Historic Remodels, New Additions, and a Love Story - an Interview with a Principal Architect, Jonah Jensen

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Welcome to “Let’s Chat” – a series where I meet with individuals to discuss their careers, motivations, and personal journeys. Today’s guest has nearly 20 years of focused K-12 experience encompassing new and replacement schools, improvements, and modernizations. A graduate of Washington State University and a Principal in the Portland office of BLRB Architects, he has worked on notable projects such as Stadium High School in Tacoma, WA - the location for the well-loved film, "10 Things I Hate About You." I'm excited to introduce, Jonah Jensen!

(Interview Begins)

Kip: Thank you for taking the time to chat with me today, Jonah, and for making yourself available to discuss your personal journey and career.

Jonah: Thank you for having me, Kip.

Kip: Let's delve in, shall we? When did you realize that you wanted to be an architect?

Jonah: It’s hard to say. I’ve wanted to be an architect before I knew what an architect was. I started drawing buildings and people in front of buildings with hard hats and hammers around Kindergarten. And I loved legos! I remember going to my grandpa’s house in Chelan every summer. He had a knack for carving. Every time I went there, I’d go and stare at this little cabin he’d carved, just amazed by it. A few years ago, my wife and I went to see my grandma after my grandpa had passed. And there in the spare bedroom on a shelf was that cabin. I hadn’t seen it in over 25 years by that point and she just handed it to me. She too remembered how much I obsessed over it and wanted me to have it. I couldn’t believe it. Now it has a permanent spot on the center of our fireplace mantle where I still find myself staring at it often. 

Grandpa's Cabin. Photo Credit: Jonah Jensen

Kip: That's an awesome story! It's incredible the cabin lasted so many years and that it found it's way back to you, almost like destiny!

Jonah: It is, thank you! It really means a lot to me and my personal and career journey.

Kip: Speaking of career journey, would you mind sharing a bit of your professional background?

Jonah: I would love to Kip. I’m a Coug…. I graduated from Washington State University in 2002 with a Bachelor in Architecture and a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies. My first foray into the profession was during my summer internship in 2001 at a downtown Tacoma firm, Merritt+Pardini. I was hired to build a model for an interview for a renovation and addition to Stadium High School. At the time, I had never heard of Stadium High, so my boss encouraged me to watch “10 Things I Hate About You”. Concerned that I might over-caffeinate and ruin the model with shaky hands, I quit drinking coffee for 3 weeks while I was building it.

Kip: I could never give up coffee cold like that, I admire your commitment to your profession!

Stadium High School. Photo Credit: Jonah Jensen

Jonah: Thanks. Not sure I could do that today though. I definitely depend on my coffee more now that I’m getting older. Fast forward, the interview team won the commission that summer, and I was asked to come back after graduating to work on the project. I worked with a great team to develop the project from conceptualization through construction documents. We started construction in 2004. During that time, Merritt+Pardini had dissolved and I was contract hired to finish out construction while doing my part to get another firm started.

Kip: It sounds like you were kept very busy.

Jonah: I definitely was! After 2 years of construction, I maxed out 3 credit cards and self-published a book about my experience during construction called “Voices, the Art of Construction”. I sold copies of that book to alumni from all over the world. Those 5 years of experience working on Stadium were very formative for me as I started discovering what kind of architect I wanted to become.

Kip: Wow, that's an incredible journey, and what a start for your career. I won't ask how much was on those maxed-out cards. Now, you have been with BLRB Architects for over 13 years now?

Jonah: It’ll be 14 years in October which is really crazy when I think about it.

Kip: Congrats, that's really an accomplishment. Can you share a bit about your work with BLRB Architects and the types of projects you work on?

Washington Elementary. Photo Credit: Ben Benschneider

"I realized that my calling was in educational planning and design. I was particularly interested in historic remodels and additions."

Jonah: Certainly. Fresh off of my experience at Stadium, I realized that my calling was in educational planning and design. I was particularly interested in historic remodels and additions. BLRB Architects has always specialized in both of those areas. At that time, we were in one office in downtown Tacoma. We have since expanded our regional footprint and now have offices in Portland, Bend, and Spokane. Over 95% of our work in three of our offices is K-12. Our Bend office designs just about everything under the sun, including K-12. We really believe in the value of collaborative design shaped by broad stakeholder engagement. Since our projects are a reflection of client and community values they are all very unique. We don’t have a signature “style” per se.

