Architecture helps her find sense of place Heather Johnston: Founder and principal, Place Architects PLLC Steve Ernst Heather Johnston always wanted to help shape the world.

And as founder and principal architect at Place Architects PLLC in Seattle, she has.

Johnston helped design Benaroya Hall, the Redmond Town Center, the ACT theater, as well as the Kennedy Airport Expansion in New York.

Johnston, 33, says she always wanted to be an architect. However, it was a short but exciting stint as stage designer for theaters in New York City that really fueled her love of people, space and environment.

"Theater sets are all about setting a feel for a place, but with very, very little stuff," she said. "So it was really good for me, I really developed and learned conceptual thinking."

Her theater career lasted only three years before she went back to college - much to the delight of her parents.

"It was fun, but it scared the hell out of my parents," she joked.

Johnston went on to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts, from the Parsons School of Design in New York. But before dedicating herself to her craft, she developed a love for competitive bicycle racing and flirted with the idea of becoming a professional racer.

At the age of 29, Johnston began racing competitively. And the experience would change her life.

She raced competitively for five years and through her 200-mile weekly training regime, she developed the self-confidence and independence to start her own business.

"I love racing, but I missed all the intellectual stuff that I started doing architecture for," she said. "I love the psychology and spatial complexity of it all ... it's fun."

Today, Johnston is still active in the local cycling scene. She founded Northwest Women's Cycling, an organization which is devoted to helping women develop their potential through bike racing.

And every Monday night she can be found leading Monday Night Gasworks Women's Ride.

"What I learned from racing was that I can really do the things that I say I can," she said. "I learned that I'm a lot more capable and independent that I though I was. I learned self-confidence, and that's something I want to help other women achieve."

In a long-term relationship

Book on your nightstand: "Running in Heels" by Anna Maxted, "The Look of Architecture" by Witold Rybczynski, Velo News, The New Scientist and a whole stack of design mags

Last movie you saw: "Moulin Rouge"

Favorite musical artist: Peter Gabriel

Favorite escape: Anything in the mountains, preferably descending them at speed - bike or board, weather depending

Wheels: It's a tie: the Hampsten road bike or the 1986 Honda Interceptor motorcycle

	In Depth: Forty Under 40 From the September 14, 2001 print edition