L. Jane Hastings was born in Seattle to Camille (née Amelia M. Pugh) and Harry C. Hastings on March 3, 1928. She died March 25, 2024, after a sudden and brief hospitalization. Jane became an acclaimed Seattle architect whose career spanned seven decades, more than five hundred building projects, and garnered dozens of local, regional, and national honors.
Jane was raised in the Fauntleroy neighborhood, involved with the Fauntleroy Community Church and YMCA. She attended Fauntleroy Grade School, James Madison Junior High and was a proud graduate of West Seattle High School, class of 1945.
In 1946, she entered the University of Washington. graduating with a BArch degree in June 1952 becoming the first person in her family to earn a college degree.
In 1953, she became the eighth woman architect to be licensed in Washington State. Jane pursued a goal – to live in Europe experiencing the monuments and places she had studied in college. She found a position with the U.S. Army Service Clubs from May 1954 to February 1955. During her time off she traveled throughout Europe (driving her Austin A40 named “Pinky”).
Returning to Seattle, Jane worked for Leo A. Daly Architects & Engineers, Seattle architect James Chiarelli and the firm of Tucker & Shields Architects. In 1959, she established her own firm L. Jane Hastings, Architect; it was the earliest woman-owned firm in the state.
Active with the American Institute of Architects (AIA), she helped with the 1953 national convention held in Seattle. She was instrumental in the establishment of The Seattle Times/AIA Home of the Month program in 1958 and managed the AIA Booth at the Century 21 - Seattle World’s Fair in 1962. She held multiple AIA positions at the local, regional, and national levels. She was the first woman to serve as Seattle Chapter AIA president in 1975, then served as director for the Northwest Region, AIA National Board of Directors 1982-84. From 1969 until 1980, Jane taught part-time at Seattle Community College as part of an architectural drafting program she helped develop.
In 1974, she established The Hastings Group, Architects, initially formed in partnership with architect Carolyn Geise. The firm specialized in residential design, as well as undertook small commercial projects, church additions and university work. They eventually undertook airport alteration and I-90 bridge and tunnel projects and other bridge design work including Flaming Geyser State Park Bridge, which Jane worked on with George Tsutakawa who she had known since her UW undergraduate days. The firm’s award winning projects included: Home of the Month, Annual Award for the Quam Residence, Seattle (1968); AIA/House & Home/The American Home, National Merit Award for the Karrow Residence, Seattle (1971); The Seattle Times/AIA Home of the Month Citation Award for the Stevens Residence, Dash Point (1973); Seattle-King County Board of Realtors Environmental Award and Seattle Chapter AIA Honor Award for the Johnston-Hastings Residence, Seattle (both 1977); Seattle-King County Board of Realtors Environmental Award for the Darden Residence, Seattle (1983).
Twenty-seven of Jane’s projects were published in The Seattle Times “Home of the Month” as features or in the Pictorial. Her projects were also featured in House Beautiful, House and Garden, House & Home, Sunset Magazine and Sunset Books, Family Circle and in two Japanese publications.
In 1980 she was named a Fellow of the AIA and in 1992 was named Chancellor of the College of Fellows, the first women to be so honored. She was an active member and leader of International Union of Women Architects (IUWA), numerous local civic groups and organizations including Seattle City Planning Committee, Seattle Design Commission, University YWCA, Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board, City Club and Allied Arts to name only a few.
Jane married UW Architecture Professor Norman J. Johnston on November 22, 1969. Together, they built two homes designed by Jane. In 1995, they moved to Horizon House. They traveled the world sharing friendship, wisdom and enthusiasm for the Arts and savored life in the Pacific Northwest.
In 1995, Seattle AIA bestowed Jane with its highest honor - the AIA Seattle Medal - for her pioneering role in the profession. In 2002, she was awarded the first ever Region Medal of Honor at the AIA Northwest & Pacific Region conference for her “demonstrated excellence in design, the practice of architecture, architectural education, or service to the profession.” In 2003, Norm and Jane were jointly awarded the Leslie N. Boney Spirit of Leadership prize by the AIA College of Fellows. In 2008, Jane received the Women’s University Club Brava Award honoring outstanding women for their accomplishments. In 2009, the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI) included Jane in its History Makers permanent exhibit. In 2014, the UW College of Built Environments unveiled the Norman J. Johnston and L. Jane Hastings Gallery in Gould Hall, a permanent exhibit and teaching space honoring their legacies at UW and within the college, a monograph about L. Jane Hastings was included in Shaping Seattle Architecture (Ochsner, Jeffrey K. ed, UW Press, 2nd Edition) and Docomomo WeWa included her in its website documenting Northwest Modernism. In 2019, the SAH Archipedia: Washington State recognized the Johnston-Hastings House for its architectural significance.
Jane’s final project was writing The Woman in the Room: A Memoir, published in November 2023. Jane was happily participating in capacity-filled book events and readings at the time of her death.
Jane was predeceased by her husband of 46 years, Norman J. Johnston, two brothers James Calvin Hastings and Harry Arthur Hastings, niece Debbie Hastings and nephew Steve Johnston. She is survived by her sisters-in-law Norma Hastings and Geradine Howe, nieces Laurie Hastings (Seattle, WA), Lynn Hastings, (Dalmeny, Australia), and Debi Daly (Federal Wy), nephews Randy Hastings (Margie) (New Stuyahok AK), and Jay Johnston (Stephanie Love Johnston) (Kodiak, AK) and their families.
Memorial service: Saturday May 11, 2024, 2 to 4pm at Horizon House, 900 University St, Seattle. Pre-register to expedite entry to Horizon House by emailing RSVP: LJaneHastingsMemorial@gmail.com
Memorial contributions may be directed to: UW L. Jane Hastings Endowed Scholarship Fund ( www.washington.edu/giving/ ) Horizon House Employee Education Fund; Norman J. Johnston Architectural Drawings Endowed Fund ( www.washington.edu/giving/ ); or to a favorite charity.