Kip: That's interesting, I hadn't given much thought to the process of architecture before and it makes sense that architecture groups would specialize in certain types of design. My only real insight into the concept of an "Architect" comes from the TV show, "How I met Your Mother!" Where the lead character is an Architect. What would you say is the most common place you design for? Schools?

Jonah: That’s funny. I never got into that show. We just wrapped up Schitt’s Creek so we’re looking for something to fill the void. But to answer your question, definitely K-12 schools. I have also designed, or had a hand in design for a wide range of project types both large and small. Some that come to mind include a county public works building, a prominent mixed-use building in downtown Tacoma, a lawyer’s office, a house, and BLRB’s offices in Tacoma and Portland. And just for fun, my wife and I are currently designing a 2 bedroom ADU for our backyard here in Portland.

Kip: That's wonderful and practical, I'll want to see pictures when it's completed! Are you able to share a bit about any of your current projects?

Kalama Elementary School. Photo Credit: BLRB Architects

Jonah: You bet. I spend most of my time nowadays in Kalama, Washington, where I’ve designed their new elementary school, planned and managed design and development for their new middle school addition and high school renovations. All three projects are in construction right now with the high school slated for completion in August, the elementary in December, and the middle school in August 2021. If you haven’t been to Kalama, you should stop in sometime. They have a beautiful waterfront that rivals the waterfronts being developed in Vancouver and Tacoma. You can also get some swag from the movie “Twilight” since it was filmed at the high school. Now that I’m thinking about it, there seems to be a re-occurring theme in some of my work. Apparently, I like renovating projects that served as film locations….

"Our team’s experience coupled with my specialization in historic schools set us apart from some very competitive firms."

Kip: You hit a target there, I have a guilty love for the Twilight films! My partner and I will have to plan a trip to see your handy work and check out some swag. How are projects selected?

Jonah: Just like any K-12 project, they are a public selection process. We were one of three firms shortlisted to complete the planning efforts for Kalama School District in preparation for a bond measure. Our team’s experience coupled with my specialization in historic schools set us apart from some very competitive firms. We went through a visioning process with the school district and community and ultimately helped them figure out how to address their needs and how much we could ask from the community. For a small bedroom community, they had amazing voter turnout, and more importantly, resounding voter support to pass the bond. After the bond was passed, we began to work right away on programming and planning for all three projects.

Kip: That is quite a win! I think it's great that you have a passion for historic schools/architecture it shows respect for local history and community. What would you say inspires you with your designs?

Maple Lawn Elementary School. Photo Credit: Dan Typak

Jonah: I’m always inspired by the communities I design for and by my colleagues that I partner with during design. I know that sounds like such a canned answer, but it’s true. I coined the term, “Reciprocal Planning” several years ago as a way to describe our process at BLRB. Every project comes equipped with different personalities, values, politics, vision, and challenges. A “one size fits all” approach just doesn’t work from my perspective. But if you go into the process with the mindset of being a teacher and a student at the same time, you can achieve some really amazing results. We can teach districts and committees all about what considerations should be taken into account when developing contemporary learning environments. But going in, I don’t necessarily know how they teach, what’s important to them culturally, historically, or what constitutes student success to them. Therefore, in order to get to the right solution, I need to be humble enough to be a student and learn about those amongst many other variables. Suffice it to say that I get my inspiration by doing a lot of listening. If the project really, truly belongs to that community, then I feel like we’ve succeeded. 

"I want them to feel a sense of pride and connection. I want them to feel welcome and inspired. I want them to feel as though the project is unique to them."

Kip: Listening to others is truly the key to success. it can't be said enough. When someone visits a complete project of yours, what do you want them to experience?

Jonah: I want them to feel a sense of pride and connection. I want them to feel welcome and inspired. I want them to feel as though the project is unique to them. At Kalama Elementary, I really played off of the theme of Rails Meet Sails. Kalama, as we know it today, exists because of the Northern Pacific Railway. It was the original terminus for the Northern Pacific Railway line before Tacoma took that honor. Fishing, timber, and shipping along the Columbia River were equally as important. So a lot of the exposed structure draws inspiration from the sides of old boxcars and railroad trellises. There’s lots of exposed steel and wood. The kindergartners get their view to the outside through round windows meant to evoke the porthole windows of a ship. Each grade level is configured into its own house with K-5 represented respectively by the Boat, River, Mill, Timber, Rail, and Train Houses. At the entrance of each house are custom milled panels engraved with a short history lesson and a simple graphic that prompts shape recognition, scale, basic problem solving, and whimsy. Because they are engraved, they are tactile so students can feel them and use the letters for rubbings. Those wayfinding panels could not exist anywhere else in the world because they are specific to that community, hopefully instilling that sense of pride, connection, and inspiration.

