Hello, I'm Noha Alhams, an Interior Architect and Airplane Designer with a passion for crafting immersive and impactful spaces. I earned my B.F.A. in Interior Architecture with a minor in Design Management from Columbia College Chicago, where I chose to study in one of the most architecturally diverse cities in the world. My fascination with design began in childhood, by fourth grade, I knew I wanted to pursue a career in interior architecture. Growing up in Nashville, Tennessee, and spending a significant part of my life in Qatar, I developed a global perspective that continues to shape my creative approach. My travels to countries like Jamaica, Turkey, Morocco, Egypt, and Sri Lanka have deeply influenced my work, fueling my inspiration for innovative design solutions.
Currently, I work as a full-time Contract Interior Architect at United Airlines creating configuration drawings for many different aircrafts across different fleets. On the side, I work with architecture and design clients to deliver high-end projects such as designing the penthouse of Wolf Point East. Previously, I worked part-time as a Design Consultant at Joybird. Before that, I was a Designer at The Gettys Group, where I specialized in luxury full-service hotel projects, and a Design Sales Associate at Blu Dot Chicago, gaining unique insights into furniture design and customer engagement. My experiences also include a Creative Retail Interior Design Internship at Arc Worldwide, where I worked on branded experiential store designs for Dunkin’, U.S. Cellular, and CVS, and an internship at Zimmerman Weintraub Associates, collaborating on hospitality and retail projects for esteemed clients like Marriott and Hilton.
My curiosity for travel has also sparked an interest in transportation design, including airports, yachts, and airplanes, where I aspire to craft transformative user experiences that seamlessly blend functionality with aesthetic innovation. I am passionate about retail design, especially experiential retail environments that merge storytelling with cutting-edge materials and fabrication techniques. Additionally, I have a deep interest in exhibition and experiential design, where I aim to create immersive and memorable spaces that captivate audiences and bring brands or narratives to life.
Beyond my professional work, I am an active member of the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) and the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID). As the 2021-2022 ASID Student Representative to the Board for the Illinois Chapter, I had the privilege of organizing events like Imprint, which connected students with industry professionals through networking, portfolio reviews, and panel discussions. I also participated in the ASID Celebration of Design Excellence events in 2021, 2022, and 2023, and attended the 2022 ASID GATHER national conference in Miami, where I was honored to receive the Student Merit Award.
These diverse experiences, combined with my technical expertise in SketchUp, AutoCAD, Rhino, V-Ray, and Adobe Creative Suite, have equipped me to design spaces that captivate, inspire, and elevate brands. I look forward to continuing my journey of creating meaningful and transformative designs.