Ojay Obinani is known for stewarding long-term client partnerships and leading multidisciplinary teams to deliver interior projects that align business needs with ambitious sustainability goals. As a co-leader of SOM’s Commercial Practice Group, he works on a wide range of interior projects, from large-scale mixed-use developments to bespoke offices.
His portfolio includes commercial interiors for leading financial institutions, from the largest and most advanced trading environment in New York City for the new JPMorganChase Headquarters to a new campus in Dallas, Texas for Goldman Sachs, designed to reflect the firm’s ethos while responding to its local context. He was instrumental in managing the design of SOM’s New York office, serving as both architect and client for a team of more than 400 employees, while advancing ambitious sustainability goals through a responsible approach to materials and resources.
The foundation of any successful project is assembling the optimal team. Together, we solve practical needs by distilling complex challenges into their most refined, elemental form through a deep understanding of the project’s constraints and opportunities.
He also played a key role in the transformation of the Waldorf Astoria New York, one of the largest interior landmarks in the city. As Project Manager, he oversaw coordination across three workstreams: historic preservation, restoration, and adaptive reuse—each with distinct technical and delivery requirements, while aligning a broad network of stakeholders, consultants, and artisans.
