Kengo Kuma Designs A Tokyo Café With A Dynamic Facade

The scales of a living fish are not a typical starting point for a design concept. Yet this is an idea that underpins Wakuni Shoten, a café in suburban Tokyo by Japanese architect and Interior Design Hall of Fame member Kengo Kuma that boasts a rhythmic three-dimensional facade of more than 700 verdigris copper plates repurposed from a shrine.

The tidy 600-square-foot spot occupies a former tobacco store in a 55-year-old wooden building on a quiet shopping street in Higashimurayama. The project was helmed by local sheet-metal artisans aiming to revitalize the neighborhood and create an innovative community base. Inside, coffee and Shiba dog-shaped cookies are served amid such crafted brass details as angular counters and shapely pendant fixtures, the warm metal juxtaposing the concrete flooring and black plaster walls.

But it’s the facade that really defines the spirit of Wakuni Shoten. The geometric pentagonal plates—layered, sculptural, origamilike—were formed out of recycled materials from the roof of Hayatani Shrine in Hiroshima, using a technique by metal artisan Tomokazu Uchino. Their patinated surfaces, in an organic spectrum of greens and blues, are in a constant state of transformation, evolving with the shift of time, weather, and light. “Our aim was to breathe new life into the abandoned building,” Kuma says, “into architecture that had been long dead.”

Kengo Kuma Captures Wakuni Shoten’s Spirit Through Sustainable Craft

Shebara Resort, A Floating Net-Zero Oasis, Wows In Saudi Arabia

You can’t say Saudi Arabia doesn’t put its money where its mouth is. Announced in 2017 with an estimated budget of $23.6 billion, the gobsmacking Red Sea Project—a tourism megadevelopment that, by 2030, aims to create 50 resorts across 22 islands and six inland sites on the kingdom’s west coast—has already seen four properties open. One of the most recent, the Shebara Resort, sits 15 miles offshore on Sheybarah Island, an irregular sliver of rolling sand dunes, desert flora, turtle nesting grounds, and pristine coral reefs. If Killa Design’s master plan and architecture for the 73-key luxury enclave evoke a string of pearls threading the shoreline, that’s purely intentional. Housed in mirror-finished stainless-steel ellipsoids, Shebara’s guest villas form a dazzling silver-bead necklace that winds over water and land as if gently dropped there by the sea.

“Dropped there” is the apposite phrase: The shiny orbs were entirely prefabricated and outfitted in the United Arab Emirates, then shipped to the site and lowered onto concrete foundations with steel pile caps embedded in the seabed and the beachfront. This strategy not only ensured that each structure is as carefully built and meticulously detailed as a superyacht but also minimized construction impact on the island’s delicate ecosystem. In fact, powered by a massive solar array and supported by a reverse-osmosis desalination plant, wastewater reclamation system, and all-electric land and marine transportation, the whole eco-resort operates at net-zero levels of energy, water, and waste.

How Shebara Resort Redefines Luxury On The Red Sea

Reached by boat or seaplane, Shebara defers to the natural environment in other ways, too. Despite the buildings’ futuristic, look-at-me aesthetic—they could be a fleet of intergalactic spacecraft on a friendly visit—their mirrored skins reflect the sea and sky, sand and scrub, making them appear to dematerialize into the landscape. The overwater villas’ cantilevered support system gives the impression they’re floating weightlessly above the surface, with no disturbance to the marine habitat.

If Killa successfully resolved the problem of integrating such distinctive architecture into an unspoiled setting, it fell to a couple of other firms to formulate equally arresting interiors that nonetheless blended seamlessly with the striking exteriors. Studio Paolo Ferrari—already engaged on another Red Sea Project property, Desert Rock in the Hejaz Mountains—won the competition to outfit the villas. “I knew the guest rooms had to be forward-looking, unconventional, even experimental, but I didn’t want them to be overly expressive,” founder and principal designer Paolo Ferrari begins. “We aimed to embed a timeless, lyrical quality in the work, too.” It turned out that solving the first challenge—linking the outer shell to the space inside—also helped achieve the balance Ferrari envisioned. “The need for connection made it important to bring polished steel into the interior,” he says. “That led us to look at the material in a fresh light, as something very pure, architectural, and lovely to experiment with.”

Sleek Technology Meets Human Craftsmanship 

The shiny metal appears throughout, handled almost as if it were liquid—poured into sculptural forms that include side tables, floor lamps, vanity mirrors, and headboards with integrated nightstands that curl around each bed. All are custom, like the rest of the furnishings. Most spectacular is the wall-mounted bar: a gleaming silver cabinet resembling a giant chrysalis that, at the touch of a button, opens gently like a blossom to reveal an interior lined in rich crimson leather. “There’s something intentionally perplexing about it because, as a guest, you have no idea what it is,” Ferrari notes. “But it also has a joyful quality of surprise and discovery.”

Like the resort’s space-age architecture, the centerpiece cabinet is intriguingly mysterious rather than disconcertingly alien—sleek technology imbued with natural warmth and human craftsmanship. Ferrari’s cocoonlike interiors extend this aesthetic, replicating the seamless surfaces, smooth curves, and precision engineering of the outer shells, but rendered in a restrained materials palette that connects to nature. Joining the fluid steel forms are travertine floors, carved-oak vanities, ebony built-ins, leather paneling with dark-bronze inlay, wool rugs, and plaster ceilings. “It’s about using materials in new and unexpected ways,” Ferrari concludes, “but ensuring that it’s still very honest, simple, and pure, despite how complex it is as a project.”

Amenities Abound In This Visionary Resort 

Rockwell Group was hired to outfit the five restaurants and bars, along with the arrival pavilion, spa, gym, and other public spaces, some 39,000 square feet in all. “Working with domed spaces was technically challenging,” Rockwell partner and project lead Brad Zuger acknowledges. “The exterior is enigmatic, unified, and stunning. Our interiors are softer, more story-driven, and widely varied according to the space’s program.”

A couple of the restaurants illustrate what Zuger means. Lunara, a beachfront brasserie, brings the colors and textures of the island’s gorgeously austere landscape indoors. The ceiling, an undulating sea of suspended oak rods, is as mesmerizing as a tide-swayed kelp forest. Its biomorphic pattern is echoed in the bespoke oak-parquet flooring, while sage green and similarly organic hues enrich the custom furnishings.

Ariamare, which serves Mediterranean-style cuisine, draws inspiration from the sea. Here, plaster ribbing spans the curved ceiling, suggesting the delicate tracery of fish bones, while a glittering chandelier evokes their iridescent scales. It floats above the crudo bar—a semicircle of chiseled natural stone with the heft of an Attic monolith. This echo of the ancient past in a contemporary setting helps give guests the experience Zuger hopes for: “They should feel as though they’ve stepped into another world.”

Walk Through The Shebara Resort

ROCKWELL GROUP: HARAM KIM; LAUREN TUDOR; GRACIE ZHANG. STUART MCGUIRE; JOHN GAITAN; LUCAS STANOIS; CRAWFORD NOBLE; JOANNE WENDERSKA; RAJESHTA JULATUM; DIPRA SHETTY; SARAH YAO: STUDIO PAOLO FERRARI. KILLA DESIGN: ARCHITECT OF RECORD. DEPA GROUP: CUSTOM FURNITURE WORKSHOP; GENERAL CONTRACTOR.

FROM FRONT MCH INTERNATIONAL: CUSTOM RUG (GUEST ROOM). GRANKRAFT INDUSTRIES: CUSTOM BAR CABINET. LASVIT: CUSTOM BEDSIDE LIGHT, CUSTOM FLOOR LAMP (GUEST ROOM), CUSTOM CHANDELIER (ARIAMARE). SANIHARTO: CUSTOM ARMCHAIR (GUEST ROOM), CUSTOM TABLE, CUSTOM CHAISE LOUNGES (ROYAL VILLA). GESSI: FITTINGS (HAMMAM). ROCHE BOBOIS: CHAISE LOUNGES (GYM).

10 Questions With… Almost Studio Founders

Reflecting now, our earliest projects display embers of our beliefs that have only grown stronger over the years in our studio—that a project continually reveals unknown cultural, social, and spatial potential as time passes. It is always “almost.” When you accept that some of the most fulfilling successes of a project come from the uncontrollable surprises of how it grows with people and places, it is an entirely liberating concept. You then prioritize designing for future potentials rather than past or present prescriptions.

ID: Each of you previously worked at other people’s firms. What lessons from those roles inform your projects today? 

AS: We are extremely fortunate and grateful for the experiences that we had prior to founding Almost Studio. Dorian worked in the offices of FreelandBuck, Joeb Moore & Partners, and LOT-EK, and Anthony worked and taught with Peter Eisenman and Steven Harris. At the expense of oversimplification, these mentors instilled that a project should be present at all scales—from an initial concept, to an urban plan, to private residence, to the structural drawings, to the millwork, to the reveal in the wall or floor. Architecture is at its best when it provokes, when it is built, and when it is detailed.

