I’m Ally, an interior design professional. I’ve been a resident of the design industry for 5 years and counting. I’ve created, critiqued, consulted, collaborated, forecasted, and directed. I was named one of Interior Design Magazine’s TOP 30 UNDER 30 designers of 2023.
I have a passion for working in fast-paced global environments, leadership, design engagement strategies, and community outreach.
contact information
1 404 324 7145
allyadams97@gmail.com
02 OVERVIEW
designer introduction...contact information... sneak peek... you are here!
04 PROFESSIONAL WORK
luxury hospitality in a world-class arena... striking lines for warm warps and wefts... portal to the forest
16
UNDERGRADUATE STUDIO WORKS
public park meets higher education.... new takes on textile use in architecture design
40
FASHION + ARTWORKS
visions of a plant-focused future.... a plea for environmental waste reform... dramatic chairoscuro....copying the masters....portraits of loss...embarking on fiber obsession.
The Diriyah Gate II development places the UNESCO world heritage site as the epicenter of the movement towards unification through the creation of an iconic historic, cultural, lifestyle, and tourism hub for the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The state-of-the-art multi-purpose 20,000 seat Arena is a “signature asset” within the district, the design is as flexible as it is best-in-class, accommodating a frequent program of high quality music, cultural, e-gaming and sporting events. Through a luxurious and sophisticated palette, all spaces have their own unique personality and character, creating an unprecedented range of experiences that encourages exploration beyond event and instills a sense of wonder for all patrons.
My role included initial visioning of the spaces, selecting furniture and upholsteries for FF&E packages, creating plans of each hospitality/ venues space, creating FF&E plans for the client’s review alongside the schematic design and design development phase documentations.
Choosing FF&E and designing high-class spaces for a stadium-overlooking lounge intended for Saudi Arabian royals demands a sophisticated blend of luxury, cultural sensitivity, and exclusivity. Every piece of furniture and finish is meticulously selected for quality, craftsmanship, and elegance, often incorporating bespoke designs and rare materials that embody prestige and comfort. The aesthetic harmonizes opulent traditional elements with contemporary design, integrating rich textiles, intricate patterns, and subtle hints of Saudi Arabian artistry. With expansive views of the stadium, the space is both an exclusive retreat and a place to entertain with grace and grandeur, offering royals an elevated viewing experience surrounded by thoughtful, refined design.
199 1 m st.
This 5,000-square-foot luxury lobby transformation redefines the guest experience as a welcoming and elegant portal to the elevator bay. Originally characterized by dated, angular geometries, the reimagined space embraces a softer, more organic aesthetic, allowing for improved light flow and intuitive navigation. A refined palette of high-end materials and strategic lighting enhances the sense of openness, while thoughtfully placed seating areas invite guests to linger. This new design draws people in from the street, creating a seamless transition from the urban exterior to an elevated, calming interior, setting the tone for the building’s upscale ambiance.
LOCATION
TOTAL ANNUAL USERS
GROSS CONDITIONED FLOOR AREA
CONSTRUCTION COST
COMPLETION DATE
PREDICTED LPD
Washington, DC, USA 5,000 5,000 sqf $2,000,000 2025 0.75%
finish plan and reflected ceiling plan
christiana CARE
Designing a luxury medical office building that feels like a hospitality retreat requires a careful blend of sophistication, comfort, and wellness. In this vision, every element is crafted to ease patient stress and create an atmosphere of tranquility from the moment they step in. This begins with an inviting lobby that integrates natural elements like wood, stone, and lush greenery, which soften clinical edges and provide a spa-like ambiance. Plush seating areas, diffused lighting, and curated artwork lend a sense of refinement and relaxation, helping patients feel cared for and at ease. Private consultation rooms echo the privacy and comfort of high-end hotel suites, utilizing high-quality finishes and soundproofing for an undisturbed experience. Incorporating hospitality design principles — such as concierge-style service, sensory-driven spaces, and thoughtful, personalized touches — transforms the traditional medical office into a retreat-like space where wellness and luxury intertwine, creating a unique, comforting environment that elevates the patient experience.