Kip: It's a gift to the community, truly. Students in Kalama, for generations, will be able to enjoy what you've designed and created and I think that is well thought out. The small details are what make art grow from good to great. Recently, you were promoted to a Principal Architect with BLRB. What would you say were the greatest challenges on your path?

Loyal Heights Elementary. Photo Credit: Lara Swimmer 

Jonah: Knowing when to let go and when to delegate. And being okay with the eventual outcome of projects where your hand is heavy early in the process but not so much later in the process. A few years back, I had 6 major projects totaling almost $200 million in construction cost that I had planned and conceptually designed with my team all around the same time. To personally continue on through design development and contract documents with 6 projects is completely unsustainable. So 5 of those projects were essentially handed off to other teams while I managed and completed design on one until the end. They all turned out great and my original concept stayed intact, but I didn’t feel the sense of connection with those 5 that I did with the 6th. Design and development are so deeply personal for me and to not have that level of connection was really hard for me. I’ve gotten much better at delegating and overseeing multiple projects since then, but I still have a lot to learn. That being said, I always have to have my passion project that I’m more intimately involved in and Kalama is currently that project for me.   

"Be open and willing to collaborate often. Don’t worry about finding your niche too soon. If you want to be a principal of a large firm or a sole proprietor, become more of a generalist. Don’t be afraid to experiment in college."

Kip: If you were talking to someone who wanted to pursue a career path as an Architect, what tips would you share with them?

Jonah: Be open and willing to collaborate often. Don’t worry about finding your niche too soon. If you want to be a principal of a large firm or a sole proprietor, become more of a generalist. Don’t be afraid to experiment in college. Chances are that you’ll never experience that level of freedom again. Be willing to own up to your mistakes and be willing to understand someone else’s perspective. Have empathy for other points of view. My best projects and ideas were not mine alone. And stay in touch with your peers and professors in college. I’ve had significant opportunities pop up in my career through colleagues I hadn’t spoken to in over 10 years. But probably most importantly, be humble and always stay curious.

Kip: What is the most exciting part of the design process for you?

Jonah: Seeing a vision come to life. There is really nothing like having a napkin sketch materialize and take on a life of its own. Every project is a massive collection of great ideas and work that ultimately gets built. Though we’re collaborative by nature, a lot of that work doesn’t actually occur in a group setting. You are constantly flexing between self-directed work and collaborative work. The kernel of an idea has often struck me when I was all by myself….and often not at work. The basic concept for the Kalama Middle School addition occurred to me while on the patio of a bar while enjoying a pint. When you have a good kernel of an idea you just know it. And in that moment it only lives in one place. It’s like a secret that only you know and you can’t wait to share with your team and your client. But for a small moment, nobody in the world knows about it but you. And when you have an idea that just naturally builds on its own, that’s when you know that you’ve struck gold.

Kip: I love the concept that an idea can be a secret inside of you, that for a moment is your own, but then gets shared with the entire world. Getting to see your projects come to life, I can see how you become attached to them. Which of your projects would you say is your greatest achievement to date?

Jonah: That’s a really hard one. I’m proud of just about every project that I’m involved in. Like I said, they’re all deeply personal to me. But if you’re going to make me pick one, I would have to say Washington Elementary School in Tacoma. Besides the fact that I love the project itself, it was where I reconnected with my wife after we first dated in 2003. Rachel had moved away for a number of years and had moved back to Tacoma in 2013. She was always the one that got away for me and I had often wondered about how life was treating her. When a mutual friend of ours managed to connect us, I had learned after messaging her that she had attended that school as an elementary school student. The project was in the middle of construction so naturally my next message back to her was, “Hard hat tour?” When we met at the Starbucks nearby, my heart dropped. She was even more amazing, funny, interesting, and beautiful than I had remembered from when we had previously dated. We toured through the school and she was just fascinated by the project and I was fascinated by her. A few short weeks after that I worked up the courage to ask her on an actual date and the rest is history. Who knows if we would have reconnected had it not been for Washington? Best project ever!

Kip: What a beautiful story, I'm so happy for you both! Architecture can lead to romance!