ID: Your studio won the 2023 Love & Design competition, selected by Times Square Arts. Where did the idea for that work begin?

AS: There were two key concepts that created the foundations to the project. The first was to design a “Code of Love” of similar breadth and regulatory authority as governmental “building codes.” What this means is that the formal basis of the entire project is driven by inclusivity—and the heart shapes themselves are generated by one square and two circles sized specifically in harmony with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) written into all federal and state building codes. Second, the project tries to create a surrealist garden landscape in the infinite digital landscape of Times Square. For this, we referred to artists such as René Magritte and the novel Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

ID: Was it a meaningful experience to see it come to life, and are you actively looking for other competitions?

AS: This was a revelatory project for our studio because through the process, we discovered the depth of fulfillment and passion that we have for public work. We truly enjoy projects such as residences and spaces for private clients—and that will always be a critical part of our practice—but we also know that our studio is energized by having a balance and the specificities that adjoin both private and public work. Therefore, competitions, public art installations, and art exhibitions will continue to spark new ideas and ways of thinking about our private projects and vice versa.

ID: You say that you expect your completed projects to change and grow over time. How does this approach inform your work and how have you seen this happen in past projects? 

AS: For the Times Square Theater, we designed a stage—a platform for people to express themselves—and a daily live rose giveaway at 1:00PM. Over the short month of February, the project inspired and hosted many impromptu and unexpected events—including a Skrillex and Four Tet pop-up concert, two weddings, an engagement renewal ceremony for over one thousand people, a religious festival, and Season 15 of The Bachelor. Kids used it as a climbing gym, individuals hid solitary remembrances for loved ones, couples and families created memories together, and everyone was an actor in their own play for a moment.

And in the Myrtle Avenue Loft, a carved and carpeted niche was designed with carpet cut-outs to be a highly-specific dressing area for the client—that spot was eventually overtaken by their beloved family cat as a nap spot.

ID: Can you tell us a bit about your approach to materiality and shape in a retail environment like The Mandarin?

AS: Form and material are fundamental to how we think about design projects. One example is The Mandarin café that we designed in New York City in Lower Manhattan.

When initiating the project, the clients’ primary hope was to create a community and a place of daily familiarity—of “rituals and regulars.” As a result, our design was inspired by early forms of community building, such as the Indigenous Hopewell Culture from Circleville, Ohio in 100 B.C. In this case, two simple geometries—a circle and a square—are the essential organizational devices to create community and structure rituals. The café references this formal strategy in the space, the material, and the lighting. The square creates entry and holds a communal table and the café counter, while the circle is a custom banquet seating area positioning individual tables around the perimeter and encouraging spontaneous conversations and the feeling of a collective. Each form also projects and rotates down from the ceiling, allowing for a soft glow throughout the space and inspired by the artist James Turrell.

ID: It’s much different working with a client on their own residence. How does collaboration and concept play out on residential projects, for example the Bed-Stuy loft in Brooklyn?

AS: Our process—no matter what type of project—begins with art. In our first design meetings with clients, we typically present several artists and works that we feel align with the clients’ vision. Art provides an open-ended, inclusive, and less intimidating spark to learn a lot about what someone likes, and, more importantly, doesn’t like.

When a client sees an architectural reference of an apartment when starting the design of their own apartment—it is too one-to-one and too specific. You might get comments such as “I like that wall texture,” or “This kitchen island is great,” which doesn’t leave much room for interpretation or exploration. However, when discussing art with clients, we are able to better understand their proclivities to certain formal relationships, color palettes, and hierarchies of space that have an expanded means of interpretation. For example in the Myrtle Avenue Loft, we initially presented works from Christo, Josef Albers, and Kazimir Malevich to the clients.

ID: How did you get connected to fashion designer Sandy Liang?

AS: This is a little more of a straightforward answer—Dorian is married to Sandy Liang! We have been inspired by her work from the beginning and continue to learn from her throughout our own process.

ID: And what guided concept development for the Sandy Liang flagship?

AS: For this store, we drew from a few key elements throughout the design process. One was Sandy’s connection to the neighborhood, growing up there and having continued deep family ties to the area. The previous tenant of the space was a laundromat, an integral part of any local community in New York City. In the hopes of continuing a small part of that neighborhood lineage—that shared and collective inheritance—the most prominent formal feature of the store pays homage to the spiraling laundromat conveyor belts that wistfully brought clothing into closer reach.

Another key component of the project occurred partway through construction, during one of our studio’s typical site visits. While walking through the space, we noticed many hand-drawn, penciled notes from the construction workers on the patchy pink and white walls. We ended up reading through these notes as if they were a story—a story of how this retail store came to be, by the people who created it. After this, it was impossible to cover this story up with conventional, generic drywall. These notes, the pink and white patchy wall, and the story of the people and the place that created it became as much a part of the store as the clothing it was meant to display.

ID: What are you currently working on and what type of work are you most interested in doing more of?

AS: We are excited about a number of current projects happening in the studio! We are designing an apartment in Brooklyn Heights that is based on calligraphy and working on the full renovation of a house and gardens in upstate New York in the shape of an octagon (which was originally part of a “kit” of houses that you could purchase online and in catalogues).

We were also invited to showcase work in the Time Space Existence exhibition at the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale. It is a research project in collaboration with an incredible artist and friend Nanette Carter, which addresses the exhibition’s theme of “Repair, Regenerate, and Reuse.” Our specific project is referencing Nanette’s stunning work to propose new speculative suburban developments in an area just outside of Phoenix, Arizona. The work will be on display in Palazzo Mora in Venice from May to November of this year.

And our studio intends to continue scaling up as it relates to the size of projects, the amount of public interaction, and the types of programs. We hope to bring people’s visions for their homes to life in an artistic way—while also growing our relationships with companies and organizations. We hope we can continue to be surprised by the lives our projects take on over time in the public sphere as libraries, museums, senior care centers, art galleries, and many other collaborations. Just as our projects continue to grow over time, we hope our studio, our processes, and our relationships do as well—in other words we are Almost Studio.  

Sip The Day Away In Bruno Coffee’s Latest Outpost In Toronto

A delectable cup of coffee is a work of art; naturally, the surroundings it’s served in should be too. That’s the approach Architecture Riot took when creating Bruno Coffee’s second outpost in Toronto, Canada. The design team infused the locale with sculptural elements and subtle curves, creating an inviting cafe that encourages customers to sip slowly.

“Our approach focused on achieving a balance between functionality and aesthetic clarity—where continuous horizontal planes and softened corners establish a natural flow, guiding customers intuitively through the space,” share studio principal Sally Kassar and design collaborator, Javier Huerta, noting that a parred down palette of oak, plaster, and exposed brick offers an interplay of textures and warmth. “Careful spatial planning ensured that the design maximizes the limited footprint while maintaining a clean, cohesive visual language,” they continue. “The end result is a space where each element feels intentional, enhancing both the tactile and visual qualities of the environment.”

Custom millwork seamlessly melds seating, storage, and display areas, creating a cozy ambience for customers anchored by an expansive service counter. “Instead of placing the service area at the back of the space, we wanted both the barista and the guest to have access to the entire depth of the shop,” the designers share. “This led to a design that splits the space along its length, rather than in the more typical, shorter direction.” Organically shaped sconces echo the curvature throughout while original brick flooring nods to the site’s retail history. “Every detail was carefully considered to create a cohesive rhythm, balancing practicality with warmth, and ensuring the space feels inviting and comfortable,” they add.

Meanwhile, the building’s Queen Street West facade lures customers with its striking shade of blue. “The decision to use a vibrant blue façade was driven by a desire to establish a strong visual identity for Bruno Coffee while maintaining a dialogue with the Queen West streetscape,” say the designers. “Beyond its aesthetic appeal, the blue façade reinforces Bruno’s brand identity, establishing continuity between its locations while offering a fresh interpretation suited to Queen West’s dynamic architectural fabric.” Bruno Coffee’s considered design decisions leave a lasting impression—one that embodies the brand’s slow and intentional cafe culture.

Unwind In The Latest Bruno Coffee Outpost

Check Into This Refreshed Mid-century Motel In Long Beach

Mid-century motel makeovers are certainly having a moment. Next-up on our radar is the 1962 City Center Motel, stretching over an entire block in Long Beach, California. Omgivning, with Richard Kassab at the helm, was a natural choice for the job. The DTLA-based firm specializes in urban adaptive reuse while including new construction and all types of mixed-use interiors in its portfolio. Catalyst came when the property’s new owner, developer Paloma Communities and operator, Sonder took over the site, 26,000 square feet of interiors on two floors in typical motel fashion. “It was vacant, but not dilapidated,” Kassab starts, citing Omgivning’s scope encompassing architecture and public space. The 50-room key count, however, remained constant, and new furnishings throughout came via the Sonder team.

