Kristin Ianus

Kristin was first drawn to architecture when she was studying to be an artist. As she was pursuing painting and printmaking, she was inspired by the architecture of the building she was in, designed by famous architect Ricardo Legoretta. This early experience of the impact of architecture led her to pursue it as a career where she could balance creativity with creating a tangible impact for people. While pursuing an MA in Architecture, Kristin found her place: a practice that brings together art, creativity, problem-solving, and collaboration.

While working at Dekker, Kristin has focused on K-12 Education design. As one of the most important civic spaces in a community, Kristin is passionate about designing schools that respond to the needs of students, teachers, admin, and the broader community. She enjoys the process of solving the whole problem. For her, design is not just about the shape of a building: it's about understanding what the client is trying to accomplish, helping them navigate funding, the state process, and listening to what's important to their community. This combination of design, strategy, and relationships is what continues to excite her about the work.

As Principal, Kristin leads the K-12 studio in approaching the complexity of K-12 education design with the needs of clients first. She help guide the team in finding the big idea of a project, and staying true to that idea through the complexity of the project. She enjoys both moving between different technical pieces of a project, as well as maintaining a big picture perspective to help teams stay on track.

Outside of work, Kristin enjoys being outside, staying active, and exploring her surroundings on foot or by bike. She has also recently discovered a new love for gardening.