Alumni Interview · Design ’14
Priya Raman
Her wayfinding systems guide millions — shaped by late nights in the Ridge design labs.
Priya Raman arrived at Ashlar Ridge certain she would study architecture and left certain she would study people. Now creative director at Northbeam, she leads a ten-person studio designing identities, signage and digital systems for museums, campuses and civic spaces.
Designing for Belonging
Her studio's best-known work — a multilingual wayfinding system for a children's hospital — began as her Ridge senior thesis on “legible kindness.” “A sign that calms a lost parent at 2am,” she says, “is the highest form of the craft.”
“The design labs taught me critique without cruelty. I run every review that way now — rigorous, generous, on time.”
Hiring From the Ridge
Four of Northbeam's designers are Ridge graduates, including two interns Priya hired straight from portfolio night. The studio also sponsors the annual design prize — see the open Creative Director role on our careers page.
Advice for Young Designers
“Finish things. Students fall in love with starting; professionals are judged on shipping. And keep a sketchbook the phone companies can't update out from under you.”
Work With Priya
Northbeam is hiring — Ridge graduates get a fast-track interview.