In Swedish, the word omgivning means environment or ambience. In other words, the way a space feels. Kassab’s interpretation starts where hospitality begins, at the entry court. He created a welcoming presence by transforming the dominant parking lot into a central, pedestrian-friendly oasis graced with new landscaping and hardscape revolving around a restored pool. “The courtyard was the main idea,” says Kassab. “How to make it experiential itself.” No doubt about success. Now it’s a space folks flock to rather than flee from.

Step Into This Pedestrian-Friendly Oasis By Omgivning

As for the building’s exterior, it presents a newly vibrant painted face. Formerly dull beige and brown, the façade proclaims a cheerful vibe via pink and yellow tones while historic signage glows green at night. Existing fins and CMU panels sport fresh whitewashed coats.

Inside, accessed via a route of paired driveways, the arrival experience is altered as well. Erstwhile reception is now the restaurant Olive & Rose, presided over by the chef brother and sister team, Philip and Lauren Pretty, also owners of a Michelin-starred restaurant nearby. Omgivning was responsible for core and shell work along with transforming the adjacent carport into a secluded patio. Meanwhile, the altered configuration situates the lobby, with its wood check-in desk and paneled backdrop, at the end of the second driveway. A gym and guest quarters complete the first floor. The upper level is all guest rooms, more or less identical at 290 square feet.

Who goes there? “Mostly young couples,” Kassab notes. The draw? “Its mid-century vibe and standout by being something else for Long Beach.”

Stay A Night At The City Center Motel By Transformed By Omgivning

Discover Local Craftsmanship At This Cabo San Lucas Seaside Resort

Known for its vibrant sunsets, picturesque beaches, and surfable waves, Cabo San Lucas has become one of Mexico’s most popular upscale vacation destinations. Located at the southern tip of Baja California, its shores are, thus, saturated with glamorous hotels and resorts. While it can be hard to stand out in the crowd, a more discreet approach assures the recently opened Four Seasons Resort and Residences Cabo San Lucas at Cabo Del Sol feels different than the rest. 

With architecture by Robert C. Glazier and interiors by EDG and Meyer Davis, the 260,000-square-foot paradise has been created to resemble a low-slung hacienda-style village rather than a towering hotel block, with a series of casitas terraced down its sloping beachfront site. It quells another stereotype of hospitality projects in Mexico, too: Rather than a brash  fiesta of colors and patterns that might pervade less discerning resort designs, this one is rooted in true local flair with artworks, objects, and artisan craftsmanship sourced from across the country.

EDG & Meyer Davis Honor Traditions at Four Seasons Cabo San Lucas

“It was important to Four Seasons that even the whole arrival sequence feel authentic,” begins Jennifer Johanson, president and CEO of EDG, which handled the project’s four Richard Sandoval dining experiences, El Taller art studio, specialty grocery, surf shack–inspired adventure center, and two swimming pools, and ranks 120th among the Interior Design Rising Giants, up from 129 last year, counting such luxury resort brands as Camelback and Mii Amo as clients. “Visitors drive through a little arch and come into a sort of town square. That feeling helped inspire the cast of characters that would surround it.”

Those “characters” include Mediterranean restaurant Palmerio, its interior layering a retro European riviera vibe with Mexican accessories, like the vintage poncheras, or punch bowls, from Michoacán and elsewhere in the region that sit inside niches. Johanson sourced them at auction and worked with Jaliscan studio Laguna Mosaicos to create Majolica-look encaustic floor tiles. On the rooftop is Sora, a bar that overlooks the Sea of Cortez and features a statement driftwood table from Oaxaca that she found at a Mexico City gallery. Open to the elements, its conversation pit–style seating was constructed using sculptural plaster-covered concrete. With few walls, lighting, gentle and flattering, largely originates from the ground. “Even if the architectural profiles are modern and sleek, the textures are reminiscent of the locale,” adds Johanson, who traveled widely in Mexico to engage local artisans and source art for the project. The result, she notes, is “kind of like an encyclopedia of the country’s different regions.” Every eatery on the property embraces its water views and a seamless indoor-outdoor relationship.

