Sandra Githinji
Creative director, Sandra Githinji
Last summer, Melbourne-based multidisciplinary designer Sandra Githinji crafted an artful homage to Nigeria with Little Lagos. The design of the restaurant in Sydney’s Newtown neighborhood not only channels West African cuisine through a color palette inspired by capsicums, chili peppers, and tomatoes, but also the distinctive craftsmanship of the Nigerian metropolis. Textiles like indigo-dyed cotton transport diners to the bustling markets of Lagos. “The project came to me at a time when I was enthralled by African architectural history,” Githinji says. “It gave me the opportunity to engage with African history and culture and celebrate our authenticity by bringing forward old artisanship.”
Originally from Kenya, Githinji took a leap of faith when she launched her firm in 2019 at the age of 25. “[I learned to] trust myself more,” she says. “We are capable and equipped to do what we fear most. So just do it. There are no failures, just lessons along the way.”
Sydney restaurant Little Lagos, which Githinji dressed in West African-style textiles
In addition to interior design, Githinji’s portfolio includes artwork and a homeware collection, Bloom, for which she is currently raising funds to put into production. The series of polyresin vases aims to honor and preserve the historic memory of notable African women through sculptural busts of the Zulu Queen Nandi and others.
No matter the medium, Githinji says her work must always inspire and inform. “It is important to embed meaning in the work. I don’t subscribe to the idea that design genius is intrinsic, rather that it is the culmination of listening to your client, seeking knowledge, critically analyzing the information, and responding emphatically.”
In that same vein, Githinji encourages other young Black designers to stake their claim in an industry where representation needs to matter more. “I love to design,” she says, “Therefore, I created a space where I could do so freely.”
Gin Braverman
Founder + creative director, Gin Design Group
The past year has put work in perspective for Houston-based designer Gin Braverman, who reflected upon the evolution of her studio despite the ongoing pandemic. “We solidified what was always there,” she says. “We’re committed to creating projects that don’t shout to people that we designed them, but shout to people the identity of the concept.”
Take Creole-inspired eatery Eunice. Braverman and her team traveled with chef Drake Leonards to his hometown of Eunice, Louisiana to explore the culinary scene in the bayou. The resulting Houston restaurant pays homage to the historic eateries that informed chef Leonards’ own pedigree through a modern European-style lens. “You see the influence of the backwoods and the country,” Braverman says. “They blend seamlessly with modern applications and the custom pieces we do—with a more elegant and refined end result.”
Houston restaurant Eunice merges Creole influences with a modern European aesthetic
Bespoke furniture is another hallmark of the practice, which launched a procurement division in 2020. Creating her own pieces allows Braverman even more input into the narratives she weaves. “The magic’s in the stories and the layers,” she adds. Expect that thoughtful attention to detail to appear in a series of ornate suites for Houston’s forthcoming La Colombe d’Or hotel, as well as the furniture and roof deck for the mixed-use food hall POST HTX that’s set to occupy a revamped downtown post office. “Authenticity, integrity, originality: those are our three tenets,” she says. “And being storytellers—that’s first and foremost.”
Betsy Vohs
CEO, Studio BV
Protests in Minneapolis following the murder of George Floyd this summer ignited a worldwide response. But weeks of unrest ultimately led to the destruction of several businesses in the city’s bustling downtown corridor. Immense pride for her city inspired Betsy Vohs, CEO of local firm Studio BV, to mobilize and oversee the redesign of three such spaces pro bono. “As architects and designers, we’re not typically working with the people who need it the most,” Vohs says. “There is a whole section of society that needs design to help them do their jobs better or fix problems in their organizations that they don’t know they have.”
The uplifting potential of good design has motivated Vohs throughout her career—including a decade spent at Gensler. Now at the helm of her five-year-old practice, Vohs is proud Studio BV comprises a branch called Design Forward, which is dedicated exclusively to pro bono assignments in the nonprofit sector and beyond. “If you’re inspired and feel connected to things that make you happy, you’re a better designer,” she explains.
The commercial Kickernick Building in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Studio BV is defined less by a signature aesthetic than a process that involves an intimate understanding of each client. This is well expressed via the firm’s thoughtful and functional office designs. “We like to embed ourselves and hang out, see how they behave on a Tuesday versus a Friday afternoon to understand the energy and the patterns that happen,” Vohs says. Wooden slats and leather partitions promote transparency in the firm’s design for the Kickernick Building in Minneapolis, for example, while the city’s Uptown location of Salons by JC thrives thanks to abundant daylighting, modern lines, and a variety of seating spaces to support the needs of both guests and employees.
“Getting to know the client makes our work rich. If we shortcut that process, we can’t get to the same outcomes,” Vohs adds. “Our work should be the manifestation of the client’s vision, value, ethos. And we can’t get there unless we know them and can speak for them.”
Photos by Simon Whitbread, Claudia Casbarian, TK Images, Corey Gaffer Photography, and courtesy of Gin Design Group
A version of this article appeared in HD’s February/March 2021 issue.
More from HD:
What I’ve Learned Podcast: Marquise Stillwell, Openbox
Hotel Milla Montis Reinterprets Agricultural Vernacular
Sacha Walckhoff’s Creativity Transcends Disciplines
