Design as storytelling is not limited to one discipline. In architecture, it can be shaped through scale, circulation, and the way people move through a building. In interiors, it can come through materiality, lighting, texture, and the details that define how a space feels. Through branding and environmental graphics, that story can become even more visible, creating a connection between people, place, and purpose.

For Jason Summers, LEED AP, NCIDQ, Associate Principal with Abel Design Group and Principal with Goree, that intersection has shaped the way he approaches design and leadership. Based in Atlanta, Jason helps lead the office for both companies, bringing together architecture, interior design, graphic design, and strategy to create environments that are functional, meaningful, and deeply connected to the people who use them.

In this special edition of Insights by Design, Jason shares how his multidisciplinary background influences his approach, what “design as storytelling” means to him, and how Abel Design Group and Goree each bring that idea to life across their market sectors.

Your educational background spans architecture, interior design, and graphic design. How have those disciplines influenced the way you think about design and storytelling today?

Jason: To me, each discipline plays a different role in telling the full story of a space. Architecture creates the framework. Interiors shape the experience people engage with. Graphic design and environmental storytelling help communicate meaning. Together, they create both a first impression and a lasting memory.

The common thread is experience and connection. Whether it’s a business, organization, or place, design helps create the emotional connection people have with it.

Can you walk us through your career journey and what led you to your current role, where you lead the joint Goree and Abel Design Group Atlanta offices?

Jason: My career has always lived at the intersection of architecture, interiors, and storytelling. Over time, I found myself drawn to opportunities where those disciplines could work together rather than separately.

That is part of what led me to Abel Design Group and Goree. Through The Goree Companies, there is an opportunity to bring architecture, interior design, brand thinking, and graphic storytelling together under one broader vision. For me, that blend felt like a natural fit.

Leading the Atlanta office for both Goree and Abel Design Group allows me to connect those services in a meaningful way and support clients from multiple perspectives throughout the design process.

What does the phrase “design as storytelling” mean to you, and how has your understanding of it evolved throughout your career?

Jason: Every person has a story, and every space tells a story. Our role as designers is to help curate that story for the client, the organization, and the people who will engage with the space.

Successful design happens when people can feel that story without someone having to explain it to them. It creates an emotional connection. Whether someone is approaching a building, entering a space, or engaging with a brand online, the experience should feel consistent with the identity behind it.

When design works well, it can sometimes feel quiet. People may not always notice every decision, but they feel the result. When something does not work, people notice immediately. Strong design often succeeds by making the experience feel seamless.

Every project tells a story in a different way. How do you help designers move beyond aesthetics and uncover the deeper story a project is trying to tell?

Jason: I encourage teams to move beyond simply asking what a client wants and start asking why they want it. Why does this space need to exist? Why does it need to function this way? What experience are we trying to create?

Sometimes a client may not know exactly what they want at the beginning. That is where it becomes our responsibility to dig deeper and understand the purpose, culture, and human behavior behind the project. The solution should come from that understanding.

Design cannot simply be about aesthetics. It has to solve a problem, support a purpose, and create an experience that performs as well as it inspires.

How do you balance creativity, functionality, and client goals while creating spaces that feel authentic to the people who use them?

Jason: Strong design balances inspiration with performance. A space should create a meaningful connection, but it also has to function and solve the problem it was created to address.

When those elements come together, the design feels natural. It supports the client’s goals while creating an experience people remember.

Throughout your career, what experiences or mentors have had the greatest influence on your design philosophy and leadership approach?

Jason: Throughout my career, mentors, clients, colleagues, and project teams have all shaped the way I think about design and leadership.

One of the biggest lessons has been the importance of curiosity. You have to keep asking why, not in a way that slows things down, but in a way that uncovers purpose. It’s important to be quick to listen and slow to speak.

I’ve also carried certain ideas with me over the years. One mentor talked about design through the lens of strategy, while another used the phrase “from the street to the seat,” a reminder that every touchpoint matters. Those ideas continue to influence how I lead and design today.

Abel Design Group specializes in corporate office, restaurant, retail, and hospitality environments. How does storytelling influence the way these spaces are designed and experienced differently across sectors?

Jason: The story changes across each market sector, but the goal remains the same: create an emotional connection and meaningful experience.

Corporate spaces should support and inspire culture. Retail environments should drive engagement and connection. Restaurants should create memories. Hospitality spaces should foster a sense of belonging and comfort. Each sector has a different story to tell, but each one depends on how people feel within the environment.

That is where Abel Design Group really shines. The team understands how to shape spaces that are not only functional, but also meaningful and memorable.

What are some of the most effective ways interior design can communicate a client’s brand, culture, or story without relying on words?

Jason: Interior design communicates through experience. Before someone reads a sign, sits down, or has a conversation, they’ve already formed an impression based on what they see, feel, and how they move through the space.

Everything from the sequence of spaces to the atmosphere created through light, scale, and materiality helps shape that perception. Those experiences become a powerful way to communicate a client’s culture, personality, and values without ever having to say them out loud.

How do materials, lighting, furniture, and spatial planning work together to create a cohesive and functional space that aligns with the client’s brand and story?

Jason: Each element helps define a chapter of the story. Materials, lighting, furniture, and spatial planning each contribute something different, but together they create one cohesive experience.

When those elements are aligned, the space feels intentional, memorable, and connected to the client’s brand.

The goal is for everything to work together in a way that feels seamless.

As expectations for experiential design become more demanding, how do you see that influencing the way spaces tell a story through architecture and interior design?

Jason: Experiences are becoming more meaningful, immersive, and engaging. People expect more from the places they visit, work, dine, and stay, and design has to respond to that.

Great experiences naturally become part of a brand’s story. When people connect with a space, they share that experience with others, extending the impact beyond the physical environment itself.

As expectations continue to grow, architecture and interior design will need to be even more intentional in how they create moments people want to remember and share.

Your career has spanned architecture, interior design, and graphic design. How do those disciplines intersect when creating spaces that tell a cohesive story?

Jason: I see architecture as the framework, interiors as the experience, and branding or graphics as the layer that helps communicate the story. Each has a role, but they must work together.

The strongest spaces are the ones where those elements become inseparable. Architecture, interiors, materials, lighting, graphics, and details all support the same purpose.

When that happens, the story feels cohesive. It does not have to be explained; people can feel it through the experience.