Noah is the Equity Design Lead at HGA, where he develops programming and design tools that integrate equity into the firm’s design process. With their background in community organizing and interior design, Noah brings a unique perspective to, helping project teams contextualize space and place, facilitate stakeholder engagement, and develop design solutions that advance equity and inclusion.
In the following, Noah talks about how the built environment provides opportunities for people to express their identity and feel valued.
Noah Exum
Equity Design Lead
You are still in the early stages of your profession. What brought you to HGA?
I came to HGA as an interior designer partially because of the firm’s commitment to equity, which is important to me—both personally and professionally. I got my first degree in art, but eventually moved into design because I saw the impact the built environment can have on creating a sense of belonging.
What does an Equity Design Lead do?
I essentially do all elements of equity that relate to the practice of design, from the client perspective to the internal team perspective. My role is helping create processes where we are always thinking about who is going to use the space, and how they are going to use that space.
How do you do that?
HGA is committed to envisioning inclusive spaces. We don’t need to convince our designers that equity matters. But when we run into certain challenges—budget constraints, scheduling constraints, staffing issues—we don’t always have time to reimagine a project from an inclusive lens. And so, part of my goal is to provide tools, resources, and strategies that inform our approach from project inception.
Noah leads an office presentation on how to integrate equity into the design process.
Among the equity tools are “Prickly Prompts,” topic-specific cards used to center design conversations.
What inspired you to focus on equity in design?
I was focusing on equity before I turned to interior design. I started my career as a printmaker working with social justice and community-based organizations. But as I looked for new opportunities, I moved into interior design where I felt I could have a stronger impact shaping people’s experiences. As someone with multiple marginalized identities, I’m almost never in a space where there’s somebody else like me.
Then your career move to interior design was personal?
I was very conscious that a lot of the spaces didn’t feel welcoming or accessible to me or people in my life. Interior design offered an opportunity to help change that. When you are a minority within a majority-culture space, you become self-conscious about how others perceive you.
How does this influence your approach on the design team?
The concept of “nothing about us, without us, is for us” is integral to how I view any project. When you’re serving a group of people—no matter how well intentioned you are—you are never going to improve their circumstance if you don’t engage them throughout the design process. I want to understand who’s at the design table and who needs to be at the table to help build a sense of community ownership.
Does that help generate creativity?
Discovering unknown elements about somebody’s life can spark creativity, making a connection with a client can really make or break a project. It makes such a difference.
How has your work expanded your perspective?
I’m able to look broadly across the firm to more authentically capture the diverse voices of our teams, clients, and user groups. We are creating a firmwide equity toolkit and resources to guide us in developing an engagement strategy in the planning process.
What is your ideal project?
I’m inspired when the client challenges us. We’re often in the position of being the design experts. But I love working with clients who push us to do things we haven’t done before, who are willing to explore the possibilities. That’s where great design comes from that leaves an impact.
What about your future impact on the team?
My role is always evolving. There’s always something new and exciting—and unexpected—happening every day. Which I love. ∎
Learn more about HGA’s commitment to Equity.