Meet Reem Ekay | Design Strategist + Project Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Reem Ekay and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Reem, have you ever found yourself in a spot where you had to decide whether to give up or keep going? How did you make the choice?
There are several factors that can incentivize someone during a day, a week, or a month. While a deadline usually does it; the tried-and-true motivation that keeps me going, even when motivation could take some time off, is knowing my why or my purpose. I believe that the place or point I have arrived at has taken a village and wherever I go or design, I move as a representation of my family, my peers, my mentors, and my community — especially as an Afro-Arab with a diverse cultural background. I believe that any design industry thrives and reflects off of the hands in the pot, and presence and representation in that sense matters. Not simply to claim attendance, but to contribute unique richness and insight. I try to always move, learn, and grow as a professional designer so that when I contribute to the design solution at hand, I do so with a unique and telling perspective that is reflective of my diverse experience around the world. You never know who could see themselves in you, and you never know who you could share and learn from. Showing up for that reason alone really keeps me driven.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I think what sets me apart is I wasn’t afraid to dig into different mediums of design, even earlier in my career – whether they were part of my architectural schooling and training or not. The result of that is a portfolio that is deeply rooted in strength of communication and strategy via visual communication and design skills. I liked studying things and understanding why they were the way they are and getting to the core of function. I made a habit of looking at every task I was given as a design exercise, and that made me comfortable with switching scales, multi-tasking, and thinking multiple steps ahead. Learning and testing new software via passion projects is also a favorite way of mine to add new skills to the tool kit. This openness and testing outside of my comfort zone fueled my design approach in architecture, interior design, and master planning because it shaped the way I was able to think of things holistically or see connections that perhaps weren’t in the conceptual phases of design. It also fostered a deep passion for communication: articulating ideas in a storyboard or a simple graphic so your designs could speak for you, whether you were in the room or not.

The biggest challenge is then knowing what to do with these skills – where to channel them as a Project Designer. Being a multi-faced professional is required for finding your place in the design industry today. This also means understanding what you can do before anything else tells you, so you can chart the course of your professional career in a way that fulfills you as a creative. This is an ongoing ebb and flow that I’d like to think every creative revisits in their career.

If there is one thing I would like to impart about myself and my story, it’s that anything is doable. I just need a timeline.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would definitely take them to the Getty Museum and have a little picnic on the grounds after touring the galleries. Make a trip over to Malibu and have dinner at Goeffrey’s, drive down PCH and take in the views, catch a show at the Greek Theatre, a DJ set at Checker’s Hall, and have breakfast at Kendall’s Brasserie by the Music Hall.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reallyekay/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reem-ekay-675487127/