Trivers is proud to highlight our highly skilled team of diverse professionals passionate about creating design of lasting positive consequence. Get to know them in our recurring team spotlight series.
Sam Lang, NCIDQ, LEED Green Associate, uses more than a decade of experience in higher education, civic, cultural and workplace design in her role as senior interior designer at Trivers. She has worked on award-winning projects, including the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center and the Center of Creative Arts, both in St. Louis. She received her master’s degree in interior architecture and product design from Kansas State University.
Q: What is interior design?
Interior design is the art, science and business of creating a space within a building that addresses, protects and responds to the needs of the people using it. Interior designers incorporate process and strategy; a mandate for well-being, safety, and health; and informed decisions about style and aesthetics to plan creative, technical, sustainable, and functional interior solutions that correspond to surrounding architecture.
Q: What inspired you to pursue a career in interior design?
Q: Describe your role and responsibilities as a senior interior designer at Trivers.
I work with other members of our team and help clients with whatever challenges or goals they may have. Interior designers are a small but mighty group here at Trivers, but we often collaborate with the architects and sometimes work independently to plan, research, coordinate and manage specific interior design projects.
Q: Why is Trivers a good place for interior designers to work?
Q: What is your favorite interior design project you’ve worked on while at Trivers?
Q: What else are you working on right now?
Q: Trivers is a signatory of the AIA Architecture & Design Material Pledge. What does it mean to abide by this pledge?
Signing the pledge is like raising your right hand and promising that you’ll do no harm. It’s kind of like the designer’s version of the Hippocratic Oath. It means doing no harm to the environment, but also doing no harm to the inhabitants of a building, people all along the supply chain, and anyone else whose life might be impacted by the work you’re doing.
Q: Describe the role you played in getting Trivers onboard with the pledge.
When Trivers’ Sustainability Committee first started talking about adopting this pledge, I helped make sure we took a transitional approach. First, we educated ourselves about what the biggest offending materials are and what alternatives exist. Step two was cleaning out our library, but instead of throwing out certain materials, we found alternate channels for them so they wouldn’t go to waste. The third step is ongoing and involves intentionally reducing the use of harmful materials whenever and wherever we can with our projects.
Q: Why do you think it is important to sign the AIA Architecture & Design Material Pledge?
You recently gave a presentation at your alma mater, Kansas State University. What was the presentation about?
The presentation was about adaptive reuse. We focused on the four principles of adaptive reuse and used four projects, including the Atrium, as case studies or examples to explain those principles. I was a bit nervous beforehand, but it was exciting to go back to campus. I’ve returned a couple of times in the past few years, and every time I go, I’m blown away by what the students are working on and the questions they ask. They are really on top of things.
What are your favorite things to do outside of work?
Some of my favorite things to do outside of work involve traveling, thrift shopping and eating. I have a goal to make it to all 50 states, and I think I have about eight more to visit. I’ve also been to several countries, mostly in Central America and Europe.
You know that you’re obsessed with interior design when you notice little details when you’re traveling. Every time I go to an airport bathroom or a restaurant with an interesting finish on the wall, I feel it and check it out and take pictures. I think it’s a sign I’m in the right profession.
Q: What are your favorite things to do in the St. Louis area?
Q: What do you like most about being an interior designer?
Trivers is always looking for talented individuals to join the team. Learn more about open interior design positions on our Careers page, and contact project manager and associate Ashley Hoolihan, AIA, LEED Green Associate at careers@trivers.com with questions or to apply.
