Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

We believe our studio should reflect the vast diversity of the communities we serve. We start by seeking out architects and designers with divergent perspectives and backgrounds, embracing differences of identity, experience, and thought. We actively strive for inclusive behaviors across our practice, making space to hear and understand each other so that every voice is heard. To better reach and engage designers from underrepresented communities, we utilize the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) job board and encourage referrals from our employees and collaborators.

We aim to create a positive work experience that encourages a sense of belonging and empowerment. To this end, our practice emphasizes the professional development and training of all members of our studio. Our project team structure allows our designers and architects to experience every phase of the design and construction process and encourages a culture of mentorship. JENSEN also supports training seminars, licensing, LEED accreditation, and building systems research to enable team members at all levels to continually expand their breadth of knowledge and experience. By creating space for new ideas and individual growth, we are a stronger practice.

We prioritize listening to and learning from the members of the communities in which our projects are located, often involving engagement specialists to better understand how to support each unique community most effectively. This focus on engagement, allows us to deliver projects that more authentically reflect and celebrate the communities they inhabit. Through our work on projects such as Willie “Woo Woo” Wong Playground in San Francisco’s Chinatown, India Basin Shoreline in the Bayview Neighborhood of San Francisco, and the UCSC Bay Tree Bookstore renovation, we have a record of successful community-minded outreach efforts, including surveys, targeted questioning, participatory meetings, and workshops.