about
Sally J. Gimbert, AIA, CPHT, LEED AP BD+C, was born in Australia and raised in the United States. She brings a global perspective to her work, seamlessly integrating technical rigor with a refined design sensibility to create architecture that is both purposeful and elegantly crafted.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
With over 15 years of professional experience spanning architectural design and structural engineering, Sal has contributed to projects across leading design firms such as Michael Hennessey Architecture, Field Architecture, Hellmuth Obata + Kassabaum (HOK), Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), and Kieran Timberlake Associates (KTA). Her work encompasses scales and typologies ranging from large institutional projects to custom high-performance residences throughout the United States and abroad.
Sal is a registered architect in Nevada, a LEED Accredited Professional (BD+C), and a Certified Passivhaus Tradesperson (CPHT). This multidisciplinary foundation enables her to bridge the creative and technical facets of architectural practice—delivering design solutions that are conceptually strong, structurally sound, and environmentally responsive.
EXPERTISE
Integrated Design Leadership
Drawing from both architectural and engineering disciplines, Sal leads interdisciplinary teams in developing holistic and enduring designs. She approaches each project as a collaborative problem-solving process, balancing creative ambition with technical feasibility to achieve cohesive, high-performance results.
Innovation and Environmental Responsibility
Having grown up on a sheep and cattle property in rural Australia, Sal developed a lifelong respect for the environment and resourcefulness in design. These roots inform her dedication to sustainability and long-term building performance—values that align with her broader commitment to environmentally responsible, high-performance architecture.
Sense of Place and Community
Global experience has taught Sal the importance of grounding design in its cultural, material, and environmental context. She believes architecture should embody the spirit of its setting and reflect the values of the communities it serves—recognizing that at its essence, architecture is both a social and cultural contribution.
selected experience
As Project Architect at Michael Hennessey Architecture in San Francisco, Sal has focused on high-end residential design, leading projects that merge modern craft with technical sophistication. Key work includes:
A ground-up prefabricated residence in San Carlos, CA, developed in collaboration with Method Homes.
A $6 million renovation of a full floor in San Francisco’s historic Steiner Building, delivered in partnership with Dowbuilt.
A highlight of her tenure is the Ridgeview Residence, a transformation of an existing property in Sebastopol, CA. Sal’s leadership on the façade design contributed to the project’s international recognition, earning multiple awards including:
Bronze Award, Renovation Category – International Design Award 2022
Honorable Mention – Architecture Masterprize 2022
Citation Award – AIA Redwood Empire Design Awards 2022
Winner, Architecture/Refurbishment – Paris DNA Awards 2023
Publications
Residential Wood: An Expert Q&A
Interview by John Nevadomski, Pioneer Millworks Marketing, November, 2021.
Linking Disaster Resilience & Sustainability,
White paper written by the SEI Sustainability Committee Disaster Resilience Working Group, December, 2014.
Project Haiti IV – Materials & Resources,
Metropolis Magazine POV Online Blog, February, 2012.
Sustainability from a Fundamental Perspective,
Structure Magazine, August, 2012.
Notable Speaking Engagements
Learning to Survive: Disaster Resilience in Developing Countries.
Presentation at Geotechnical Structures Congress, Phoenix, AZ, Feb 2016.
Sustainability as a Tool for Critical Thinking in Structural Engineering.
Presentation at SEI Structures Congress, Boston, MA, April 2014.
Project Haiti: Bringing LEED Platinum Design to the Developing World.
Presentation at the Gulf Coast Green Symposium, Houston, TX, June 2012. Presentation at the American Institute of Architecture Annual Conference, Denver, CO, June 2013.
Sustainability and Structures: Finding our Place in the Conversation.
Presentation at the Structural Engineering Association of Kansas and Missouri (SEAKM), Saint Louis, MO, August 2012.
