Today we’d like to introduce you to Lia Hur.
Hi Lia, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I’m originally from Seoul, South Korea, and I moved to the U.S. to study interior design at SCAD, where I earned my BFA in Interior Design and later completed my MA in Sustainable Design. Before finishing my undergraduate degree, I gained early professional experience working as an intern and assistant designer in Hong Kong and Korea. Later, I joined a commercial interior design team in Los Angeles, focusing on commercial projects and expanding my understanding of hospitality and workplace environments. After completing my graduate studies, I continued developing my career in the U.S. through various hospitality and commercial design projects.
Today, I work as an interior designer while also teaching interior design at the college level. Teaching has become a meaningful part of my journey, I truly enjoy guiding students as we explore how design shapes everyday spaces and influences human experience.
I’m especially passionate about the relationship between sustainability and the spaces we inhabit. Understanding how design choices affect the environment and people’s lives continues to inspire my work, both as a designer and an educator.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The road hasn’t always been smooth. As an international designer building a career in the U.S., I faced challenges such as visa processes, relocating between cities, and navigating a highly competitive design industry. Balancing my work as a designer while teaching at the college level was also a learning curve in the beginning.
But through these experiences, I naturally became more resilient and adaptable. Each challenge broadened my perspective and ultimately helped shape the way I approach my work today.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m an interior designer and educator based in US, working at the intersection of commercial interiors, hospitality design, and sustainability-driven concepts. My work is shaped by both practice and teaching, and I love moving between those two worlds. Designing allows me to build real environments, while teaching keeps me curious, open-minded, and constantly engaged with new ideas.
I specialize in sustainable, concept-driven design I’m drawn to understanding how people experience space and how design can meaningfully impact our well-being, environment, and the stories we carry into a room. I enjoy developing strong conceptual narratives and creating environments that balance functionality with emotional resonance.
Over the years, I’ve been recognized for my sustainability-focused projects, especially my Sustainability Headquarters concept, which explores how architecture and interior systems can work with natural cycles and waste heat recovery. More recently, receiving a BLT Built Design Award for one of my projects was a meaningful milestone in my growth as a young designer.
I’m also proud of the experiences that shaped me early in my career working on commercial projects with CRTKL, and participating in SOM’s Shadowship program where I had the chance to learn directly from industry leaders and immerse myself in their workflow and design culture. After completing graduate school, I was able to contribute to an international stage design project where I carried significant responsibilities, which helped accelerate my growth and confidence.
What sets me apart is my approach. I always begin by identifying the deeper, essential problem of a project and building a concept that not only solves it but also captures people’s imagination. My background in education adds another dimension to my work — I’m exposed to fresh perspectives every day, and it pushes me to stay adaptable, thoughtful, and rooted in continuous learning. I try to let every experience, whether it comes from teaching, traveling, or research, become part of my creative process.
Ultimately, my goal is to design spaces that are thoughtful, sustainable, and emotionally meaningful places that quietly influence how people feel, interact, and connect.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I grew up in an environment where I had access to piano, violin, and ballet lessons from a young age, so classical music was always a natural part of my life. Because of that, I’m still deeply drawn to classical music and jazz played through real instruments, while also enjoying more contemporary genres like house, new age, and minimal pop. When I’m working, I usually have a chill DJ mix playing in the background.
Recently, I attended a friend’s voice recital that left a lasting impression on me. As the music filled the space, the room seemed to quiet down completely around the voice and the piano. Behind the stage, a lake was visible through a large window, and the combination of sound, light, and setting made the atmosphere feel almost magical.
That experience reminded me how powerful a space can become when music, atmosphere, and environment align. These moments continue to influence how I think about spatial design, not just as something we see, but something we feel.
Pricing:
- I currently do not have pricing information to share at this time.
Contact Info:
