Senior Associate Valerie Liang shares her inspiration and a few of her favorite things in this edition of Designer Diaries.
1) What is your favorite BHD project (either that you have worked on or not)?
Grand Hyatt SFO – one of the BHD projects I’ve been lucky enough to experience as a guest. The materiality of the public spaces helps make the hotel feel both grand and welcoming, which are the first things you notice when you check-in.
Grand Hyatt SFO, Photo by Paul Dyer
Grand Hyatt SFO, Photo by Paul Dyer
2) What is your favorite design product?
Currently eyeing Indigo-dyed linen prints by Bay Area artist Carrie Crawford.
Carrie Crawford
3) What (or who) inspired you to be a designer?
Frank Lloyd Wright – in elementary school my class learned about Falling Water by recreating it out of graham crackers and frosting
4) What is your most used emoji?
🤦♀️
5) What was your first job?
A summer internship with a construction company after my first year of college - I worked on the basement level of the REX/OMA-designed Wyly Theater in downtown Dallas
6) What are you streaming right now?
The Americans and YouTube cooking videos – anything featuring chefs Sohla El-Waylly or June Xie
7) What is your favorite snack food?
Flaming hot Cheetos with lime. Or extra toasty Cheez-Its. Basically anything with cheese.
8) In a parallel universe, what is your profession?
Mechanical or aerospace engineer working at NASA
9) Coffee or Tea? How do you take it?
Unsweetened green tea for every day and masala chai for special occasions
10) How do you get your news?
NYTimes app