Designing for Impact: How Farooq Ameen and City Design Studio Build Community by Design

June 10, 2025 | By ICIC

For architect and urban planner Farooq Ameen, design is more than a profession—it’s a way of uplifting communities. As the founder and principal of City Design Studio, Farooq has spent more than a decade creating places that reflect the histories, identities, and needs of the people who live there.

The firm’s work spans continents, but its impact is perhaps most visible in Los Angeles. In mid-city, City Design Studio converted an abandoned factory into a transitional facility for unhoused residents—complete with dome-shaped beds for privacy and even a dog park to keep people and their pets together. In Inglewood, they designed a public plaza adjacent to the forthcoming Los Angeles Clippers arena, making space for the local community to gather and share in the economic momentum of the neighborhood.

“We design projects that respond to complex needs,” Farooq says. “That often means finding solutions where others see barriers.”

This commitment to inclusive development earned City Design Studio national recognition as a 2024 IC100 award winner, placing it among the fastest-growing small businesses in under-resourced communities across the U.S.

“Being selected for the IC100 was a meaningful acknowledgment of the work we’ve done to revitalize underserved neighborhoods,” Farooq says. “It reinforced our belief that design can be a powerful driver of equity.”

From Design Thinking to Business Thinking

Though City Design Studio had established itself as a mission-driven firm, Farooq recognized a need to strengthen its business foundation. That led him to apply for Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses, an executive education program for entrepreneurs ready to grow.

“I joined 10,000 Small Businesses to better understand how to scale and lead with intention,” Farooq explains. “It gave me practical tools—around finance, marketing, and operations—but also a community of peers who were navigating similar challenges.”

What stood out most was how the program encouraged strategic thinking without compromising values. “It reminded me that growth and impact don’t have to be at odds,” he says.

A Defining Moment of Innovation

That mindset—of blending creativity with clarity—came to life during a particularly challenging project. City Design Studio had been hired to design a massive public plaza near a sports arena. While the client appreciated the vision, he struggled to fully understand how the space would be experienced on game days.

“We had presented designs for nearly a year,” Farooq recalls. “But something wasn’t clicking.”

Farooq and his team took a step back. They developed three detailed visualizations that simulated how fans would move through the space—bridging between buildings, pausing at a bandshell, navigating landscaping and gathering areas. It wasn’t just a rendering; it was a walk-through story.

“When we showed the visuals, everything changed,” Farooq says. “He had an Aha moment. He could finally see what we had been talking about. That breakthrough allowed us to move forward.”

That moment wasn’t just a win for the project—it was a clear example of how innovation at City Design Studio means understanding your audience and crafting new ways to communicate ideas.

Designing the Future with AI in Mind

Farooq’s forward-thinking mindset continues to shape his business goals. One of his next frontiers? Artificial intelligence.

At ICIC’s 2025 Innovation Summit, Farooq spoke on a panel titled Learning, Using, and Navigating Challenges with AI Tools: A Conversation with Small Business Owners. The session offered a grounded look at how small business owners are experimenting with AI, where it’s helping, and where it still feels complex.

“For us, AI isn’t about replacing people—it’s about freeing them up,” Farooq expressed during the panel. “If we can use it to streamline admin tasks or speed up rendering processes, then our designers can focus on the creative work that really matters.”

City Design Studio is currently exploring how to integrate AI into everyday operations in a way that complements, rather than compromises, its mission. As Farooq puts it, “We want our team to spend less time on repetitive work and more time designing solutions that make people feel seen.”

Centering Community in Innovation

Innovation at City Design Studio doesn’t come from chasing trends. It comes from observation, empathy, and careful listening.

“We ask a lot of questions,” Farooq says. “We try to understand what the client really needs—even if they can’t articulate it at first.”

He believes the most powerful lessons in innovation often come from unexpected places. “Observe how communities with few resources innovate every day,” he advises other entrepreneurs. “There’s so much creativity born from constraint.”

As he looks ahead, Farooq envisions City Design Studio continuing to grow not just in size, but in depth—taking on projects that challenge conventions and center the people most impacted by design decisions.

About Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses
Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses provides business education, support services, and pathways to capital for growth-oriented entrepreneurs. Participants gain practical skills to take their business to the next level, with topics like financial statements, negotiations, and marketing. The program is offered tuition-free and delivered in partnership with academic institutions across the country.

Learn more about Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses at icic.org/10ksb

About the IC100 Awards
Since 1999, ICIC has identified and honored the 100 fastest-growing businesses located in under-resourced communities through the prestigious IC100 Awards. Throughout this period, ICIC has had the privilege of learning about and highlighting more than 1,000 remarkable business leaders and companies from across the United States. These firms have proven to be catalysts for job growth and promoters of a thriving, inclusive economy, even amidst challenging circumstances. Furthermore, they have actively contributed to the enhancement of their communities by generously donating their time and resources to local organizations and charitable causes.

Learn more about the IC100 Awards and eligibility criteria for this year’s list at icic.org/ic100.