By Jody Grimaldi
Orginally Posted at the Daily Herald
O’Kelly Kasprak, a leading Chicago architecture and design firm known for bringing a hospitality perspective to commercial spaces, has appointed Jessica Yadron as its new Senior Designer. Led by founding principles Belinda O’Kelly and David Kasprak, the West Loop-based agency has a growing portfolio that includes a variety of clientele, from hotels and restaurants to entertainment venues and theaters. Yadron’s role at the firm includes a number of initial responsibilities, including: adapting the Cambria Suites design philosophy to high profile urban settings, leading the design direction on a highly anticipated new multi-venue bar concept in the Atlanta area, and working with design teams to upgrade premier Hyatt, Hilton and Choice hotel locations.
“As we continue to acquire more projects that allow us to stretch the boundaries of hospitality design, we’re adding talent in pivotal roles to advance our design capabilities and manage execution,” said O’Kelly.
“Jessica’s intrinsic passion for hospitality design and leadership style fit right in with the O’Kelly Kasprak culture, and we’re excited to have her leading our interiors team!”
Yadron, a native of Grayslake, Illinois, comes to O’Kelly Kasprak after six years as a senior designer at a prominent Chicago interior design firm. During her previous position working on more residential applications of commercial design, she discovered an innate connection to hospitality. As she puts it,
“there is a strong connection between multi-family living and hospitality. Tenants strive to rent an apartment with well-designed amenity spaces that make them feel like they are visiting a hotel. Alternatively, when people stay at a hotel, they want to feel like they are at home.”
Yadron joins O’Kelly Kasprak after cultivating this inherent attraction to hospitality design.
“When I go to a hotel or a restaurant, I’m drawn in by the atmosphere,” said Yadron, a graduate of Illinois State University. “I like to feel a sense of community in a public space, and that’s what I’m trying to create through my work.”
At O’Kelly Kasprak, Yadron looks to take her design style, which she refers to as “eclectic modern,” and build comfortable commercial spaces that have “wow” factors which resonate. At the same time, Yadron admits, “you need to find a balance between what’s fresh and new and what’s classic and time-tested.” At the end of the day, her goal is to make people want to return to the spaces she’s created based on the ambiance they experience.
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