10 Questions With… Rowena Gonzales

Rowena Gonzales Transforms Spaces Into Wellness Sanctuaries

Interior Design: What inspired your love for design?

Rowena Gonzales: My dad is a fixer-upper kind of guy. He worked as an electrician and could fix anything: a toaster, a computer, a desk—and I would help him. As a kid, I was passionate about creating my own environments for entertainment. I took cardboard boxes, cut out windows and made them my own. I also grew up doing a lot of art including exploring woodworking and sculpting. My parents encouraged my creativity; choosing a career in interior design made sense.

ID: What were your takeaways from Ryerson (now Toronto Metropolitan) University?

RG: With Asian parents, it was important for me to attend a university. Ryerson has the best interior design program in Canada. It was tough though. I learned how to connect with clients and to stand up for my design. The solution may be amazing, but it needs to be pitched and communicated. Paul Mezei, one of my instructors, focused on the ethics of design and taught that it was our responsibility to show clients a better way.

ID: How did you end up in Hong Kong?

RG: After I graduated in 2004, I was at HOK in Toronto and found myself working on the same plan over and over. I knew that I wanted to do something more creative. I also worked at Optima Design in Montreal. While there, I learned how to be a good boss who trusts and believes in the designers I work with.

By 2006, I was done with the cold! I had friends in Hong Kong and love its mountains and oceans. At that time, there was a huge expat community in the city and it was so easy to connect with people right away. I worked for a couple of years at HBA and CL3, but got laid off at the end of 2008 during the financial downturn. At the time, I was freelancing. If it wasn’t for that, I may not have had the guts to start my own studio.

ID: Why specialize in residential design?

RG: When I was at Ryerson, I never thought that I would design people’s homes because I didn’t want my work to be so personal. Compared to Canada, I found many renovations in Hong Kong to be toxic and people were not as interested in wellness—it was just about aesthetics. I was one of the pioneers in the city to emphasize sustainable projects, and did one of the first office projects using bamboo wood veneer and carpets made from recycled plastic bottoms.

My sister’s work with a naturopath inspired me. Homes should be places for rejuvenation, where people can charge their batteries to 100 percent. It is my goal to improve the health and wellbeing for my clients, and I found that residential design was the best avenue to do it. Homeowners understood that and were more willing to invest in their residences. When I set up Liquid, it wasn’t part of corporate culture or valued as much—but it is getting better now.

ID: Tell us more about Liquid’s recently completed home for an Indian family.

RG: It is a 6,000-square-foot residence meant for three generations. The family is in the jewelry business, and during the pandemic, the isolation took its toll on them. To encourage wellbeing and happiness, we incorporated many social and play areas that support multi-generational interactions. We imagined the space to be like a jewelry box, with Shanghai Art Deco details and pendant lamps that reference their heritage within the living area. It has a very hotel-like feel, while the bathrooms have a spa quality to them; they are mini sanctuaries for wellness. The home also includes a number of sustainable features including professional grade air purifiers, energy efficient VRV air conditioning systems, water efficient bathroom fixtures and eco-leather in wardrobes. There is a lot of natural daylight.

ID: You recently won an award for one of your residential projects?

RG: Yes, we won Gold in the Sustainable Residence category at the Home Journal Awards 2024. The residence was for a couple who recently became empty nesters. I love working with empty nesters because they can finally express who they really are through their space. Prior to our renovation, there were a lot of stairs in the home. We eliminated them as the couple was getting older, and we emphasized the connection to the surrounding greenery of the New Territories.

Marmorino, a natural mineral plaster, was used on the walls to help control humidity and purify the air. Other low VOC materials include palm eco-gypsum board in the ceiling to help with insulation, as it is better than regular gypsum board. We specified a sintered stone in the bathroom; it has fewer seams due to its large sheets and is non-porous and resistant to stains and bacteria, making it more hygienic. We moved the office from the back of the home to give it the best views with lots of natural light. Working from home during the pandemic was a seismic shift for residential design. We included an outdoor exercise area with lounge and bar so that our clients can enjoy a stronger connection with nature.

ID: How does BEAM Plus complement WELL and LEED practices for Liquid?

RG: All of these standards equate health with the environment we live in and are science-based. BEAM Plus Interiors– Residential is a label for greener homes that is not as complicated as WELL or BEAM. And it works well for Hong Kong because it looks at dense environments and sub-tropical climates—standards that are not addressed in the U.S. I am excited to be using this local system and am using it with contractors for more local involvement. My goal is to be a leader in sustainable practices for Hong Kong and create more awareness of it. I intend to reach out through schools and communities.

