Nwankpa Design

Architecture & Interior Design firm specializing in creative contemporary design with a collaborativ

10/20/2026

Inspired by traditional West African textile weaving and the intricate construction of birds’ nests, Woven Shelter explores the intersection of culture, nature, and design.

Created for a special birdhouse installation at Ganna Walska Lotusland in Montecito, California, the design reinterprets traditional stripweaving patterns through bold color, layered materials, and a protective double-cavity structure.

A celebration of shelter, craftsmanship, and the natural world.

Lotusland | Montecito, CA

10/16/2026

With the opening of Hollywood Burbank Airport’s new passenger terminal this week, we’re proud to celebrate ND’s role as Associate Architect alongside Corgan and CannonDesign on the airport’s 16,000-square-foot Airline Support Facility. We’re honored to see our name among the project contributors recognized in the terminal.

Here are a few glimpses from the dedication, with more to come!

10/08/2026

When a delivery error left us without all the tile sizes originally specified for the children’s bathroom at Glendale Eclectic, ND reimagined the layout using what arrived.

The result? A custom rhythm of rectangular and square dusty pink concrete tiles that moves from floor to ceiling. Paired with Moroccan zellige and an expressive mix of color, pattern, and texture, the space draws inspiration from the artful layering found in West African fashion.

Sometimes an unexpected challenge leads to an even more interesting design!

Glendale Eclectic | Glendale, CA
Photography: Madeline Tolle
As featured in Domino

09/22/2026

At Sky View Residence, three pitched roofs create a cadence across the front and rear façades. Natural cedar and smooth stucco define the exterior volumes, while angled clerestories echo the roofline inside and draw the eye upward.

“In the Sky View Residence, we wanted to showcase the brilliant California sunshine by creating pitches that rise into the sky and windows that help remind residents to connect with nature on a daily basis,” says Susan Nwankpa Gillespie, principal of Nwankpa Design.

📷: Madeline Tolle Tolle

09/10/2026

For the Hollywood Hills Midcentury Residence, collaboration meant inviting another creative perspective into the work. After discovering Janna Ireland through her photographs of Paul R. Williams’ architecture, we were drawn to her perspective. Giving Janna free rein to capture whatever caught her eye resulted in a series that moves between architecture, detail, and portraiture.

As BLACK PORTRAITURE[S]: LOS ANGELES — THE BLACK BUILT ENVIRONMENT comes to Los Angeles September 28–30, we’re thinking about architecture through the lens of portraiture, and how photographing both people and place can reveal a fuller story of the spaces we create.

📷: Janna Ireland

09/03/2026

Nwankpa Design joins the Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory 2026, as one of 30 practices chosen from around the world.

The feature explores Textile House #2 and how the celebration of culture, richness of heritage, and human experience continue to shape our work.

Honored to be included in this year’s directory.

Feature: Wallpaper*
Photography:

08/13/2026

Where wonder, audacity, relentlessness, and humanity collide.

Guided by Relativity’s mission, we designed a workplace where clean lines meet organic forms, intimate moments open into vast expanses, and adaptability is built in, resulting in architecture that translates the company’s values into an immersive environment that inspires innovation.

Relativity Space | Long Beach, California
Featured in Interior Design Magazine

08/11/2026

Honoring the past while designing for what comes next.

Architecture, landscape, and community converge in our vision for the proposed Foot Soldiers Park Hub.

Foot Soldiers Park & Education Center | Selma, AL

08/04/2026

No two homes tell the same story.

Neither should their kitchens.

A collection of kitchens by Nwankpa Design, each thoughtfully designed to reflect the people who call them home.

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Los Angeles, CA
90028

Website

http://nwankpadesign.com/

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