Jiaying Bai, Assoc. AIA

“This creative thing brings new life every day.”

That’s how Jiaying Bai (pronounced Jye-ing Bye) refreshingly describes her passion for design.

Jiaying grew up in Nanjing, China. It was her mother’s interest in the arts that sowed the first design seeds in her mind, leading her to drawing at an early age. To this day, she is most at ease expressing herself visually.

Jiaying initially studied Industrial Design, believing it was the ideal blend of art and function, but found the fit wasn't quite right. While at Tongji University in Shanghai, she visited numerous exhibitions and museums, becoming increasingly interested in designing spaces where lives and happiness unfold. She was also inspired by a Japanese home improvement TV show, seeing how renovations could transform people's lives. This convergence redirected her path toward architecture.

Jiaying then pursued a master’s degree in architecture in the United States, attending the Rhode Island School of Design's Interior Architecture program, where she specialized in adaptive reuse.

Jiaying joined Centerbrook in 2018. She finds the firm endearing not only for its family atmosphere, but also for how it genuinely listens to clients' and users' real needs, as well as its strong commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility.

"I care deeply about how people will use the space, and their satisfaction level after," Jiaying says. "Watching people walk into a space I created and react to it is both a lot of fun and a good way to learn. I believe that design is something you should do specifically for people."

During her time at Centerbrook, Jiaying has demonstrated distinctive design talent and made significant contributions to some of the firm’s most prestigious projects. The Principals at Centerbrook describe her as the person who "consistently elevates our projects to the next level."

Jiaying has served as Design Lead for the featured projects below: