The Simple Art Museum In China Nods To The Nanfei River

In the 1950’s, a Chinese party slogan proclaimed, “Every county must have its museum, and every commune its exhibition hall.” Today, the country is experiencing an explosion of museums, many of which are free, with the aim of adopting a more modern cultural heritage, including in the central-eastern city of Hefei. It’s there that Bangkok-based Jenchieh Hung + Kulthida Songkittipakdee/HAS Design and Research has completed the Simple Art Museum, a 12,380-square-foot institution, its bold architecture syncing with what’s on show: contemporary pieces from emerging artists working in various disciplines, from painting to video.

A sweeping zigzag canopy in micro-cement shelters the entry, then continues as the interior’s ceiling, capping the galleries, workshops, and café while concealing lighting and ductwork—a gesture that’s both functional and sculptural. “It not only reflects the essence of Hui-style architecture but also symbolizes the flowing movement of Hefei’s mother river, the Nanfei,” Hung explains. Songkittipakdee adds, “It opens outward to embrace the public.” At sunset, 40-foot-long LED strips contribute to light refracting across the ceiling’s textures, creating a ripplelike shimmer that blurs inside and out.

The ceiling plays a role in a current installation, too. “Formatted Gaze” by Xinjia Yang is composed of two parts: nearly a dozen smartphones suspended from above displaying human eyes, and his collage of posters of street-view maps hung on a neighboring wall. The ability to accommodate digital and analog, past and present architectural and societal traditions suggests that the Simple Art Museum is a work of art in its own right.

Tour The Simple Art Museum By HAS Design and Research

Steve Madden’s Times Square Flagship Gets a Sculptural Makeover

In the heart of Times Square, one of the world’s most high-octane retail corridors, a bold new expression of the Steve Madden brand has taken shape. The 2,700-square-foot flagship—newly redesigned by Brooklyn-based Ringo Studio—melds gritty New York attitude with immersive, tactile sophistication. Ringo Studio founder Madelynn Ringo approached the project with reverence for Steve Madden’s cultural roots and an eye toward the future. “Steve Madden is synonymous with New York City’s energy and creativity,” Ringo explains. “We were challenged to reimagine the brand’s retail identity while honoring its rich history.” The result is part clubhouse, part showroom—a layered, gallery-like interior that invites visitors to linger, lounge, and connect.

A sweeping oak colonnade guides customers along a meandering path through merchandise zones defined by textural contrast: rough concrete floors meet veined travertine, high-gloss penny tile “rugs,” and heavy slabs of black marble. Integrated chrome shelving provides modular flexibility to support the brand’s fast-moving inventory, while peek-through openings and custom millwork from Chateau Brooklyn anchor the space with intimate sightlines and vignettes.

Ringo Studio Reimagines This Steve Madden Flagship With Flair

The color palette—equal parts edgy and nostalgic—draws on Steve Madden’s pop culture moments. Signature hits of baby blue and lemony yellow nod to the brand’s irreverent early-2000s “big head” ads, while plush seating nooks and sweeping champagne-toned curtains lend warmth and glamour. Lighting, too, plays a starring role: linear LED bars slice across the 18-foot ceilings, creating a rhythm of shadow and sparkle that evokes the pulse of the city itself.

But beneath the polish lies precision. Ringo’s team navigated significant site challenges, including subway vibrations beneath the floor that required innovative concrete detailing. “We integrated predefined seams that aligned with the existing structure, allowing the floor to subtly move without cracking,” the designers note.

Tapping Into Nostalgia With Design Details

Functionally, the layout also rethinks how customers move through the space. Distinct zones for women’s, men’s, and kids’ lines allow for intuitive browsing, while a sunken lounge at the rear offers a moment of pause—a softly lit stage for trying on heels or catching a glimpse of Times Square from behind the glass.

Ultimately, the project captures a brand in motion: youthful but grown-up, nostalgic but future-facing. As Ringo puts it, “We wanted to create a space that feels like Steve Madden—expressive, confident, and ready for what’s next.” In a city where standing out means everything, the new flagship doesn’t just hold its ground—it turns heads. 

Lace Up At The Revamped Steve Madden Flagship In Times Square

Venture Into The World Of Streetwear In This Monograph

How A Multifamily Residence Honors Its Diverse Inhabitants

Although Richmond, British Columbia, is located in metro Vancouver, over half its citizens identify as Chinese, and nearly 75 percent hail from somewhere in Asia. That diversity is at the core of Hollybridge at River Green, an amenity-rich multifamily residence with interiors by CHIL. Culturally specific touches like wok kitchenettes, a tai chi garden, and a mah-jongg room cater to the lifestyle of the local populace, while the overarching concept borrows from the hospitality world.

Among the many amenities is a sunlit 25-meter lap pool lined with a black-and-white mosaic that continues onto the surrounding decking, a gym, anchored by a slatted walnut-veneered canopy/divider, and a kids’ playroom, where materials such as vinyl and plastic laminate are not only colorful but also durable and cleanable. Senior interior designer Diana Ellis drew inspiration from her experience living in Macau and Hong Kong, where she first recognized the timeless beauty of traditional English interiors and their influence. Detailing throughout Hollybridge evokes that, as evidenced by the central elevator bank, where honed Calacatta and Nero Marquina marble flooring joins refined walnut millwork. Multiculturalism is the project’s strength—just like the city it’s based in.

Bible Verses Inform The Design Of Thailand’s Church Of Joy

2024 Best of Year Winner for Building Façade

The interplay of light, shadow, and geometry is driven by sacred meaning in the Church of Joy by Department of Architecture Co., with the architectural details referencing Bible verses. Cascading precast-concrete pleats enveloping the 5,400-square-foot con­gre­gation hall in Bangkok, Thailand, recall the “curtain” of Exodus 26:33, symbolizing the separation and the connection between the spiritual and the mortal. A dichroic Covenant Cross re­fracts sunlight into a spectrum of colors, embodying Genesis 9:16’s “rainbow.” By night, the illuminated cross trans­forms the structure into a radiant beacon, echoing the “light of the world” in Matthew 5:14-15. At this intersection of divine faith and worldly design is a place for worship that’s no less beautiful to more secular passersby.

PROJECT TEAM: AMATA LUPHAIBOON; TWITEE VAJRABHAYA TEPARKUM; WARAPHAN WATANAKAROON; PONGPAT POLSORN.

Design Reads: Aspen Through The Lens Of Rowland+Broughton

In the late 1800’s, when silver was discovered in the mountains around Aspen, Colorado, the town experienced a boom—followed by an equally spectacular bust when the market collapsed only a decade later. But in the intervening century, Aspen has used those mountains as a new source of prosperity, reinventing itself as one of the world’s foremost ski destinations. Local architecture and interior design firm Rowland+Broughton, founded in 2003, has had a hand in shaping the area’s distinct Rocky Mountain personality, and compiled in this book, Designing Aspen: The Houses of Rowland+Broughton (Architectural Press) by John Rowland and Sarah Broughton, are 10 houses emblematic of that style.

A through line of these structures is the way they work with the landscape, making the most of the area’s natural beauty with large picture windows that frame views. Case in point is the Ridge House, its minimalist dark cladding also avoiding competing with nature. Some seem fully immersed in the terrain, like the Barn Studio, which looks like a rocky outcropping but is in fact a newly built structure of irregularly shaped stones. And inside, these residences are worlds unto themselves, replete with blue-chip artworks and gems of contemporary furniture design. As Interior Design Hall of Fame member Tom Kundig notes in the book’s foreword, “R+B’s contextual approach is humble yet bold, continuously adding layers in the evolution of the firm’s built identity to carry forward and complement the Aspen Idea—a convergence of mind, body, and spirit.”

DLR Group Crafts A Cutting-Edge Carbon-Neutral Hub For Swarthmore

Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania is one of many institutions of higher learning that has taken on the ambitious but necessary goal of becoming carbon-neutral within the next decade—even as it expands to accommodate a fast-growing student body. That target was fundamental to the conception of the campus’s 60,000-square-foot dining and community commons building, and guided DLR Group’s choice of mass timber for the structure. The Northern pine glulam beams and CLT elements, built in collaboration with Mid-Atlantic Timberframes, have the unique ability to sequester carbon. Left exposed inside, the framework contributes to a naturalistic vibe that synchronizes with framed views of the surrounding Scott Arboretum, home to 4,000 species of trees and other plants. 

