Sigrid Lorenzen Rupp

Education

• Bachelor of Arts in Architecture, University of California Berkeley, 1966

Years of practice

Professional organizations

• Joined AIA in 1971

Keywords

Biography

Written by Diane Ringereide Wildsmith, Architect and Friend, Associate and Employee, submitted 2007

Sigrid Lorenzen Rupp graduated from UC Berkeley in 1966 and was one of the notable California women architects practicing architecture in the San Francisco Bay Area from 1966-2004 until the until her untimely death from gastric cancer in 2004. Sigrid was “a pioneer and a risk taker… someone who could quickly garner the respect of the community and above all someone with the perseverance to succeed ” (Steven Rupp, former husband).

Born in Bremerhaven Germany in 1943 and emigrated to California with her family in 1953, Sigrid was a champion of women’s rights. Sigrid started her own firm SLR Architects in 1976 in the face of all odds in competition with other architectural firms in the Silicon Valley. SLR Architects offered opportunities for many young professionals, especially women and minorities to launch their architectural careers. Sigrid was a wonderful person and a thoroughly competent architect who was highly dedicated to the profession.

Sigrid also became involved in women’s issues and political affairs, “…simply because I did not want there to be any (women’s issues). It seemed that the time for gender differences should long be over.”

Firm size: 10

Degrees

Bachelor of Arts in Architecture, University of California Berkeley, 1966; mentors Joseph Esherick, AIA, Harold Stump, and Donald Reay

Architectural License State of California, 1971 License in 13 states. NCARB registration

Professional Career

• VanBourg/Nakamura Associates, San Francisco
• D’Amico Associates, Mill Valley
• Hawley & Peterson, Mountain View
• Spencer Associates, Palo Alto
• SLR Architects, Palo Alto

Board Memberships

• City of Palo Alto Architectural Review Board
• Former Board Member and Chairperson
• Santa Clara Valley Chapter of the American Institute of Architects Board Member
• California Women in Environmental Design, (CWED) President
• New Performance Gallery, San Francisco
• Theater Artaud, San Francisco
• Family Planning Alternatives, Sunnyvale
• Diablo Ballet, Walnut Creek
• Lawrence Pech Dance Company, San Francisco

Professional Memberships

• Organization of Women Architects (OWA)
• American Institute of Architects (AIA)
• Construction Specifications Institute (CSI)
• Union Internationale des Femmes Architectes (UIFA)

Collections of Works

International Archive of Women in Architecture, 1998

Painting Exhibitions

Watercolors, Pacific Art League, Palo AltoRotating Art Show, Ravenswood Medical Clinic

Firm size: 10

Major Buildings and Projects

Pre-eminent Silicon Valley Firms: Apple Computer, Sun Microsystems, Tandem, Amdahl, Claris, Raychem, IBM, AT&T, Pac Bell, United Airlines, Pan Am, Stanford University and Hospital, San Jose State University

Significant Projects

• Press Building and Storey House, Stanford University
• RF Testing Facility, Apple Computer (AIA Honor Award)
• Raychem Corporation, Six-year factory retrofit and rehab
• Stores, Offices, Private Residences, Ravenswood Health Clinic

Above Details from her obituary, 2004.