In Memoriam | 1967 - 2025

Sean M. Wagner | AIA, NCARB, ASID, USGBC, LEED

Founder, Former CEO/President, and Principal Architect

Sean's passion for design, natural materials, and sustainability grew immeasurably over the past twenty years or so. As one of the first LEED-accredited professional architects in Minnesota, he founded NewStudio Architecture with a commitment to creating practical, beautiful, thoughtful, and elegant work. "I’m excited and proud of the designs that we’re creating for our clients," he said.

"What we do here isn’t about us. It’s not about today. It’s about thinking ahead. Thinking beyond the expected and the accepted," Sean added. He believed that the NewStudio team's passion, dedication, and knowledge will shape the future in bold new ways.

"Our work is not easy; nothing you’re passionate about is ever easy," Sean said. That's one of the reasons why NewStudio has supported its staff with “mandatory” team-building sessions outside of the office to emphasize learning opportunities, local exploration, and camaraderie. These shared experiences have helped to kindle that creative fire—that passion—to produce outstanding designs. Sean noted, "Together, we’re building an exceptional organization that knows how to lead."

Favorite Office Supply:
Bum wad (it sounds naughty, but it’s just architecture tracing paper)

Someday, I Will…
Sail more
Paint more
Sail more
Start printmaking again
Sail, sail, sail

What Most People Don’t Know About Me:
I am a vintage cocktail recipe aficionado. 

Education

M. Arch., Princeton University

B. Arch., Iowa State University

Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology -
Victoria, Australia

Awards and Honors

  • External Most Valuable Player of the Decade, URBN Summit Awards, URBN Inc.

  • 2010 AIA MN Young Architect Award

  • 2009 Federal Energy and Water Management Award, The U.S. Department of Energy and The Federal Interagency Energy Policy Committee

Other Related Work

Co-taught the University of Minnesota College of Design’s Welcome Shanty Design + Build Workshop alongside Adam Jarvi (2018)

Licensures Held

44 US States, 4 Canadian Provinces

AL, AB-C, AZ, AR, BC-C, CO, CT, DE, DC, FL, GA, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MB-C, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, OH, OK, ON-C, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WI, WY