DNA = Design + Narrative + Alchemy

Our Spaces Leave Fingerprints Not Signatures Design lives at the intersection of art and engineering, where character and functionality converge to create spatial and emotional experiences. Narrative is where stories are shaped by vision, values, and purpose. Alchemy is the recipe I’ve developed to transform emotion into form, translating feeling into functions and shapes with integrity.

Like a fingerprint, DNA is entirely unique. That is why every project begins with intention and a deep understanding of individuality. When we connect with those we design for, we uncover inspiration rooted within the complexity of their stories. This leads to design that is authentic and personal.

Early in my design studies, I was tasked with transforming a two-story house into a restaurant. That’s when I asked myself: What if this house refused to become a restaurant? What if, like us, the house refused to abandon its stories to become something it is not? That moment was the inception of my storytelling process. It was the first project I created independently, shaped only by the setting and a story. It revealed the potential of telling stories through design.

The spaces I design are emotional, individualistic, and leave their own fingerprint. Creating DNA is an integral  and foundational part of our process. It is where we shape the essence, the value, and the feeling of a space. From there, materiality, proportions, and fixtures fall into place with intention.

With The Monarch - our latest project in Chicago-land -texture became our guide. The client’s life-story emphasized tactility, so we allowed texture to dictate material selections and shape the space.

I design for the reveal. Building anticipation is part of the experience, and it is often in that moment when clients realize the design has exceeded their expectations. What I hope they feel, even if unspoken, is that we delivered something unexpected — a story, not just a design. I want them to sense that we are different and that our approach adds genuine value.

When I design, I constantly ask how I can manipulate a space or object to serve the stories we are telling. Suprematism often influences this thinking, allowing the design to become valuable for what it is, not just what we want it to be.

At the core of AYYA’s ethos is a commitment to creating spaces that are an authentic reflection of our clients’ lives and stories, with a focus on the “supremacy of pure feeling” over representational design. ≠