Leah Wu Work Samples by Leah Wu

LEAH Wu work SAMPLES

Role and Company:

Senior Designer, ASH NYC 2017-2022

ASH NYC is an award winning, Architectural Digest 100 listed company that specializes luxury hotel design and development, with project spanning across the US. The firm's work is routinely featured on industry lead publications such as Architectural Digest, Dezeen, Wallpaper, Vogue, Elle Decor, among others.

After joining ASH's New York office in 2017, I quickly transitioned from a production-heavy creative role to becoming a senior designer and creative lead. This AD100 firm is renowned for its innovative approach to luxurious hospitality projects, high-end residential multi-year builds, and bespoke residential and commercial projects through its staging branch. The AD100 designation underscores ASH's status as one of the top architectural and design firms globally, celebrated for its excellence and influence in the industry.

In my role at ASH, I have been instrumental in shaping the creative direction of numerous high-profile projects. My responsibilities include leading design presentations, overseeing in-house creative direction, and contributing to both interior and furniture design. I have had the privilege of working with an elite global clientele, delivering tailored solutions that reflect ASH's commitment to unique and considered design. Over the past five years, my leadership and innovative design approach have been pivotal in maintaining and enhancing ASH's esteemed reputation in the design world.

This portfolio partially highlights a few of my high-end residential projects at ASH as well as a hospitality design, The Siren Hotel. For these featured projects, I was the creative lead and project manager. These include project photos, progress design documentation, correspondence, and press clippings showcasing the high profile exposure of our clientele and projects.

Project: Boerum Hills Townhouse Renovation and Design

Client: Ryan Serhant and Emilia Serhant

Role and Company: Lead Designer, ASH

Project Timeline: 2019-2021

Project: 374 Pacific Street

Boerum Hill Townhouse for celebrity couple family

Lead interior designer for a celebrity client's single family townhouse renovation. Project featured in Bravo TV show "Ryan's Renovation"

Designing built-in millwork; working with AOR on drafting and contractor to select hardware and finishes; red-lining RCP; vendor bidding overseeing the all stages of construction; designing and sourcing furniture, lighting and art, overseeing installation; filming reality show with Bravo.

Project Images

Design Process - Media Room (Design Development and Construction Document Phase)

Construction drawings. Quick rendering of built-in millwork

Design

Process - Kitchen (Design Development and Construction Document Phase)

Project: The Siren Hotel, Siren Cafe

Client: ASH NYC (as developer and stakeholder)

Role and Company: Project Designer

Project Timeline: 2017-2018

The

This luxury hotel development and design project in Detroit, housed in the iconic Wurlitzer building. This was a multi year build and The Siren Cafe, pictured above, was my first lead hospitality design project at ASH. This project also won the firm an AHEAD Award. The Siren hotel still enjoys heavy media exposure to this day.

Siren Hotel, Siren Cafe

Selected Projects as Senior Designer at ASH - Nolita, collaboration model unit design with Lenny Kravitz Studio

Role and Company:

Senior Designer, The Unionworks 2023

After ASH, I transitioned into a senior designer at The Unionworks, an Elle Decor A-list, multidisciplinary design studio based in New York City, known for composing thoughtful spaces.

While the team was smaller, the projects are highly bespoke residential, multi year builds that requires a rigorous approach with both design direction, integrated design (including lighting and landscape) construction administration. This portfolio features a 24 million private house design in Sag Harbor, NY. During my time at Unionworks, I decided to take my career in spatial and interior design into a more holistic direction - taking full ownership of a design from the conceptual gestation to its final construction stage.

Selected Projects | Senior Designer at The Unionworks - Sag Harbor Lake House, Interior Design

Selected

Projects | Senior Designer at The Unionworks - Sag Harbor Lake House, Lighting Design

Role and Company:

Senior Designer/Project Manager, BOLT DESIGN

2023-PRESENT

Starting 2023, I have been working at Bolt Design, a New York firm focused on fabrication and specializes in high end hospitality design. My previous experience of creative direction and project management transferred seamlessly into the new role with a heavier focus now on the construction management on complex hospitality builds.

We make what we design. With our in-house fabrication facility, we specialize in rapid prototyping, CNC milling, high-end millwork, finishing, and installation.

Some of the projects featured in this portfolio include a 6000 sqft Greek restaurant, Ela, soon to be built in Nashville, scheduled to move into construction phase in 2024. The client, Milkshake Concepts, is a large hospitality group redefining the industry with their multifaceted restaurants and nightlife.

Another project I've been spearheading currently is a 2000 sqft Long Island City listening lounge/restaurant named, Miss Jackson, and a third one featured in this portfolio is an esthetician clinic in Manhattan, Telo Labs (currently under construction, we have been also commissioned for the branding and graphic design for this new brand since December, 2023).

With the new, more complex waters to navigate, I have been also leading Bolt's new direction of branding and holistic spatial design philosophy.

Project: Ela Restaurant

Client: Milkshake Concepts

Role and Company: Senior Designer and Project Manager BOLT

Project Timeline: 2023 (design) 2024-2025 (build, currently under bidding)

The client, Milkshake Concepts, is an international, experiential hospitality group redefining the industry with their multifaceted restaurants and nightlife. For this project, I'm the lead designer and project manager for full-service interior design including all 5 phases of design process.

First Floor rendering

Second Floor rendering

Third Floor rendering

Selected press

Project: Telo Labs

Role and Company: Senior Designer and Project Manager BOLT

Project Timeline: December 2023-April 2024 (design), currently under construction

Telo Labs is an aesthetic clinic located in Union Square, NY. As the Creative Lead and Construction Manager for a holistic design project, I have been deeply involved in every phase from branding inception to its current construction phase. This project features highly customized millwork and lighting design and is just finished post demo. My responsibilities encompass design direction, design development lead, production for construction documentation, branding graphic design, and construction administration, while taking on daily communication with client and stakeholders. This is the first holistic project that BOLT has undertaken. I have taken my previous experience spearheading large residential and commercial projects at ASH to help guide BOLT's transformation into a rapidly growing new player in a highly competitive design field in New York.

Branding design progress

Construction drawings and current progress post rough

Project: Miss Jackson

Role and Company: Senior Designer and Project Manager BOLT

Project Timeline: December 2023-July 2024 (design), drawings currently under permit review

The owner of Record Room approached us to design and build an exciting nightlife project in Long Island City, New York. This is the second project I've taken on at BOLT since last year that features branding design and will be taken all the way to construction administration phase.

Design Progress Documents - Schematic Design

Design Progress - Design Development