Ryan Vu’s career is a testament to what happens when you combine passion and precision.

As a kid, Ryan spent time building model aircraft with his dad, carefully and meticulously following the detailed blueprints. The attention to detail is a shared trait in his family, one that started with his grandma. At home, Ryan would trail after his grandma, taking in all of the things she built, decorated, and organized as an example to follow as he grew. These early influences, paired with his natural curiosity and creativity, helped chart his path to design at a young age. 

Model Intern 

As Ryan began exploring careers and planning his next steps, he found himself drawn to Kirksey’s sustainability-focused mission and the firm’s broad range of project types. He wasted no time applying for a summer internship. Ryan spent a summer interning before his final year at Sam Houston State University before securing a full-time position upon graduation. Ryan saw an opportunity to make a difference in the built environment and build a strong foundation for his career. 
 

Consummate Collaborator 

At Kirksey, Ryan’s modeling expertise and team-focused mindset were pivotal in streamlining the complex interior build-outs on projects like Egon Zehnder, NRG HQ, AVEVA, and Raymond James, each one representing a significant milestone in his career. He’s refined his expertise and established a significant portfolio of small- to medium-sized corporate interior buildouts. Collaboration, Ryan believes, is the key to a successful project. He sees everyone on the project as a teammate and knows that success is earned as a team. It’s one of the things he tries to impart on younger staff members as a mentor. To Ryan, a winning strategy involves everyone, celebrating their strengths, and never placing blame. The best design results from solid communication and a sound understanding of the client’s needs, allowing Ryan to create a solution that is built for the future. 
 

A Cup of Creativity

Ryan keeps his cup of creativity full by traveling the world or relaxing with a movie. When not working on the next inspiring space, Ryan can be found exploring new spots around town with a cup of boba tea in hand. In fact, he brings the same sense of discovery he uses when hunting for the city’s best boba to his collaborative design approach. He shares his home with two cats and a dog, including Mochi, a cat whose habit of ‘redecorating’ by flipping water fountains and destroying houseplants requires a level of patience and creative adaptation that Ryan often brings to his professional design work.

Whether he’s bringing a design to life, mentoring teammates, or hunting down the city’s best boba spot, Ryan brings energy, empathy, and creativity to everything he does.