements.
Julia’s professional work, and volunteer efforts, has a significant and profound impact on our greater community. As an individual who has improved sustainable school design, enhanced learning environments, created affordable housing for students, and amplified the voice of the transgender community, Julia is undoubtedly a worthy recipient of this award.
