Sharon Johnston, co-founder of Johnston Marklee and Professor in Practice at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, will be WAC's new guest architect in WAC's live interview series. The new session will be hosted by WAC editor-in-chief Berrin Chatzi Chousein.

WAC's live interview series explore different themes decided by WAC Country Reporter or Country Editor in each session. In WAC's new session, Sharon Johnston will discuss the changing norms in architectural education and the future of architecture profession, as well as the design philosophy of the studio.

Johnston pursues significant roles both in architectural practice and in academia. Having a critical role at the intersection of these two worlds, she will evaluate the current dynamics and the next waves of the two worlds affected by the pandemic. 

Sharon Johnston, FAIA, founded Johnston Marklee with Mark Lee in 1998 in Los Angeles. Johnston Marklee produces projects in various scales and types, spanning thirteen countries throughout North and South America, Europe, and Asia. 

Current projects of the studio include the Menil Drawing Institute in Houston, Texas, a renovation of the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, the design of the new Dropbox global headquarters in San Francisco, California, and the new UCLA Margo Leavin Graduate Art Studios campus in Culver City, California. Vault House on California beach is one of the key projects of Johnston Marklee.

Johnston and Lee served as Artistic Directors for the 2017 Chicago Architecture Biennial. Since 2018, Johnston and Lee has been teaching as Professors in Practice at Harvard Graduate School of Design, and in the same year Mark Lee was appointed Chair of the Architecture Department. 

Johnston Marklee has offices in Los Angeles and Broadway, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

WAC's live interviews are held as 20-30-minute sessions to deliver a quick glimpse of the current projects of the architect and provide a fast-paced discussion on the architects' design philosophy. 

WAC Instagram Live Interview

Theme: Rethinking Architectural Education, Studio Culture and the Future of Architecture Profession

Host: WAC editor-in-chief Berrin Chatzi Chousein

Date: Thursday, 30th July 2020/ 9:30am (PST), 16:30pm (GMT) / 18:30pm (CEST) / 19:30pm Turkey Time. 

Venue: WAC Instagram