LOCATION
TOTAL ANNUAL USERS
GROSS CONDITIONED FLOOR AREA
CONSTRUCTION COST
COMPLETION DATE
PREDICTED EUI
DE, USA
To bring this luxury medical office building to life, we collaborate closely with the exterior architects and medical planners to seamlessly integrate the building within its forested setting. Through regular user-group meetings and steering committee sessions with the client, we ensure that every design decision aligns with the project’s vision and meets both aesthetic and functional needs. Our exterior architectural team creates a structure that feels naturally connected to the surrounding trees and landscape, which we mirror indoors by incorporating warm woods, natural textures, and expansive windows that offer clear views of the forest. This approach creates a harmonious flow between exterior and interior, allowing nature to permeate the building and support a tranquil, retreat-like atmosphere. By fostering open communication across all teams, we develop a holistic design that prioritizes patient wellness while honoring the natural beauty of the site.
Staff spaces in this luxury hospital are thoughtfully designed to offer a refreshing and restorative experience, mirroring the comfort and elegance provided to patients. Private lounges are outfitted with comfortable seating, natural lighting, and calming decor to help reduce stress and support well-being.
Patient waiting spaces in this luxury facility are designed to feel more like a highend lounge than a typical waiting room. Comfortable seating clusters, soft lighting, and soothing decor create a relaxing, inviting environment. Warm materials, curated art, and touches of greenery bring a sense of calm.
The reception desk, designed more like a concierge station, offers personalized service in a discreet, friendly manner, enhancing the atmosphere of hospitality and care. Thoughtful touches, such as ambient lighting, curated artwork, and comfortable lounge areas, create a welcoming space where patients feel cared for from the moment they arrive.
GA paleopolis situated on one of the many islands peppered throughout the Aegean sea, Samothrace’s Sanctuary of the Great Gods is a principal Pan Hellenic religious sanctuary. This stone yard’s history includes mythologies, mystic unknown religious ceremonies, and even the famed Nike statue.
The Sanctuary of the Great Gods is important to not only architecture and the meticulous process of design but also to humanity in terms of historic value. Thousands of years of history rest within the island. It was our job as the architecture team to work with the international archaeology team to map and fit the remnants of the stoa and various monuments back together as they were at the time of their completion.
Samothrace, Samothraki, Greece in professional partnership with Emory University
Old City Corinthian Corner Plaster unfolded with meter measure in collaboration with Caleb Lightfoot, Bonna Wescoat
S-S(100)
Ionic Crown Block
S25
in collaboration with Caleb
S212 Monument VI Crown Block unfolded showing precise measurements, connection points, divets, cracks and breaks in meters
East Section 102 Stoa Monument VI
Lightfoot and Bonna Wescoat
PARK MARI ETTA
With an increasing need for green space, the rapidly expanding area west of Georgia Tech at Marietta Street, Atlanta, calls for a public park that can also function as a FASET (Familiarization and Adaptation to the Surroundings and Environs of Tech) transition space where students can revel in the city’s rich history while gathering to learn about Georgia Tech.
critic charles rudolph | summer 2019 partner avani harapanahalli
site plan encompassing area near Marietta Street
left: preliminary sketches showing geometric organization, framing, and orientation in both plan and section
bottom: greenspace versus axial orientation, southwest isometric view
Park Marietta’s geometry is a culmination of initial study models, historical property lines, gridlines formed from those historical lines plus a need for greenspace.
The final scheme employs techniques of pushing and pulling rectangular voids among a central axis, and follows through by aligning the Means Street access to a perpendicular axis.
view south toward observation deck
view south from main hall to one of few underground courtyard spaces
view east from beneath pergola
view east from art gallery to lower courtyard
Situated at the intersection of Means Street and Marietta Street, this building’s rooftop park meets streetside. Under the park is a cafe, media center, auditorium, and administrative offices that aid in the FASET program’s needs.
right: model without pergolas depicting patterns of grass and paving in the park. the paving pattern above ground replicates the framing pattern below ground.
ST TCH
in swahili:
{ I kushona
In light of the recent second-hand clothing bans in East Africa, countries in this community wish for their own textile industries to flourish and build their own textile economy. By operating as a fully outfitted textile factory and local fashion house, this museum increases manufacturing in the textile sector, and creates new jobs for Nyeri County. Additionally, by hosting Dedan Kimathi University of Technology textile and fashion courses (which are not in the current curriculum at DeKUT), and workshops for locals, this museum contributes to education by showing the process of how textiles are made from plant to loom to garment.
critic herman howard | spring 2019 partner astha bhavsar
scrim negative space study for ceiling cut-outs
Not only does this museum stimulate the economy from the inside out, but by increasing the tourism in the area, it stimulates the economy from the outside in, as tourists and visitors can purchase goods made at the factory or at artist maker spaces. Additionally, by correctly preserving, storing, and displaying historical and political artifacts, the museum educates visitors on the history of Nyeri County, Kenya, and the surrounding East African countries, drawing in deeper connections between visitors and the land they stand on.
