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Meet Registered Member Bryan Wiens! Bryan is an Interior Designer who is a Principal and Owner of the Ottawa based firm LWG Architectural Interiors. 

Bryan Wiens, ARIDO | Registered Interior Designer | LWG Architectural Interiors

In this spotlight, Bryan shares his perspective on cultivating new design talent and his relationship oriented approach as a design leader. 

As an established Interior Designer, his focus has expanded to fostering community within the team at LWG and building opportunities for their growth into the design process. 

Bryan is also the Secretary of the ARIDO Board of Management.

1. Tell us a bit about yourself?

I'm a Principal/Owner of an Interior Design firm (LWG Architectural Interiors Inc.) based in Ottawa. I'm a museum and art history junkie and collector of all sorts of design ephemera. I can't live without visual art and music in my life.

2. Why did you choose to study and practice interior design?

I actually started in Architecture at the University of Manitoba. At the time, first year Architecture and Interior Design students shared all of the same design, theory and history courses, including design studio. When I started second year architecture and saw what my interior design friends were doing in their program, I knew I needed to be an interior designer. 

Like many, I had NO IDEA what interior design was really all about. I had all of the same misconceptions that still exist today. The day I switched to interior design was the day I started doing advocacy work for our profession. It hasn't ended!

3. Can you describe your style in one word?

No.

4. How do you approach work-life balance?

Everything in life is interconnected, but everything also has its own time and place. You'll know balance when you have peace in your life.

5. How do you spark your creativity?

Travel. Reading. Theatre. Concerts. Singing in a choir. 

Creativity is sparked in how you live your life. In design, however, the constraints of a project always result in creative motivation.

6. What are the biggest challenges you faced and how did you overcome them?

I think all designers struggle with time management when they start their careers. Learning to prioritize is important. Communication is equally as important and the two go hand in hand.

7. What did you discover that you didn't know before? How did interior design or your projects shape you personally?

It's never my design. Design is a journey you take with the client, and at the end of the project they should feel like they designed it with you.

Design is a journey you take with the client, and at the end of the project they should feel like they designed it with you.

Bryan Wiens, ARIDO

Relationships are crucial to the success of a project. My focus is on relationship building and what role that plays in the design process.

8. Do you remember the first design that struck you or lingered in your mind?

When I first learned about Mies Van der Rohe and saw his Barcelona chair I was forever changed. Elegance, simplicity, economy of high quality materials. Design made to last. Timeless design. We should all strive for that.

9. What is one thing you did for the first time recently?

We celebrated the Lunar New Year at our office for the first time. We're embracing various important cultural traditions of the people in our firm.

We have a young designer from China and she helped us organize a New Year celebration. It was so much fun and will become a new tradition in our office.

10. How would you describe your last year?

It was a year of growth in our firm. The process of building back capacity and taking on new challenges after the worst of the pandemic was over has been a journey, but ultimately a rewarding one.

Like a lot of firms, we've rethought some of the ways we do things. Our younger employees keep us on our toes and challenge us in all sorts of interesting and good ways.

11. How did you develop your distinctive style?

I don't have a style per se. When I work with a client, I want the space to reflect them, not me. As I've progressed in my career, the conceptual side of projects are developed by younger designers in our office who need to hone their skills - I've done lots of design in my career and am happy to relinquish this part of the process. 

As I've progressed in my career, the conceptual side of projects are developed by younger designers in our office who need to hone their skills

Bryan Wiens, ARIDO

My own personal taste is quite eclectic. I consider myself to be very open minded when it comes to design.

12. What is a quality you most cherish in your designs?

Collaboration. Not really a design quality, but something that results in a good design solution.

13. Did social media affect your work? If so, how?

Not at all. I don't have time for influencers. Don't get me started on that. 

There are some designers and architects I follow on social media, but this is more for my own interest in knowing what's going on in other parts of the world in architecture and design.

14. What advice would you give someone who is interested in interior design?

Get a degree from a really good CIDA accredited bachelor program and take the time to really learn the history of architecture and design.

15. How can people connect with you? What is your preferred method of communication?

Bryan's email: bryan AT@ lwg-ai.com

Bryan's LinkedIn | LWG Architectural Interiors website

See some of Bryan's Projects on BLOG//ARIDO

ARIDO Spotlight

The purpose of the ARIDO Spotlight is to spark meaningful conversations.

We think honest and real conversations are at the heart of community building. Every voice matters and that there is a place for everyone in these conversations.

We feel it’s far more touching and honest to hear from the members who make up our design community – from members at large firms to small business owners, students, newcomers and independent creatives.

Would you like to be featured? Complete this form at the link below: 

-The ARIDO Communications Committee

Don't hesitate to contact Ali Moenck at communications@arido.ca if you have questions.