Conversations: Elizabeth von Lehe. HDR, New York City

Conversations: Elizabeth von Lehe. HDR, New York City

A New York City-based design and brand strategy principal at the international design firm HDR, Elizabeth von Lehe relishes the cross-disciplinary and global nature of her role.

Vibia The Edit - Conversations: Elizabeth von Lehe HDR, New York

The multi-platform HDR is known for its high-profile construction, architecture, and engineering projects around the world, building spaces by ā€œcrafting core concepts,ā€ as von Lehe describes it.

ā€œItā€™s the collaborationā€”data science meeting art, architecture on a big scale meeting the small intimate scale of lighting, that makes something much more impactful,ā€ she says. ā€œWe craft a holistic experience.ā€

Vibia The Edit - Conversations: Elizabeth von Lehe HDR, New York
Vibia The Edit - Conversations: Elizabeth von Lehe HDR, New York

She also loves to incorporate the influence of the different cities and cultures she works in, which she calls ā€œsmashing new ideas together that never existed before.ā€

Vibia The Edit - Conversations: Elizabeth von Lehe HDR, New York
Vibia The Edit - Conversations: Elizabeth von Lehe HDR, New York
Vibia The Edit - Conversations: Elizabeth von Lehe HDR, New York

Lighting is always a key consideration in von Leheā€™s work, as it represents one of the most important materials in creating a design experience.

Vibia The Edit - Conversations: Elizabeth von Lehe HDR, New York
Vibia The Edit - Conversations: Elizabeth von Lehe HDR, New York

ā€œIt gives the softness, or the drama, or the exuberance, or the calmness.ā€

And lighting is even more critical at a time when the design world has evolved. People require more from the places they inhabit and ā€œdesign is a differentiator,ā€ von Lehe explains.

They expect ā€œtheir spaces to make them feel better, to feel curated. That is what people seek and this idea of experience in design is where the industry is going.ā€