Will Zhang

Director of Design and Product Innovation at Emtek

Speaker

My curiosity for design was sparked at a pretty young age, growing up around my father’s vintage cars. Instead of toys, I played with all these interesting car parts in his garage, wondering about the people that created them. My favorites always came from the stylish interiors, like the dashes or even the door handles, foreshadowing a bit of what I design today. At 15 I took a Saturday class at Art Center and that confirmed that Industrial design is what I wanted to do.

I received my degree and joined Emtek in 2009, establishing Industrial design as a key part of the business to maximize the aesthetic and design value of our product. The search for new sources of inspiration and ideas has become a theme throughout my design career, but I find it just as important to look to the past to influence the present.

Product Awards

-Interior Design BOY Award 2014

-Good Design Award

-Best of KBIS Award 2020

Personal stuff:

-Lived in Los Angeles all my life

-An avid road cyclist and spend time riding in the hills and canyons from Hollywood to Malibu most weekends (love looking at home design from the vantage of a bicycle)

-Interior design and decorating is also a hobby outside of work

-Married to an Industrial/Interior Designer that I met in college, she currently leads design at Janus et Cie (Luxury outdoor furniture). I’m very fortunate to have someone that I can often collaborate with and spend hours talking about design to, although sometimes life can feel a bit too immersive in the subject!

-We have 2 sweet little dogs and a kitty.

-When I’m not riding my bike on the weekends, I can usually be found gardening.