ABOUT
MY
CAPABILITIES
After attending architecture school in my home country of Australia, I practiced Architecture in Adelaide and Melbourne for six years, concentrating on civic and public-facing buildings as I was intrigued by how the built form could affect the lives of the people in and around it and wanted to affect those people for the better. Yet after becoming a licensed architect and feeling like my love for being in that profession was waning, I became interested in how the built form could help tell a story and started to dabble with art directing short films in my spare time.
After nearly giving my parents a heart attack, I said goodbye to being an Architect. I decided to pursue a career in film and TV design and moved to the Hollywood of Canada, Vancouver, BC. After a lot of hustling, networking, worrying, and eating poutine, I began to land jobs working in the Art Department and then began set designing for TV shows and movies, including 2013's blockbuster, Man of Steel.
Then an opportunity arose to immigrate to the US (thanks, Obama!), and I once again packed up and took a giant leap of faith and moved to Los Angeles in 2012 to continue to pursue the silver-screen. Then a temporary job offer at Thinkwell Group side-stepped me into another narrative design industry; themed entertainment and experience design. And it was there that I found my niche in exhibit design as it merged my background in Architecture and my need to tell a story, but in ways that can be truly unique and experimental. So I managed to get myself on every exhibit project for the next five and a half years and learned how to collaborate and communicate effectively with different creatives, technicians, and clients. I lead teams of designers, oversaw installations, and ultimately created impactful spaces that effectively delivered a message.
At the end of 2017, I took a step out into the world on my own and began working as a sole-proprietor designer and lent my expertise to businesses and institutions such as the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles and the interactive design studio Second Story, to name a few.
In 2018, I relocated to Portland, Oregon, and here I continue to offer my skills and services in all physical experience projects. In my free time, I enjoy getting outside, being moved by films and documentaries, exploring new places, finding new beats to groove to, and visiting every possible museum I can (which I hope I can return to doing very soon!).
MY
STORY
SPATIAL PLANNING
-
Master planning / spatial layouts
-
Capacity studies
CONCEPT DESIGN
-
Mood boards
-
3D modeling
-
Rendering
DETAILED DESIGN
-
Producing and overseeing bid packages
-
A/V integration coordination
-
Material boards
-
Artifact case layout design
-
ADA compliance
INSTALLATION
-
On-site art direction
-
Overseeing fabrication
SOFTWARE
-
Adobe CS Suite
-
AutoCAD
-
Enscape
-
Photoshop
-
Rhino 3D
-
SketchUp
-
VRay
MY
CLIENTS
NOTABLE
PROJECTS
Australian Center for the Moving Image (ACMI) - Re/New Permanent Exhibit
Ferrari World Abu Dhabi
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles - Becoming Los Angeles update
NFL Experience, Times Square New York
Richard Nixon Presidential Museum and Library - Permanent Exhibit
Waldorf Astoria Hotel and Residences Sales Center
Warner Bros. World™ Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Bryan Potter Design
GES - Global Experience Specialists
Razorfish
Second Story
Thinkwell Group
Twenty Four 7
PROJECT
AWARDS
2020 TEA Award For Outstanding Achievement
Theme Park, Warner Bros. World™ Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
2016 Brass Ring Award for best 400 - 499 sq. ft. exhibit at the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAPPA) Expo
PEOPLE
SAY
On Sarah's most recent project with us she brought a thoughtful and collaborative approach to planning and design which produced outstanding results. Her teammates praised her creative thinking and problem solving skills, as well as her ability to produce clear and concise drawings and info-graphics which were in line with the visual vocabulary of the project. Over the years she and I have worked together, beyond the professional quality of work, her personality and good nature have made her a good fit on many project teams.
Brad Kissling, RLA
Principal, Planning
THINKWELL GROUP
I worked closely with Sarah on the design of several exhibits at the recently renovated Australian Center for the Moving Image in Melbourne. Sarah is an excellent designer and collaborator; able to navigate curatorial challenges, architectural constraints and the complexities of integrated technology. She is professional, highly organized, self-motivated and manages feedback well.
Chris Dewan
Design Director
SECOND STORY



