When we were given a tip to check out Adi Goodrich, we had no idea what we were about to stumble upon. Adi is a spatial designer, which by definition blends architecture, interior design, public art, and landscapes into the overall experience of space. Phew. After graduating from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago with a degree in Fine Arts and studying at La Sorbonne in Paris, Adi headed to Los Angeles. From working in retail to dabbling in animation and art installations, Adi followed her spatial instincts to the Google Events and Experiences Team, proving even the most online brands need thoughtful offline environments. Meet Adi.

DS: Hi Adi! You are quite a busy woman, thank you so much for taking the time to share your story with us. How has your career taken shape?

AG: Sure, thank you for thinking of me! I’ve been a designer in Los Angeles since 2009. Though my roles and industries have changed over the past 15 years, I have consistently worked on large scale spatial design. I started in window displays for Barneys and Anthropologie, then worked in film and photography creating set designs. I started a creative studio with my partner, Sean Pecknold in 2015 where we made film projects, animations, art installations, tour visuals and photography. In 2019, I started working on interior design projects and in 2022 I launched my first furniture collection. I currently freelance in commercial interiors and lead the environmental design for Google’s Events and Experiences team.

DS: Wow, what a journey! I imagine you’ve been involved in some pretty incredible projects. Which are you most proud of, and why?

AG: I’m really proud of the work Sean and I created for Fleet Foxes Crack Up tour, especially the moving painted backgrounds for a more filmic project. For an interior design project- I’m really excited about a project that will be complete in October - which is an eyeglass store in Phoenix - more to come!

*Adi at her install for the Facebook Los Angeles office.*

DS: Oh, keep us posted. What do you love the most about your job?

AG: I love the challenge of using design to address problems and connect with the audience of each space I create. Whether it's interpreting a script, responding to a brief, or finding a solution for a client's customers, I'm obsessed with the process of finding the perfect materials and colors to communicate clearly.

DS: Speaking of materials and colors, your work is definitely bold and filled with color. Tell us about your stance on color.

AG: I am infatuated with color. I find it endlessly inspiring and I’m in awe of how it is a living thing. As light passes through a room, colors change drastically, color is subjective, which means you can never be sure what color you are looking at on its own. It is always responding to another material or color that is next to it. Color really keeps you on your toes! You can never make a lazy color choice, because there is so much to consider when choosing colors. This isn’t just with paint, but is wood tones, tile colors, textiles, flooring, and the temperature of light. UH!

DS: That is absolutely true, and such a great perspective on how powerful color is. It seems very inspiring for you, too. What else do you look to for inspiration?

AG: I’d have to say books, museums, and documentaries.

*Adi's recent experiential design for the latest Google hardware launch.*

DS: What advice would you give to aspiring designers, spatial designers, and artisans?

AG: Try not to follow trends when creating work. Designs are always more interesting when the seed of an idea comes from something so far removed from interior design, like a film, a sculpture, a color or a painting rather than a Pinterest image of some other designer’s work. Trust yourself!

DS: Ok, one of our favorite questions to ask. What are your favorite cities in the world?

AG: Mexico City, Milan, Kyoto. All three cities have layers of life, and layers of materials, and layers upon layers of history that drive me wild and create such an incredible array of imagery to become obsessed with. I can’t stop noting beautiful colors and materials and signage and combinations of all of these things all at once.