Hawk and Company: Summer Jensen on Minimalism, Biophilic Design, and Indigenous Stewardship

In this inspiring episode of Beyond the Design, we welcome Summer Jensen, founder of Hawk and Company, whose design philosophy merges luxurious minimalism with deep Hawaiian values and a profound connection to nature. Growing up in Hawaii climbing waterfalls and spending afternoons at the beach, Summer wasn't exposed to traditional architecture the way mainland children might be—but that absence became her greatest strength. When she arrived at school on the mainland, she discovered a whole world of design that had been waiting for her, and she's spent her career capturing "moments of awesomeness"—spaces that evoke the serenity of walking through a rainforest or sitting peacefully on a beach, bringing those emotional experiences into the built environment.

Summer shares the meaning behind her firm's name Hawk and Company, explaining the Hawaiian concept of aumakua (spirit protectors) and how she was named after the hawk—Kamali'i Hokua Ka'iolani, meaning "the royal star child of the heavenly hawk." She discusses how working on ultra-luxury projects in London and Monaco exposed her to the environmental cost of high-end design, inspiring her shift toward sustainability without compromising beauty or quality. During COVID, when hundreds of ships backed up at the Port of Long Beach, Summer made a pivotal decision: rather than wait for imported stone, she visited local yards and sourced hundreds of slabs that had been discarded—cracked in transmission or considered imperfect—and transformed them into tiles and finishes that elevated craft over material cost. This project recently earned her the DNA Paris Award for Sustainability, her first sustainable design recognition.

The conversation explores Summer's philosophy that luxury isn't a commodity but an experience—it's not about the cow skin of a handbag, but the farmhand who raised unmarred calves, the tannery worker who created supple texture, and the maker's craft that brings it all together. She discusses her approach to biophilic design (going beyond obvious greenery to integrate nature through circulation patterns, seasonal light, and even room placement that follows sunrise to sunset), her commitment to asking vendors hard questions about sourcing and sustainability, and why she believes designers have a duty to consider health and safety in homes where people spend 90% of their lives. With insights into her background as a professional hula dancer who traveled the world before discovering design, her pre-dawn work sessions where she draws every single detail herself, and her next frontier of developing sustainable housing with integrated food systems and net-zero energy, this episode offers wisdom about creating spaces that honor both people and planet.