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Karl Sonnenberg was inspired to become an architect by a book on world architecture, a gift from his uncle, that he loved looking at when he was a boy. He earned his degree from Ball State University and, over the next four decades, became a leading authority in healthcare design.

鈥淚n architecture school, hospitals were one of the last things I wanted to do because at that time they seemed uniformly dreary and massive. But I was offered a job in my hometown with a young firm that had a goal of making hospitals and medical facilities better designs and environments,鈥� said Sonnenberg, who has led ZGF鈥檚 healthcare practice for nearly 30 years.

He has long relished solving the complex three-dimensional puzzles hospitals represent and collaborating with doctors, nurses and clinicians. 鈥淚 have also enjoyed working with my many mentors, colleagues and those I have been able to help, including other architects, clients, engineers and contractors.鈥�

Sonnenberg鈥檚 teams have planned and designed four of the top 10-ranked children鈥檚 hospitals in the country. His portfolio includes OHSU鈥檚 Doernbecher Children鈥檚 Hospital, Seattle Children鈥檚 Hospital, Children鈥檚 Hospital Colorado in Denver and Children鈥檚 Hospital Los Angeles. For more than 30 years, Sonnenberg has provided professional counsel to OHSU, Providence Health & Services and Legacy Health, among others.

His design strategy is to bring in as much natural light as possible, and his interest in healing gardens grew as he focused on making nature visible and accessible as a respite for patients, families and staff.

Sonnenberg鈥檚 broad range of mentorship includes guiding newer architects and serving as an instructor for the Architects in Schools program. He thinks back to the architecture book he received from his uncle and the architects who spoke about their careers to his Boy Scout troop.

鈥淭hat was a huge help to me,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 also think back to my mentors, Dick Sobieray and Don Altemeyer, who first hired me and taught me about healthcare design, then Gary Larson and Greg Baldwin at ZGF and many others. So, I see it as a responsibility and honor to pass it on.鈥