Slate-tile exteriors meet dynamic interior details—custom terrazzo flooring, white-oak booths, cascading pendant globes—to create a welcoming experience for up to 800 diners. Behind-the-scenes sustainability features include rooftop photovoltaic cells and a subterranean geo-exchange system that harnesses renewable energy for campus-wide heating and cooling. It’s a holistic approach that’s great for both student and planet.

On The Move: March 2025 Promotions And Hires

Discover the most recent industry promotions, new hires, and company news in Interior Design’s March 2025 edition of On the Move.

Check Out These Designers + Architects On The Move

Saguez & Partners

Dash Design has been acquired by Paris-based Saguez & Partners, forming Saguez & Dash, a global design powerhouse. The firms have collaborated for three years, merging American innovation with French sophistication. Known for projects in hospitality, retail, and luxury, the combined team will offer deep local market insight with an international perspective. This strategic move enhances their ability to deliver exceptional, sustainable design solutions worldwide.

Saguez & Dash

Saguez & Dash has appointed Gwendoline Theodet as chief development officer to lead hospitality growth across the U.S. and Europe. With a strong background in business development and strategic growth for global design firms, Theodet will enhance the company’s presence in key markets. She also serves as President of NEWH’s Paris Chapter, reinforcing her industry leadership. Saguez & Dash, a subsidiary of Saguez & Partners, specializes in hospitality design, merging European and American expertise with a focus on sustainability.

Mancini Duffy

Mancini Duffy has promoted Lauren Maxted to principal, director of marketing and business development, and director of the Seattle office. Since joining Mancini in 2022, her expertise in brand positioning, business growth, and market expansion has been instrumental in elevating Mancini’s presence nationwide. In her expanded leadership role, she will continue to work with the leadership team to guide the firm’s strategic vision while expanding the firm’s footprint in the Seattle market. Additionally, Kara Schmidt-Robben has joined Mancini Duffy as studio director in Seattle. With an extensive background in corporate interiors, ranging from tech, R&D, and professional service clients, Schmidt-Robben will lead project teams and help to expand the firm’s engagement in the region. She joins the firm with over 15 years of experience, previously serving as principal of design at Unispace in Seattle. 

The Brooklyn Studio

The Brooklyn Studio has promoted Claire Leavengood-Boxer, RA, to senior associate. Since joining in 2016, she has played a key role in historic restoration projects across Brooklyn and Manhattan. In her expanded leadership role, she will oversee project financials, scheduling, and client relations. With prior experience at Safdie Architects and a Master of Architecture from the University of Michigan, Leavengood-Boxer strengthens the firm’s commitment to preserving New York’s historic fabric.

Snøhetta

Global design practice Snøhetta has leased 25,000 square feet at 55 Washington Street in DUMBO, marking a major relocation from Manhattan’s Financial District. This move further solidifies DUMBO as a premier design hub, joining firms like Bjarke Ingels Group and Brooklyn Studio. The historic, loft-style space will serve as Snøhetta’s new headquarters, supporting its transdisciplinary approach to architecture, interiors, and landscape design. The lease, the largest in Brooklyn this year, reflects the neighborhood’s growing appeal to the design industry.

Studio B Architecture + Interiors

Studio B Architecture + Interiors announces a leadership transition as longtime employees Sarah Harkins and Kyle Burds become co-owners. Harkins, now leading the Aspen studio, and Burds, overseeing Boulder, bring fresh vision while maintaining the firm’s legacy of modern, bespoke design. Mentored by founders Scott and Susan Okie Lindenau, the duo will expand Studio B’s reach while upholding its commitment to excellence, creativity, and collaboration in architecture and interiors.

