2025 Ones To Watch - Rising Stars Spotlight: Sarah Mark, RA, DHK Architects, Inc.

“Sarah distinguishes herself through her exceptional design talent and leadership potential and has made significant contributions to a diverse range of complex, impactful projects. Her creativity, technical rigor, and collaborative spirit have earned the trust and respect of colleagues, clients, and stakeholders. She stepped up to become Project Manager on the large Symphony Station renovation and excelled as lead designer through the architectural design process and construction bid phase.” - Fernando Domenech Jr. FAIA, LEED AP, President at DHK Architects.

Recent milestone or project you’re most proud of? The renovation of MBTA Symphony Station (Boston) marked my first large- scale project at DHK Architects, beginning nine years ago. Completed, the station will feature critical accessibility upgrades with four new elevators; a major station expansion; full architectural and structural renovations; and mechanical and electrical improvements. Now in construction, I’m proud to serve as the Architectural Designer on the incredible team behind it. This project has shaped my growth, deepening my skills in design, project management, and collaboration with both the community and a large public agency.

Advice you’d give someone starting out? Embrace every opportunity - attend the networking events, request to join meetings, engage with clients, and share your ideas, particularly on behalf of emerging professionals. Entry- level staff can be overlooked, but with proper support, you can quickly become a key contributor to your firm and the profession. This industry is multifaceted; don’t allow yourself to be pigeonholed into one thing because you are good at it. Do the things that are hard for you too so that you will become well- rounded even when it’s most difficult.

Challenge you’ve overcome, and what it taught you? The path to becoming an architect isn’t always linear nor dependent on licensure. I wasn’t sure if it was part of my journey, but I’m incredibly proud to have completed the challenging exams while working and becoming a first- time parent. Early on, I learned to balance a demanding career with raising a family – reading study materials to my daughter and becoming licensed by the time she was 18 months old. This experience advanced my career and taught me how to be both an engaged parent and a positive role model (and to sometimes just turn work off at the end of the day).

Person who shaped your development, and how? JT Breda and Nick Durant - my equals and friends for almost 10 years at DHK Architects have had the most significant influence on my career. Over the past ten years, we’ve grown together both professionally and personally. We each have our own strengths and weaknesses and have created an environment of teamwork, an environment where we can bounce ideas off of each other and ask for help. They both have been the positive influence I have needed every single day. This industry is difficult and having these two people in my corner has made it all possible.