Honoree Profile

Emily Conner

CORGAN

Title: Interior Design Project Specialist
Tenure at Firm: 2 Years
Nominating Principal: Emily Frazer-Smith, Vice President
School: Kansas State University
Major: Master of Interior Architecture and Product Design

Inspired By:

What inspires me in my daily work is the opportunity to blend creativity with problem-solving. Knowing that I have the ability to directly impact people’s everyday experiences with what I design motivates me. I am constantly learning from the people in my life and pushing myself to engage with different perspectives and ideas that help me grow both as a designer and as a person. I love meeting new people and expanding my views on how they live and the environments in which they thrive, all of which drive new inspiration for my designs.

Keys to a Successful Project:
They key ingredients to a successful project is collaboration, communication, creativity, and flexibility. Designing spaces where all people can thrive is a challenge we face as designers. By crafting environments that cater to diverse work styles, personality types, and abilities, we ensure that each individual has a setting that supports their needs and enables them to accomplish their tasks.

Interests Outside of Work:

In my free time, I love to dance and have recently reconnected with my passion by taking weekly tap classes. I also enjoy gardening and cooking with the things I grow in my small urban garden on my patio during the summer, or from the local farmers markets. On the weekends, I love exploring Chicago, visiting different neighborhoods to try new restaurants and coffee shops, and discovering new thrift and antique stores to browse. In the winter months, I enjoy spending time with loved ones, hosting dinner parties at my apartment, and picking up new hobbies like scrapbooking and water coloring.

“Emily has been a very important member of the Corgan Workplace Interiors team. Since Corgan is a newer firm in Chicago, she has been eager to get to know everyone in the design community and make sure that Corgan’s name is known around town. Emily excels in design and she has designed some very creative and innovative solutions for our clients, and gives input to other designers in the office when they are stuck or looking for advice. I don’t know what I would do without her! “

Emily Frazer-Smith
Vice President

Favorite Haworth Collection Piece:

Window seat with the Canopy

What Is Special About It:

I love that the Window seat provides acoustical and visual privacy. It provides an option for people to escape from the busy environment while still allowing the individual to be in the space.