As Photo Editor on To Lead Is To Design, a 50th anniversary book for Interface, my role focused on shaping a visual language that could reflect the company’s core values of design leadership, sustainability, and innovation. Rather than approaching the project as a traditional corporate history, we treated photography as a primary storytelling tool, one that could communicate philosophy as much as chronology.
Legacy & Culture Book
Photo selection and sequencing emphasized systems, patterns, and processes, drawing subtle parallels between natural ecosystems and Interface’s approach to design and manufacturing.
Repetition, texture, and rhythm in the imagery mirrored the modularity of Interface’s products, while reinforcing the company’s long-term vision for environmental responsibility and thoughtful innovation.
A key decision in the photo direction was the intentional use of nature imagery alongside archival, product, and people-focused photographs. Interface’s commitment to sustainability and biophilic design made this visual pairing essential. Images of natural systems, landscapes, and organic patterns were woven throughout the book to echo the company’s belief that the built environment should learn from and exist in harmony with nature. These images acted as visual breathers and conceptual anchors, reinforcing the idea of “Factory as a Forest” and connecting material innovation back to the natural world.
In shaping the photo edit, I focused on creating visual continuity across the book’s modular structure. As the narrative was organized around Interface’s five values rather than a linear timeline, photography needed to support thematic transitions and maintain momentum. This meant carefully balancing commissioned imagery, archival materials, and abstract or nature-based photographs so that each section felt distinct but cohesive within the larger whole.
The resulting visual experience positions photography not as decoration, but as an active contributor to the book’s message. Through deliberate image choices and direction, To Lead Is To Design communicates a philosophy rooted in connection, design thinking, and sustainability, offering readers a visual narrative that feels purposeful, contemporary, and deeply aligned with the values it celebrates.