Embrace The Indoor-Outdoor Life At Four Seasons Cabo San Lucas

The same spirit extends to Meyer Davis’s scope of the project, which encompassed the lobby and other public spaces, 96 guest rooms, spa, and La Casona Bar. “From the moment guests arrive, we really focused on the materials,” recalls Gray Davis, who, with Will Meyer, is firm cofounder and an Interior Design Hall of Fame member; Meyer Davis, which ranks 60th, up from 71, among the top 100 Giants, has a vibrant portfolio spanning residential, retail, workplace, and hospitality, its La Casa Dragones earning a 2024 Interior Design Best of Year Award. Indigenous ojinaga limestone, Mexican alder wood, and barrel-vaulted clay-tiled roofs complement contemporary steel-framed windows and doors, oak paneling and beams, and plaster walls across these spaces. But the concept also centers on “first impressions,” he continues—informing subtle decisions like depressing the lobby’s La Casona slightly to preserve a view to the sea or ensuring that terrace doors in the standard rooms, suites, and villas open fully to the horizon and entice visitors down meandering paths to the beach. (The property also hosts 46 branded residences designed by Meyer Davis.)

Wanting the resort to feel grounded in its environment, the firm strategically positioned the villas’ private pools and terraces atop natural rock outcroppings to offer vistas over the shore, while others feature lush planters and vibrant flowers. Stone-walled outdoor showers extend this feeling. 

Get An Enchanting View Of The Sea At Four Seasons Cabo San Lucas

The room interiors were inspired by the land, as well. “In Baja, the coast is so rugged and the terrain so dramatic, but it’s arid and dry,” Meyer adds. “That drove a lot of the materiality and color decisions, as reflected in a natural, sandy, soft palette with wood used in reserved but potent moves.” Whimsical touches like terra-cotta pendant fixtures with oversize shades, bold maritime-blue fabrics on armchairs and pillows, and hand-painted Mexican tiles break the scheme. And throughout the property, statement-making hues are often introduced through pieces by local artists. “I think Mexican design is too often lumped into one idea,” Meyer says. Both his studio and EDG used the resort’s thoughtfully edited aesthetic to work actively against this tendency and toward a celebration of the country’s diversity of art, craft, and even climate.

While much of the resort is set atop the natural topography, Tierra Mar Spa, its entrance marked by the calming sounds of a mosaic waterfall, is set into the landscape itself. Past the gable-roofed reception area, for which Meyer Davis chose an asymmetrical wood desk, is a serene garden with rambling streams. Continue toward the fitness areas and pool and the ocean comes back into view, beyond a smattering of the resort’s quaint tiled rooftops.

“With the sun setting over the sea and the waves crashing against large rocks, it’s almost like a movie set,” Davis concludes. “It’s cinematic,” notes Meyer. But despite Hollywood’s best tries, this place is the real deal.

Vacation At This Seaside Resort by EDG and Meyer Davis

Journey Into The New Mexico

This Resort Is Rooted In Artisan Craftsmanship Across Mexico

EDG: BROOKE TUMSAROCH; CINDY MOORE; JANE MCGOLDRICK; DAVE MAYNARD; VICTORIA DENNY; VARRUNA MITRA; KEVIN PEREIRA; BRIANNA SANCHEZ. ZOE PINFOLD; JENNIFER DANIELS; AMANDA DAVIS; TINA HU; LIZELLE FOOSE; PEDRO BARILLAS; SHIFRA BERG: MEYER DAVIS. GENSLER: ARCHITECT OF RECORD. LUX POPULI: LIGHTING DESIGN. VITA PLANNING AND LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE: LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT. URIBE KRAYER: ART CONSULTANT. WARISAN: CUSTOM FURNITURE WORKSHOP. BLACK PALM DEVELOPMENT: GENERAL CONTRACTOR.