I want to emphasize that I couldn’t be where I am without my amazing Liquid Interiors family of designers, administrators, marketing experts, stylists and our CAD team in the Philippines. Everyone has a personal connection to wellness in design, which creates such a warm and inclusive atmosphere. I love working in Hong Kong and how it allows me to connect to my roots by employing wonderful talents in the Philippines.

ID: How did you get involved in the Women’s Entrepreneur Network?

RG: When I first started Liquid, I didn’t know any other women who started their own companies. There are a lot of groups for men that talk about business, but groups for women in Hong Kong tend to be more social where they mainly talk about their kids. Through the Women’s Entrepreneur Network, I found my community of businesswomen. We all help each other, talk about business challenges, and it provided mentorship for me early on.

I am on its board and recently hosted a two-day retreat in February at the Auberge Discovery Bay, where about 16 people attended. Everyone brought their business plan and we talked about how to elevate it. In the end, it got everyone thinking bigger. And it was a great getaway to be at that seaside resort hotel.

ID: What’s next for Liquid?

RG: We are working on the children’s playground, library and entertainment spaces for the Ladies Recreation Club in Hong Kong; we are pursuing LEED Silver for the project. As these types of jobs usually go to big firms, we are proud that they chose us.

We just started on a luxury home in the south of Hong Kong island. Our client is very spiritual and conducted a Roman Catholic blessing of the space. It brought a different sort of energy to the team. It is also for a multi-generational family, and they love gardening and connecting with nature. I love working with this client; they get how important health and wellness are, and are very into sustainability.

I hope to expand to Dubai, and to address the growing market for our aging population. My mom stays with me for a few months every year to escape Montreal winters, and it’s great having her for these extended visits. Seeing design through her eyes has been fascinating. It made me realize how important it is to maintain connections later in life, and I want to help older people prepare for aging in place.

ID: What are you up to outside the studio?

RG: I love being in nature and live next to a beach in Ma Wan, an island in the west of Hong Kong. I always run in the forest; it helps to ground me. In February, I ran my first mountain marathon in 12 years. My husband, Jeff, prefers to mountain bike but we hike as a family with our nine-year-old son Mateo and five-year-old daughter Mila. I recently started reading a book outlining the bugs of Hong Kong with my kids, and we head out on weekends to explore and search for them together.

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.

10 Questions With… OWIU Founders

Get to Know Amanda Gunawan and Joel Wong of OWIU

Interior Design: Why architecture and why study in Los Angeles?

Amanda Gunawan: We went to the same high school in Singapore and both knew we wanted to be architects. Joel was born into a family of architects: ADDP Architects LLP.

Joel Wong: The National University of Singapore’s architecture program is based on what society needs professionally. Most people can learn tech skills. Good design needs to be global.

AG: We were drawn to the program at SCI-Arc. I have so much respect for the Singapore educational system, but it is very rigorous and predictable. It doesn’t cultivate out of the box thinking.

ID: After graduation, why did you stay in California?

AG: We left ourselves open to staying in the States—we wanted to fully immerse ourselves. And we were offered jobs at Morphosis. I love the work of Thom Mayne and learned a lot working there. So we stayed. One thing led to another.

JW: In Singapore, working in architecture is like being a cog in a machine. Architects face heavy emphasis on compliance. In the States, architects have more leeway and control of the design and project management. Here, we help coordinate and run projects. There is more liberty.

AG: We are more hands on here. In Asia, there are a lot of laborers and greater distribution of tasks. Here we have more responsibility and are challenged. We need this challenge. Our contractor’s license gives us autonomy over our designs. And age is a real thing in Asia and valued more. The States is a true meritocracy, while clients in Singapore are more open to ideas once a track record has been established.

ID: Why Only Way is Up (OWIU) for your company name?

JW: We wanted something elevated—literally! It is positive and the philosophy of our firm.

AG: We wanted a name that embodies what we believe in. OWIU is a simple and direct way to express that.

ID: You’ve worked on a few heritage buildings over the years—what makes these projects rewarding?

JW: They are interesting time capsules. When we work on them, we want to respect the original thought process behind them. We like the discovery.

AG: We work in the middle ground between preservation and renovation when it comes to heritage buildings. I’m a strong believer in not preserving just for the sake of preserving. We try to bring out the essence and fabric of the old space as it evolves into a new one. We are currently working on a Ray Kappe heritage house renovation, after our work on the 1962 Duane House and a home in the 1925 Biscuit Lofts.

ID: How does OWIU Goods fit into the puzzle?

