Interviewed by John Warner.
Shayna Moore is a fourth-year interior design student.
What inspires your design concepts?
My mantra is that interior designers create the soul of a building. I firmly believe in putting the client’s needs first when it comes to concepting. My design concepts, inspirations, and solutions depend on the client’s project synopsis. Knowing the problem helps me navigate the research process to cultivate a thought-provoking and captivating concept. By taking a complex vision to a more intimate level, the project becomes something more than just aesthetically pleasing.
Why did you choose to pursue a career in interior design?
Since the 7th grade, I have wanted to do interior design. My mom worked in hospitality construction at various casino resorts in Las Vegas, so I grew up around the industry. My sister and I would often go with her to work on the weekends, and she would show us how the projects were constructed. Being exposed to all the wonderful examples of hospitality and designs of Vegas sparked something in me, and I have been in love with interior design ever since.
What project are you currently working on?
I am currently working on a hospitality design project for my final senior project called Såtba, which means to “make safe” in Chamorro. The project is set on the island of Guam, where my Nana is from. The goal of the project is to create a hotel that is both inviting, culturally submersed and unique for guests, while uplifting the local community. Within the hotel there is a community center designed for local residents to create, cook, learn, share and inspire, as well as a hostel space functioning as emergency housing should tropical storms or typhoons displace families and individuals, which is common.
How would you approach the design’s cultural context?
I am working on my Såtba project with the design concept Na’na’lo, which means “return to original state”. It embodies an appreciation and understanding of the land and local culture. Guam is “where America’s day begins”, and it is one of the most lush and most beautiful islands. The island has been colonized three times. The Guamanian or Chamorro people have lost over 90% of their original population of people due to enslavement, colonization, and neo-colonization. I want to be sensitive to Chamorro history and bring the culture to life through my design. By recognizing the raw original beauty that Guam displays, I design based on inspiration from native architectural elements, cultural dress, the land, ocean, and stunning sunsets.
What are you hoping to achieve with this project?
I am most excited about the potential impact of this project’s design. Sometimes as a society we turn a blind eye to the things that do not affect us. I want my designs to be accessible for everyone in all spaces. Design can bring healing. On one hand, I want to create something that offers a wanderlust experience for guests. On the other hand, I want to help the community, educate the travelers on the land they are visiting and preserve the local culture. The biggest thing I have learned in design school is healing, mentally and physically. We spend 90 percent of our lives indoors. Those spaces can be therapeutic, tranquil, and serene. Every space and every person deserves good design.