FROM FRONT THROUGH BOMBOTI: DRIFTWOOD TABLE (SORA). SANDALVECI: DINING CHAIRS. TILE FEVER: CUSTOM FLOOR TILE. PALECEK: WOVEN SEATING (SORA, LOBBY), CHAIRS (PALMERIO). KETTAL: STACKABLE CHAIRS (PALMERIO). LAGUNA MOSAICO: CUSTOM FLOOR TILE. THROUGH MERCANTIL: SUNDIAL (PALMERIO), SMALL BLACK PLANTER (SORA). IWORKS: CUSTOM CHANDELIER (LOBBY). ROYAL CUSTOM DESIGNS: CUSTOM SOFA (LOBBY), CUSTOM HEADBOARD (SUITE). NATURAL URBAN: TABLES (LOBBY, VILLA TERRACE, SPA). ARTERIORS: PLANTER (LOBBY), SCONCES (VILLA). VIBIA: CUSTOM SCONCES (SORA). CLAYBROOK: TUB (BATHROOM). REMINGTON: PENDANT FIXTURE. ELECTRIC MIRROR: MIRRORS. BLOOM LIGHTING GROUP: CUSTOM PENDANT FIXTURES (PALMERIO, BOUTIQUE). STUDIO SOFA: PLANTERS (VILLA). DANAO: CHAISE LONGUES (VILLA TERRACE), CHAIRS, SOFA (VILLA). PERENNIALS AND SUTHERLAND: CUSHION FABRIC (SPA TERRACE); STOOLS, CHAIRS (BAR BRISAL). ZENITH: RUGS (VILLA, SPA). TARACEA: ROUND TABLE (VILLA), SIDE TABLES (SUITE). FANIMATION: FANS (VILLA, SUITE). ULA LIGHTING: LAMPS (SUITE). IAN LOVE DESIGN: CUSTOM VITRINES (SPA). GINGER AND JAGGER: RECEPTION DESK. HUDSON VALLEY LIGHTING: LAMPS. CALARGA MÉXICO: WALL HANGING (BOUTIQUE). CLÉ: TILE (ADVENTURE CENTER).

Rockwell Group Reimagines W Hollywood With Theatricality

Hollywood, the land of dreamers. A magnet for filmmakers, musicians, creatives, moguls, and tourists. The recently renovated W Hollywood hotel at the district’s heart attracts them all while expressing one of the first iterations of Marriott’s evolving luxury brand. Collabo­rating with W since 1998, David Rockwell and team’s latest endeavor encompasses 18,000 square feet of public space and more than 300 guest rooms. Pervasive are residential influences and the rich layering of materiality, texture, and light.

Magic begins at W Hollywood’s triple-height lobby. Frankly sexy, the cinematic lounge features lush deep-green conversation-pit seating that’s sinuously referential to nearby topography and, overhead, an artful assembly of bronze-mirror oval panels and acrylic rods. Spectacular 35-foot-tall concrete “curtains,” seemingly as fluid as fabric, bracket the fireplace. Meanwhile, a wall of bifold glass panels connects the lobby and bar to the garden patio.

Guest rooms, an intimate respite from revelry and scenesters, boast bespoke wraparound seating, wallcovering akin to Venetian plaster, and custom lighting. Ever attentive to the theatrical quality of light, Rockwell surrounded windows with a blue-glass box to pick up reflections of the Hollywood Hills.

10 Questions With… Emma Maclean

Emma Maclean Embodies Her Love Of Hong Kong In Her Hospitality Work

Interior Design: Where is home for you: Hong Kong or Sydney?

Emma Maclean: Hong Kong. Although both my parents are from Sydney and I spent nine years at school there, my bones are tied to the fabric of Hong Kong. I grew up with the flavors, sights, and sounds of the city. Sydney is beautiful and inspirational while Hong Kong has the energy that makes my heart smile. I love that my studio is in its historic core, tied to its life and movements. When I come back to Hong Kong after being away, it’s like being welcomed back with a big hug.

ID: What are your takeaways from growing up in a design household?

EM: We had many dinner table conversations about managing clients and finding solutions to design problems. My late father had a ferocious work ethic and an old school mentality. He taught me that it is not just about the design—we need to look after our clients because we provide a service.

I also learned the importance of communication. When dad first started working in Hong Kong, there were no interior designers—just architects and decorators. Hilton asked him to handle the construction of a new café in the hotel and he jumped at the chance. He learned Cantonese on site, as he worked with local contractors and understood that communication needed to be as quick and direct as possible to not delay the process. Dad always said that if you can design a hotel, you can design anything.

ID: Who were your other mentors?

EM: After design school, the global economic downturn made it challenging to find a job in Australia. I spent half a year in Rome on a language course, and then returned to Hong Kong in 2008. Oscar Llinas was my first boss at Bilkey Llinas Design. When I first showed the presentation boards I put together for a hotel project, he said wryly: “This is not how you seduce me, Emma. Do you run to your lover without any clothes on? You must take me on a design journey.” I turned purple with embarrassment! Showmanship and the art of presentation were lessons well learned.

