Serena Lim, AIA
Architect
Serena has experience as a collaborative team member, project manager, and project architect on a range of academic, commercial, residential, and institutional projects through programming, design, and construction. She enjoys learning about clients' projects and the people they serve, and strives to foster strong, collaborative working relationships among all project team members. Drawing from a lifelong background in visual arts, Serena brings an intuitive and responsive approach to designing buildings and places that look and feel good while also meeting functional demands.
Serena’s love of nature and interdisciplinary background in the arts and humanities support her passion for environmentally responsible and socially equitable design. As a founding member of RBA's EDI and Sustainability committees, Serena has been instrumental in several initiatives, including formalizing the firm's hiring practices, applying for ILFI's JUST label, and signing onto the AIA 2030 Commitment. She actively seeks opportunities to do pro bono work with local non-profits, and has volunteered with AFO’s Architects in Schools program, Virtual Summer Camp, Hip Hop Architecture Camp, and NOMA PDX. She received the 2024 Oregon’s Next Award from the Architecture Foundation of Oregon for her accomplishments and community contributions as an emerging professional in the AEC industry.
Serena holds an M.Arch from the University of Oregon and a B.A. in Liberal Arts with an emphasis on Visual Art from The Evergreen State College. While completing her M.Arch at the University of Oregon, Serena worked as a Graduate Research Fellow in the UO Energy Studies Buildings Lab, and as a design assistant at FLOAT Architectural Research and Design. Before attending UO, she worked as an intern and junior designer at Goring & Straja Architects, in Berkeley, CA.