The Orange County Design Awards (OCDA) are coming and this is the second feature where AIGA Orange County looks back and reconnects with former OCDA winners. Today, we’re talking with the India Howlett of TCA Architects to answer some questions about where they’ve been and where they are going. Last year they won the Agency Award for Environmental Design for the AVA Little Tokyo Signage. See the winning work.

TCA Architects is an architectural firm with offices in downtown LA, Irvine and Oakland, California. The Graphic Design Studio at TCA Architects delivers comprehensive visual communications programs to help their clients articulate their distinctive, branded identity, from print to web to environmental graphics and signage. They deliver cohesive and comprehensive brands for the built environment.

India and her team is currently working on all kinds of fun projects with very interesting clients in the branded office and public art realm.

When asked what’s been the most challenging thing they’ve done all year, India remarks, “trying to figure out how to cast shadows for shadow puppets in the office!” She laughs and adds, “our newest art installation is using silhouettes of Athena and Apollo as shadow art for our client’s lobby. It looks really cool; I am proud of my team for figuring that one out.”

For inspiration, they go the art museum or happy hour. “The more we drink the better the ideas–in fact I think that’s where the shadow idea came from!”

India’s advice you budding designers is to listen to your teachers! And stay true to your concept all the way to the end.

When India and her team at TCA Architects was selected for the OCDAs, she danced around the room and sang. “I won, I won, I won! I was so happy and surprised. No seriously it was a great honor, and so humbling. l love the project and how it came out and it was a surprise that others felt the same way.”

Connect with India on Instagram (indiahowlett) and visit the TCA Architects website at tca-arch.com.

The OCDA celebration will be held on Thursday, November 10 at Seven-Degrees in Laguna Beach. It will be an inspiring evening with good company and great prizes. Get your ticket today!

The OCDA event is hosted in partnership with Vitamin T, Mohawk, and ChoosePrint.org.