My next job with Steve Leung Designers taught me the importance of diversification. Steve is always thinking outside the box and is a true businessman. He creates elegant spaces but also does so much more than design. I also loved working with Mathew Lui at HBA. He is really a designer’s designer, and I have never seen someone who could make a plan come to life so beautifully and with so much logic.

ID: You recently completed a residential project in Happy Valley?

EM: Yes, we converted a three-bedroom apartment in a heritage building into a two-bedroom one. It was for a couple from Sydney who loves entertaining. The space is open with tons of natural light. We created a little retreat for them with many details and a design that respected the location’s village vibe.  

The residence followed a series of spaces we designed for a private club in Hong Kong, including a café, wellness center, and common areas. It was very luxurious with rich tones and colors, dark flooring, and a traditional look that reflects the clientele. I love that some of our projects are tiny while others are design build and several thousand square feet in size. If we keep pivoting, we will never stagnate or run out of fresh ideas.

ID: What makes your design for the Hauser & Wirth gallery space special?  

EM: We worked with Hauser & Wirth gallery’s Hong Kong and London teams on a three-story space in Central, Hong Kong. The project was all about finding one-of-a-kind pieces. The desk from De La Espada was like origami with drawers that opened like a fan. We curated settings around particular works of art, and specified brands such as Cassina and Giorgetti. We worked with a master carpenter to make consoles in just four weeks. We included a meeting table with a copper base to encourage good feng shui. It was a happy project.

ID: And you recently upgraded a super yacht.

EM: Silentworld is a 2006 yacht and a renovation project with many technical details. We took it to a dry dock and everyone worked on it at the same time as the schedule was very tight. There were issues underneath the flooring, and we ended up having to replace it. There were many architectural elements that we kept though, including the dark wood trim, the circular detail above the dining area, and the staircase, where we added a lot more lighting to make it brighter. We also updated all the furniture and specified all outdoor pieces so they can be more flexible to use and easy to clean. The project was about addressing what could be changed while keeping an eye on the bottom line. Since a yacht is always in motion, we had to be clever in our construction approach to minimize warping.

ID: Tell me about some of your collaborations.

EM: As designers, we are always stronger together and can learn so much from each other. Collaborations expose us to clients and projects that we normally don’t encounter. That said, it started with my sister Caitlin. We were classmates in university and came back to Hong Kong at the same time. We had always helped one another, and we continue to work on projects together. I’m a big picture person; Caitlin is all about the details. We are good bookends because we feed into each other’s strengths.

Visual artist Elsa Jeandedieu also creates stunning murals and is such a pleasure to work with. She has become a good friend over the years. Architect J.J. Acuna and I collaborated on projects including Xiao Ting, the Cantonese restaurant in Four Seasons Hotel Macao. When we work together, it’s like a well oiled machine and we bring this collaborative spirit to our clients. 

ID: Why teach at Insight School of Interior Design?

EM: I have always believed that it is vital to mentor young designers. The profession is not just about us, but also the future of design. After all, someone gave me a chance. And I’ve employed people that I taught.

At Insight, I taught drawing and hospitality from 2016 to 2022 on a part time basis. Many young people think they draw up a plan and they are done. It is important for them to see the space is alive, with different scenarios for different times of the day and different uses. Every project has its own story.

Learning design is like learning another language and becoming fluent at it. Classes at Insight became a design family for its teachers and students. It was wonderful to share my years of experience with students, and it is rewarding to make a difference.

ID: Why is sketching important for you?

EM: Sketching is the beginning, and I do a lot of it by hand. Sketching is about conveying ideas and so much of our work is illustrative. It is important to be able to explain things to contractors on site with just a marker on a wall. A drawing is easier to read than text and can say so much. Technology can always fail.

ID: How do you recharge your batteries?

EM: I love being on water and grew up sailing in Sydney and Lantau island in Hong Kong. We are all keen sailors in my family, and are longtime members of the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club. There is nothing more refreshing than going for a run or hike in the hills of Hong Kong to clear my head. I am so lucky to have it all at my fingertips. I can finish work, run up to The Peak, and the city is at my feet. It is pure magic. I can’t do that anywhere else in the world.

I also love to see how community is everything in Hong Kong. Several generations often live together in the same household. I see elderly folks playing the flute to birds in the park or taking a grandchild to school. Everyone has a reason to get up and move here. It is so harmonious and wonderful to see how we are all gently knitted together.