//3877

//3877 expands its interiors team with the addition of senior innovator Libby Hampton, innovator Amanda Phillips, and senior collaborator Melissa Morreale. Hampton brings over a decade of hospitality design experience, including the expansion of Tupelo Honey Southern Kitchen & Bar. Phillips, with a background in multi-family and commercial projects, specializes in interior architecture and detailing. Morreale, passionate about restaurant and hospitality design, also serves as marketing director for the District Design Collaborative. Their expertise strengthens //3877’s commitment to innovation and impact-driven design.

OJB

OJB announces the promotion of thirteen team members across its Boston, Houston, Philadelphia, and San Diego offices, recognizing their contributions to design, technology, operations, and firm culture. These promotions span all experience levels, from emerging professionals to senior leaders, reflecting OJB’s commitment to fostering talent and innovation. The firm celebrates their dedication and looks forward to their continued growth in expanded roles.

DAHLIN Architecture | Planning | Interiors

DAHLIN has promoted Gregor Markel, Elizabeth Sabol, and Sean Whitacre to managing principals, strengthening its leadership across market sectors. Markel will oversee civic and healthcare projects, Sabol will expand the education sector, and Whitacre will lead multifamily, mixed-use, and affordable housing initiatives. These promotions align with DAHLIN’s strategic growth, reinforcing its commitment to design excellence and expanding its reach across new regional markets.

FCA

FCA announces key leadership promotions, elevating Christopher Marotto, Francis Altieri Jr., and Marissa Dionne Mead to principal. Marotto, a 30-year veteran, leads IT strategy to enhance operational efficiency. Altieri, a healthcare design expert, focuses on human-centered patient care. Mead, director of art integration, expands the firm’s artistic approach in architecture. Additionally, FCA promotes one new director, six senior associates, and six associates, reinforcing its commitment to fostering future industry leaders.

JCJ Architecture

JCJ appoints Mary Faria, AIA, LEED AP, as eastern managing director. With 34 years of operational expertise, including leadership at Group One Partners, she will oversee resource planning, interoffice collaboration, and project alignment across the East Coast. Faria’s leadership will strengthen JCJ’s ability to support clients, optimize project delivery, and drive business objectives. Her appointment reinforces JCJ’s commitment to excellence and strategic growth.

Michael Graves Architecture

Michael Graves Architecture (MG) has acquired Kollin Altomare Architects, expanding its presence on the West Coast and strengthening its expertise in luxury hospitality design. Kollin Altomare, known for high-profile projects like The Beverly Hilton and Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach, brings a 20-person team to MG’s global network. This strategic move enhances MG’s ability to deliver world-class hospitality projects while fostering cross-regional collaboration and innovation.

DMAC Architecture & Interiors

Jessica Saravia, AIA, CSI, CCS, CDT, LEED AP, has been appointed chair of the Leadership Group for the National AIA Building Performance Knowledge Community (BPKC), representing 13,000 members. As DMAC Architecture & Interiors’ Technical Director, she brings expertise in performance-driven design, construction, and sustainability. Saravia will continue her leadership at BEC-Chicago while spearheading initiatives to elevate building performance standards, reinforcing DMAC’s commitment to innovation and architectural excellence.

HLW

HLW announces a new global leadership team as it enters its 140th year, appointing Ed Shim, Sejal Sonani, and Bennet Dunkley as managing partners. John Mack becomes global design director, while Cristen Colantoni and Bronte Turner are elevated to Senior Principal, and Patrick Kinzler to managing principal. This leadership transition strengthens HLW’s global presence and commitment to innovation, sustainability, and interdisciplinary collaboration across architecture and design.

Perkins&Will

Perkins&Will appoints John Sadlon as firmwide workplace practice leader after 13 years with the firm. Previously leading the New York workplace team, Sadlon will drive business strategy, consulting services, and workplace innovation globally. With over 25 years of experience and a portfolio spanning 48 cities across 12 countries, he will focus on helping businesses navigate the evolving work landscape while fostering client relationships and mentoring colleagues.

Fine Art Handcrafted Lighting

Fine Art Handcrafted Lighting has appointed Michael Perez-Caromano as national sales director. With over 15 years of experience in business development and luxury sales, Michael has held leadership roles at Phillip Jeffries, Knoll Textiles, Cinema Tech, and Restoration Hardware. Recognized by IIDA for his industry contributions, he will oversee national trade accounts, implement relationship-driven sales strategies, and expand the brand’s presence, particularly in hospitality. His leadership aligns with Fine Art’s commitment to craftsmanship, innovation, and strategic growth in the luxury lighting market.

