East Ninth is a Chicago-based interior and architectural design studio working with homeowners, commercial clients, and architecture and design firms. Our work spans residential, hospitality, commercial, and urban projects, with services ranging from project visioning and concept development to space planning, material and finish selection, furnishings, and design documentation.
WHO WE ARE
We see design as a partnership. Whether working directly with clients or alongside other design professionals, we help navigate ideas, decisions, and practical considerations to find thoughtful solutions that serve each project.
We value collaboration, clear communication, and the different perspectives people bring to the process.
HOW WE WORK
We believe every project has an identity of its own. Our role is to understand what it wants to be, identify the strongest ideas, and make thoughtful decisions that reinforce a clear and cohesive vision. We approach design with curiosity and an open mind, allowing the character, context, and needs of each project to guide the process.
The goal is always the same: to recognize the best solution and work collaboratively to make the project stronger.
HOW WE THINK
Christa Frick Gabrielson
EAST NINTH STUDIO
Architecture and design have been part of my world for as long as I can remember. Both my grandfather and great-grandfather were architects, and I grew up with an appreciation for buildings and the possibilities they hold. As a child, I was known to redraw restaurant floor plans on napkins and regularly lobbied for LEGOs at Christmas, although they somehow always ended up under the tree with my brother's name on them.
My path into design wasn't particularly conventional. Along the way, I've worked in interior design, business, sales, and leadership before earning my Master of Architecture from Notre Dame. Those experiences have shaped how I approach projects today, with an appreciation for both the creative possibilities and the practical realities of bringing an idea to life.
My experience ranges from residential and hospitality projects to architectural design, municipal redevelopment proposals, and complex disaster restoration. I've learned that the most interesting challenges often involve more than design itself. They involve people, competing priorities, complicated decisions, and figuring out how to move a good idea forward.
My curiosity extends beyond individual buildings to cities, the way people experience places, and the systems that shape our built environment. Why do we do things the way we've always done them? What are we overlooking because nobody thought to ask? And what might be possible if we approached the problem differently?
I enjoy asking those questions, making connections, and working with people who bring different perspectives to the table.
P.S. If you ever find yourself with an airplane in your house, I have some experience with that, too.
