Studio W Spotlight: Abby Annis

Sacramento, CA—We’re pleased to introduce Abby Annis, Project Architect in our Sacramento Studio. Abby has been with the firm for nearly three years, where she started as a project designer and advanced to a project architect after earning her California architectural registration earlier this year. Abby is a key team member on several educational projects, including the Natomas Unified School District K-8 Conversions at Multiple Campuses, the Westmore Oaks School Homecoming Project, the Santa Teresa High School New Learning Center and Los Rios Community College District’s Folsom Lake College Rancho Cordova Center Phase 2. Recently engaged, Abby is busy planning her wedding for the Spring of 2022. She is a lover of outdoor activities, travel and entertainment, and spends much of her free time enjoying nature, catching a movie or taking in a comedy show. Learn more about Abby …

 What is your hometown, or where do you live currently and what do you like about it?

I grew up in Boise, Idaho and now live in Sacramento. I love many of the same things about both places. They’re both capital cities with a lot of things to do and see. At the same time, there are so many great options within just a short drive to get out into nature – to go hiking, skiing or spend time on the water at a lake or river.

What is your favorite restaurant or food?

I’ve always loved Italian food. Good Italian food reminds me of some of my best memories traveling in Italy.

What is your favorite song, movie or book?

My favorites change often. Growing up, more than anything else, I read and reread the Harry Potter series over and over again.

Who is your hero or a person that inspires you?

I’m inspired by architects who use their knowledge and talents to help people in need, like rebuilding after a disaster or creating shelter for people who would otherwise not have a safe place to live.

 Santa Teresa High School Learning Center  |  East Side Union High School District

 

What is a typical weekend for you (i.e. what are your hobbies, interests, etc.)?

Right now, my weekends often include some sort of wedding planning activities. When I’m not doing that, I like getting out for hikes, exploring new restaurants around town, going for walks through my neighborhood, riding my bike, going to comedy shows and watching lots of movies with my fiancé.

How did you find architecture as a career?

Growing up, I used to walk by new houses in my neighborhood while they were under construction. I always wondered what they were like inside and dreamed about what they would become when they were completed. From that time, I started designing my own houses like the ones I saw being built near me. I would spend hours as a child drawing floor plans, and that very naturally progressed into a career in architecture.

What is a building and/or destination that inspires you and why?

I loved exploring the architecture of Switzerland a few years ago. I saw a fascinating mix of styles from different time periods and with various geographical influences. There was a lot to learn from the forms and materiality of the buildings that, while beautiful on their own, help those buildings fit so perfectly into their even more breathtaking surroundings.

What is your most memorable project and why?

The Natomas Unified School District K-8 Conversions project was memorable for me because it was the first project I got to take from schematic design drawings all the way through construction.

Jefferson School K-8 Conversion  |  Natomas Unified School District

 

What is your favorite aspect of working at Studio W Architects?

I love that I’ve had so many opportunities to learn and grow as an architect since I started at Studio W Architects.

What project have you worked on at Studio W Architects that made you grow the most professionally? Why?

Again, the Natomas Unified School District K-8 Conversions project was the first project I got to work on all the way from design through construction. I learned so much from seeing how the buildings came together from the drawings we had produced months before – both the things that worked well and the challenges we faced that we might approach differently the next time around.

Folsom Lake College Rancho Cordova Center Phase 2  |  Los Rios Community College District