Arrowstreet

Arrowstreet welcomes Pearl Pyo as director of interior design, bringing expertise in global hospitality and workplace environments. In her new role, Pyo will lead the Interior Design Studio, enhancing the firm’s multidisciplinary approach across hospitality, multifamily, academic, and corporate projects. Her leadership will strengthen Arrowstreet’s commitment to innovative, client-focused, and sustainable design, reinforcing its mission to push creative boundaries and deliver transformative spaces.

Ware Malcomb

Ware Malcomb announces the promotions of Catalina Rocha to director, architecture, and Amanda Kavanaugh to director, interior architecture & design in its Vaughan, Ontario office. Rocha, with 30 years of experience, will lead the region’s commercial architecture portfolio, while Kavanaugh, a workplace design expert, will drive growth in the firm’s interior design practice. Their leadership reinforces Ware Malcomb’s commitment to excellence in architecture and interior design across the region.

Ware Malcomb has promoted Ana Cervantes to director, resource services in its Irvine, California office. A licensed California architect with over a decade of industry experience, Cervantes will lead operations for the firm’s U.S. production studios, enhancing project delivery best practices. Since joining Ware Malcomb in 2015, she has played a key role in production operations, quality assurance, and mentoring team members. She previously served as Studio Manager for the Studio-West group and holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Universidad Autónoma de Baja California.

Pfluger Architects

Pfluger Architects welcomes Christopher Laack, AIA, NCARB, as higher education practice leader. With over 20 years of experience across education, mixed-use, and urban planning, Laack will lead the firm’s strategic growth with colleges and universities across Texas. Previously a Principal at VLK Architects, he brings expertise in campus planning and complex projects. Based in Houston, he will strengthen client relationships and contribute to ongoing projects, including San Jacinto College and Texas Lutheran University.

Duda|Paine Architects

Duda|Paine Architects announces the retirement of co-founder Jeff Paine, FAIA, from his full-time role, transitioning into a consulting partner position. Since co-founding the firm in 1997, Paine has played a pivotal role in shaping its nationally and internationally recognized portfolio, including corporate headquarters, office and residential towers, and student life and wellness facilities. A mentor and leader, he will continue to offer guidance on select projects while the firm moves forward under the leadership of Turan Duda and principals Jay Smith, Scott Shell, and Sanjeev Patel.

LRS Architects

LRS Architects announces the promotion of six team members, recognizing their contributions to the firm’s growth and leadership. Mathew Dreska, Amy Hjelte, Alex Karel, and Kelsey Loverro have been elevated to Senior Associate, while Paul Kurth and Zachary Freund have been promoted to Associate. These advancements reflect LRS’s commitment to fostering talent and delivering innovative, client-focused design solutions across various sectors, including hospitality, multifamily, and adaptive reuse.

Moody Nolan

Moody Nolan has promoted Ochuko Edema to director of New York Operations, where he will lead business development and strategic growth across key sectors, including healthcare, education, housing, and civic. A project manager with the firm since 2021, Edema brings over 20 years of experience, including major projects for J.P. Morgan Chase and the NYC Department of Design and Construction. His leadership will strengthen Moody Nolan’s presence in the region, expanding its impact through innovative, high-performance design.

Moody Nolan has appointed Linda Nunnelly, NOMA, LEED AP, as national business development leader. A Howard University graduate with over 25 years of industry experience, including more than 20 cumulative years at Moody Nolan, Nunnelly will lead the firm’s nationwide business development strategy from its Washington, D.C. office. Previously, she played a pivotal role in establishing Moody Nolan’s Atlanta and D.C. offices and has led significant projects such as Dunbar High School and the Atlanta Central Library renovation. She remains an active leader in professional organizations, including AIA and NOMA, and will focus on expanding the firm’s client partnerships and national presence.

