Architect, Principal
Susan Nwankpa Gillespie is a Nigerian-American architect and interior designer based in Southern California. Her ability to form a personal connection with each of her clients enables her to identify their inspirations and aspirations, and bring focus and confidence to the bold, cohesive designs they create together. Over the course of her career, her work has been published in some of the industry’s most-read publications including Dwell, Interior Design Magazine, and The Architect’s Newspaper, and has been recognized by the American Institute of Architects.*
Her eclectic background informs her layered approach to design, enabling her to blend functional details with ideas that surprise and delight. Born to a Nigerian father and mother with French-Canadian roots, Susan grew up in the mid-West and moved to New York to study and begin her professional career before attending graduate school in Los Angeles where she has worked ever since. Her time as an artist, activist, materials librarian, and qualitative researcher – often in parallel with her design work – continues to enrich her process, allowing her to better guide her clients and elevate their collective effort.
