Hongli Zhao

Interior Architecture & Design / Master of Arts (MA)

School of Interior Architecture & Design

Hongli Zhao – I am a Master of Arts student in Interior Architecture and Design at the Academy of Art University, with over 11 years of commercial design experience in Beijing after earning my bachelor’s degree in Environmental Art Design from Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology. My design journey has been deeply influenced by global travel—from Asia to Europe and beyond—drawing inspiration from museums, cultural landmarks, and standout hospitality spaces.
After relocating overseas and becoming a mother, I returned to my passion through graduate study, bridging my past experience with a new vision shaped by U.S. building standards, sustainable design principles, BIM, and evolving materials and techniques. Now working as an interior designer at Baer’s Furniture in FL, I focus on creating spaces that enhance well-being and foster meaningful connections between people and the environment. I see design as a journey from nothing to everything—one that solves problems and responds with care and creativity to human and environmental needs. My vision is to design with nature, not against it, and to contribute to a more sustainable and thoughtful future in interior architecture.