Jonah: Haha, it certainly can.

Washington Elementary. Photo Credit: Ben Benschneider

"There is something inherently nerve-wracking about working on a project that has been revered in a community for a century or more."

Kip: While conducting research for this interview, I saw that you were the President of “Downtown on the Go” in Tacoma, WA, and the commissioner of the Tacoma Landmarks Preservation Commission before you moved to Portland. Would you say your volunteer experience with these groups impacted your work?

Jonah: Absolutely. My 6 years on Landmarks really taught me more about how to responsibly take care of and design for historic properties. At that time, my only experience with historic projects was Stadium High School. During and after Landmarks I felt even more comfortable working on this project type. There is something inherently nerve-wracking about working on a project that has been revered in a community for a century or more. It’s really easy to screw that up and I’ve seen projects or have had to fix projects that were insensitively remodeled at one time. Landmarks really taught me how to ask the right questions so I could confidently update a project without compromising its character-defining features. DOTG taught me how to be a better leader whether it be in committee work or in an office. The executive director, Kristina Walker was just phenomenal. And so was the board.

Kip: I have asked this of a few others now, but in the age of Corona Virus, how do you step away from work/kids to enjoy your personal time?

Jonah: You know, I’m just very fortunate in that my wife is truly my best friend. So my stepping away from it all is really just closing the laptop and taking a walk with her and our daughter. There’s a lot of great places to walk in St. John’s so that helps. But if I’m really hankering for some one-on-one friend time, I often invite my buddy Jake over to have a cocktail in the backyard while observing a respectable social distance.

Kip: It's important to find ways of keeping a community around you, even in a pandemic, and it sounds like you have been able to do so successfully. What is the biggest career decision you ever made and how did it impact your life?

Jonah: I would say that it was either writing the book for Stadium High School or taking a promotion to move on down to Portland. The move to Portland was consequential because we were so invested in Tacoma and we love Tacoma. But we also love Portland. But if I’m being totally honest, it’s taken me a little longer to get my sea legs here than I would have thought. I would definitely call Portland home now.

"...never give up and be tenacious no matter what life throws at you."

Kip: It's a great place to call home. Great coffee and excellent donuts. If you had to pick one important thing that you have learned in life to share with your daughter as she gets older, what would it be?

Jonah: To never give up and be tenacious no matter what life throws at you. My journey to college was about as difficult as one could possibly imagine but it did teach me that valuable lesson.

Kip: What was your life like before learning it?

Jonah: It was filled with a lot of self-doubt and uncertainty. I often felt like if I didn’t know something naturally then I would never know it. Which of course is completely absurd. You just learn things by doing, being persistent, and really putting yourself outside of your comfort zone. I’m starting to sound like a motivational poster….

Kip: We need more motivational speakers in this world, you're doing a service to the community! Before we end things here, I wanted to ask, if you could design any one project without budget or approvals in mind, just something that you really would like to build, what would it be?

Jonah: Wow….that is a hard question to answer. I would have to think about that one and get back to you!

Kip: Jonah, thank you so much for taking the time to answer these questions and for digging deep into your career past. Stay safe and healthy, and we will chat again soon!

(Interview Ends)

Jonah Jensen has nearly 20 years of focused K-12 experience encompassing new and replacement schools, improvements and modernizations. A graduate of Washington State University's School of Architecture, Jonah has a particular passion for historic school preservation and rehabilitation and is a former landmarks commissioner for the City of Tacoma. He is licensed in Oregon and Washington, and is a principal in the Portland office of BLRB Architects, a regional architecture firm focused on K12 facility planning and design. Jonah's recent clients include the Seattle, Gresham Barlow, Chartiers Valley, Woodburn, Silver Falls, Reynolds, and Kalama school districts. Projects of note in Jonah’s career include the modernization and addition to Stadium High School and Washington Elementary School, Loyal Heights Elementary School, Gresham High School, and Chartiers Valley Middle and High School right outside of Pittsburgh. 

Kip Brookbank, B.A. in Fine Arts, is a Technical Recruiter with Beyondsoft based in Bellevue, Washington. He has an interest in helping candidates get placed in their dream roles, supporting the LGTBQIA+ community, and assisting where he can.

If you'd like to check out more of Jonah's work, "Voices: The Art of Construction," can be purchased from Amazon here.

Looking for your next big opportunity? Connect with me on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/brookbank to learn about our openings.