HLW announces expansion in Connecticut with two new appointments

New York, NY — May 1, 2019 — HLW, a global architecture, interiors, and planning firm, is pleased to announce two new additions to its recently opened Stamford, Connecticut office — Dara Ghavami as Senior Project Lead and Irina Orasanu as Technical Lead. Opened this past February, the Stamford workspace is the pilot location for HLW’s new satellite office initiative, StudioGo. Located at 700 Canal Street, the quickly growing local presence serves current clientele in the area.

“We are delighted to welcome both Dara Ghavami and Irina Orasanu to our team,” says Joe Montalbano AIA, Principal at HLW. “Both have demonstrated a passion for the design profession and a dedication to creating a better built environment for future generations. We are excited to see where they will help take our team as we continue to prove HLW’s commitment to the Connecticut area.”

Dara Ghavami brings nearly 30 years of architectural and managerial experience in the local Connecticut market to the HLW Connecticut team, and has a strong background in workplace and corporate interiors. As Senior Project Lead, Ghavami will continue to build HLW’s momentum in the Connecticut market. Prior to joining HLW, Ghavami managed many corporate interiors projects throughout Connecticut and New York, as well as a mix of high-end residential projects, executing strong management and leadership skills to ensure these projects remain on track in terms of deliverables, budget, and staffing.

Irina Orasanu is a proficient team member with experience and an extensive portfolio of hospitality, higher-education, municipality, commercial, and corporate interiors projects. Beginning her design career in her home of Romania, Orasanu brings over 15 years of design experience and in-depth knowledge of the local Connecticut market to HLW. A seasoned professional, Orasanu offers great communication and interpersonal skills to her new team, and will be involved in all phases of current and future HLW projects. She will serve her team by working to develop building information models, interior construction documents, and by ensuring proper steps and procedures are taken throughout the design and construction process.

The Stamford location is the first HLW office to be based in a non-traditional space. Both Ghavami and Orasanu will contribute to HLW’s continued success, and will help maintain StudioGo’s momentum – first in the Stamford market and then globally.