RAMSA

RAMSA (Robert A.M. Stern Architects) has appointed Frances Calosso as interior design director. With over 15 years of experience in hospitality and multifamily residences, Calosso will co-lead the firm’s Interior Design department and strengthen its branded residential and hospitality portfolios. Previously with Roman and Williams, Rockwell Group, and Islyn Studio, she has worked with brands like Ace Hotels, Kimpton, and Nobu Hospitality. At RAMSA, she will help shape landmark projects such as the St. Regis Residences Brickell and Ritz-Carlton Residences, The Woodlands.

Jeffrey Dungan Architects

Jeffrey Dungan Architects has promoted Joel Solomon, AIA, to partner. A key member of the firm for over 19 years, Solomon has played an integral role in its success through his expertise in design, project management, and client relations. With over 22 years in architecture, he now expands his leadership to include strategic planning and business development. A LEED Accredited Professional and Auburn University graduate, Solomon remains dedicated to creating distinctive, high-quality residential and commercial projects across the U.S. and internationally.

This Czech Chapel’s Craftsmanship Reflects Its Community’s Faith

Amid the rolling fields of southern Moravia in the Czech Republic stands a circular medieval-looking structure. It’s Our Lady of Sorrows Chapel, but it was actually completed just last year by RCNKSK, a Prague architecture studio that prioritizes the use of sustainable materials and strong connection to heritage. Cofounders Filip Kosek and Jan Říčný, along with help early on from Říčný’s father, Atelier Tišnovka cofounder Michal Říčný, built the church over a decade through a combination of techniques ancient and modern, its concept reflecting the story of the Virgin Mary.

The exterior is a mix of traditional larch and ash, while its 90-foot apex is a futuristic steel spire. The contrast continues for the 1,600-square-foot interior, characterized by rammed earth and locally quarried gneiss at ground level, with sunlight radiating through CNC-cut apertures above, around a series of ascending timber beams that symbolize the Seven Sorrows of Mary. “The suffering she endured is woven into the very fabric of the space,” Říčný says. “It’s an expression of craftsmanship and the Nesvačilka community’s faith.”

Representing the strength of that faith and the unyielding quality of humanity are the 16-foot-high entry doors in patinated copper and blackened oak, the steel and ash pews, the tabernacle formed from a historic piece of sandstone, and the building’s stone plinth—all materials that should stand the test of time, even age beautifully from it. The same can be said of the apple trees flanking the stone pathway, which echo the nearby orchards.

DNA’s Double Helix Informs The Design Of This Biotech Center

DNA’s double helix has been emblematic of the sciences ever since Francis Crick and James Watson published their 1953 paper revealing its twisted-ladder structure. It’s also part of the day-to-day business of Illumina, a San Diego biotechnology company that makes gene-sequencing tools. That’s why ZGF Architects, an industry leader in healthcare and research facilities, for such clients as Kaiser Permanente and Google, contributing to the firm’s rank of 21 among the Interior Design top 100 Giants for 2025, turned to that shape as a motif for Illumina’s new executive briefing center. With sustainability another ZGF pillar, the 30,000-square-foot, public-facing space, functioning as a catalyst for forging customer relationships with researchers and clinicians, offering event, group and private work, and breakout areas, is also an adaptative reuse project, built in a four-story storage facility already existing on the campus.

Connecting the center’s three-story atrium is a grand staircase rendered in Di-Noc–finished steel, its form inspired by the double helix. “The substructure was particularly complicated,” ZGF partner James Woolum explains. “The first run of stairs is a spiral, while the second is an ellipse, meaning they had to be engineered independently.” The structures were broken down into 25 precision-engineered sections, each made in Portland, Oregon, and shipped to San Diego. “That required precise coordination of dimensions between off-site fabrication and on-site construction,” Woolum continues. He then chose terrazzo for treads and concealed gently glowing LEDs along the inner balustrade.

Additional illumination, in function and name, comes from IllumaLens, Ray King’s 42-foot-high, site-specific installation of more than 5,000 glass pieces that refracts sunlight and changes color throughout the day. “The flow cells inside Illumina’s gene sequencer,” Woolum adds, “have a similar kind of dichroic quality.”