A complete history of the process of fabric-making accompanies a large exhibition of chronologically displayed art pieces from all over Kenya and surrounding countries. The facility presents a holistic view of the textile industry and encompasses fabric making at each of its levels,
giving visitors an overview of a treasured art form and its culture through the ages.
Kitenge is a colorful East African fabric similar to sarong. The kitenge is both formal and informal wear, depending on the pattern and occasion. Not only can they cradle babies, but they can be tied together and used as decorations in social settings. Kitenges, often called chitenges, are also given as gifts to young women, who use them for modesty or to shield cold air. Chitenges can also be framed or hung up as a decorative batik artwork.
This East African textile center is inspired by the configurations of this particular kitenge because the symbolism embodies its mission: community and interdependence.
Kabiruini
Nyeri County, Kenya site geometry exploration
initial blocking of program along grid lines
preliminary roof sketch designed with kitenge cloth fibers’ warp and weft in mind
transformation of kitenge into programmable shape
teach in the auditorium
purchase teach produce show show in the gallery
purchase in the restaurant produce in the studios
relationship of building capacity, divisions of space, and voronoi scrim allowing light to pierce the veil
Three fabric models were constructed and studied to understand how light passes through fabrics at certain densities.
Collages of these models using different imaging techniques and filters led to the idea of using the skinned roof itself as a means of lighting the space, as ancient textiles can be fragile and need only minimum amounts of light.
Using these collages and posterized textures (which show density), programmatic spaces were arranged beneath the roof skin.
futuristic biophilia
One of the oldest and most diverse plant types on the planet meets a dangerous foreign environment: outer space. The evolutionary complexity and futuristic potential of moss showcases the resiliency and innovativeness of nature under the harshest duress. The newfound relationship between the cold, sharp, galaxy and the vibrant, grounding plants is expressed throughout the garment by juxtaposing sleek lines with natural forms.
Team HKS + Garden on the Wall
IIDA MAC Cosmo Couture 2024
TRASHion
The elements shape everything we create in our environment, from our building enclosures to our garments. Our designs must stand resilient, mold to a more flexible framework, or be swept away by nature. Not only was this an exercise in recycling, innovation, and creative thinking; it’s a call for help for our planet, and that we must change the way we think about the world and change our policies before it’s too late.
With 100% of the dress using found or recycled plastic, this dress is a testament to our dirty plastic-filled oceans, climate change, and the rapid erosion and restructuring of shorelines around the Washington DC/Baltimore/Maryland area.
Team HKS Washington DC HKS Firmwide Trashion Show 2024
capturing sabrina
Animals have the ability to communicate without vocalization; cats are a prime subject for an exploration on expressive personas. Visual cues alert other animals to the mood and feelings of the organism, many times without having to make a sound.
In process, I learned how felines work; how their bodies move, how their joints are connected, how their fur shields their bodies. In doing so I learned a powerful lesson I could apply to architecture as well: theoretical deconstruction of something in order to reconstruct it. Understanding the parts that make up something can allow for new ways of thinking about the subject.
connell workshop | critic lane duncan
final detail drawing, colored pencil on gray paper
architects of entrapment
The first part of this investigation explores the construction of the webs of the orb weaver spider, analyzing fundamental tension relationships of web strands. The second part of this investigation delves into the gestures of web creation, and seeks an overall expression of nature’s art of structuring, derived from inquiries into Euclidean geometries.
Nature itself follows the rules of physics unwillingly. I am concluding that this is why every being on earth has an innate sense of structuring and geometrical beauty; we are all unconsciously following the rules, even if we don’t explicitly know what they are.
There is knowledge in investigating to understand, but there is power in investigating to express.
connell workshop | critic lane duncan
set of “construction documents” for building radial webs
right: gestural drawings used to complete full color drawing, on opposite page
