Tarah Young, M.Arch, LEED AP
Associate Director, Design
URW Airports, LLC
Age: 37
- Alma Mater: California State Polytechnic University and University of Utah
- Favorite Aircraft: I would have to say Northrop B-2 Spirit, A.K.A. the Stealth Bomber. Growing up near an air force base, it was always a unique and exciting experience to see this fly at its incredible speed and sound.
- Favorite TV Show: I Love Lucy. Such a big fan of her creative genius and humorous spirit. I could watch reruns all day.
- Favorite Hobbies: Dancing, Gardening and Painting. Growing up as a dancer and performing on stage, I credit that in helping me come out of my shell and not be afraid to present and speak in front of a crowd in my adult years. Today, watching dance and the evolution of choreography inspires me to never lose the ability.
Tarah Young didn’t plan to go into a career in airports, since coming in she hasn’t looked back.
“It’s a really interesting niche,” she said. “There are a lot of players involved and it can get hairy sometimes, but it’s exciting. It’s always a different day, it always keeps you on your toes. You’re not sitting back and doing repetitive types of things.”
As URW Airports LLC’s associate director of design at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Young’ impact goes far beyond what a customer can see or touch. She must carefully balance the customer’s overall experience with the base building existing conditions and construction requirements, the tenant’s needs and goals, and the airport’s standards – all while managing tight budgets and ever-changing schedules.
Young’s nomination notes she has a keen eye for authenticity and has passion for finding inspiration from her city of Los Angeles by crafting ways to deliver those unique and diverse vibes into the airport.
More importantly, she creates a collaborative relationship between the airport, airlines, operators and key stakeholders to push beyond the initial standard design into unexplored territory.
Her process has helped not only change airport design, but change the way airports approach the redevelopment process in the first place.
The airport’s concessions program has been recognized three years in a row for its excellence by industry leaders.
Young won first place in the City of Salt Lake 2002 Winter Olympics Memorial Design Competition and has worked as a designer on projects located around the globe.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in Architecture from the University of Utah and a master’s in Architecture from California State Polytechnic University-Pomona with a concentration in historic preservation.
Her Master’s thesis project was the recipient of the 2006 Richard Neutra Award for Professional Excellence.