AG: Materiality is important to us. We do all the work in-house and create a master copy. Fabricating the ceramics in-house gives us the autonomy to execute them to the level we want.

JW: For some projects, we specify custom ceramic tiles as a unique offering to our clients. We like to go with what’s natural and source locally.

AG: It is nice to able to able to build and create with our own hands.

ID: How does your Asian background inform your work?

AG: Well, we grew up in Singapore and our values are Asian. In work and in life, we maintain our root to Asian philosophies. We are drawn to Japanese thought and craftsmanship, and try to incorporate that into our work. I love washi paper and Japanese ceramics, and bring those elements into our work though used in non-traditional ways.

JW: It is natural for us to gravitate towards Asian sensitivity. Clients come to us after buying an American home and tell us they want an Asian feel. We know exactly what they are looking for. We’ve already digested this and it is ingrained into what we do as designers.

ID: What does being part of the Asian American community mean?

AG: As first generation immigrants, we only got this far through community. Everyone has been so welcoming. And we now want to engage the same community and impact those who are starting out.

JW: People have been very supportive and inclusive. We have met people in coffee shops and end up designing their restaurant. We are grateful for this community. Designers and architects may be seen as unapproachable and competitive. We are into sharing. For example, our summer internship is a paid three-month program open to students in accredited architecture and design schools. A lot of full-time hires have resulted from it.

ID: What do you have on your drawing boards?

AG: On the architecture side, we are excited about a few commercial projects. And on the OWIU Goods side, our furniture designs are available soon along with new ceramics.

ID: Do you plan to expand to Asia or will you concentrate on the States?

AG: We are open to both. We hope to expand our portfolio outside of L.A.

JW: There is a bit of pressure for me to work for my family’s firm. And we do want to bring our knowledge to Asia.

ID: What do you do outside the studio?

AG: I try to be as active as possible. I do a lot of sports. I run, swim, walk, go to the gym.

JW: I play my guitar. I golf. I’m really into nature.

AG: Both of us are big on meditation.

JW: We try our best to separate life and work, especially on weekends. We set boundaries between our work and personal lives.

10 Questions With… Armstrong Yakubu

Armstrong Yakubu On Pushing Architectural Boundaries

Interior Design: How did a Nigerian boy end up studying architecture in London?

Armstrong Yakubu: When I was a kid, one of my neighbors was an architect. My parents were young and worked full-time, so I spent a lot of time at his house. All the houses and gardens in our community were the same, but his place was different. His interiors were attractive. I also went to his studio and watched him make models. I started boarding school in the U.K. when I was 14, and though I studied science throughout, I switched at the last minute and applied to the Architectural Association (AA). I wasn’t going to be a doctor; I wanted to be an architect.

It was always my intention to return to Nigeria after school. But in my final year at the AA, my tutors—Ron Herron of Archigram and Jan Kaplicky of Future Systems—suggested that I visit Sainsbury Centre. It was the first time that architecture moved me. The building is fresh, democratic and easy to understand—it remains one of Baron Norman Foster’s most famous buildings. So I applied to work at his firm: Foster + Partners. That ended my plans to go home after graduation.

ID: How did working in Hong Kong in the 1990s impact your architectural outlook?

AY: As architects, the buildings we produce are only as good as the clients that we have. We cannot make good architecture without people who want to make a difference, who give us agency, and whose goals align with ours. I joined Foster + Partners during a downturn; it was tough for architects in the U.K. and many worked in the public sector. Today, it is completely different. Following former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s financial market deregulation, architecture became very private sector-driven. When I first started, there were 40 people in the firm; within a couple of years, we were back up to 100.

Hong Kong is a bold place; the city is always pushing for change and innovation. I lived there from 1990 to 1998 during my formative years. I met my American wife in Hong Kong. I was there for the handover in 1997 and the opening of Hong Kong International Airport at Chek Lap Kok. I worked on the Hung Hom station and HACTL, the air cargo terminals at the new airport. The quality of our projects and clients were incentives to stay at the practice.

ID: What makes the HSBC Building and HKIA special projects for Hong Kong and your studio?

AY: HSBC is a seminal building. Our client wanted to re-examine how people work and how they navigate their workplace—and they wanted to give something back to the city. The result is a flexible high-rise with a central atrium that brings natural light down to the core. The angled escalators are positioned to respect the feng shui doctrine. The entire building is raised to accommodate a large public plaza on the ground level. It was a revolutionary building for Hong Kong when it opened.

HKIA was the model for airports to follow. It is both grand and intimate. It was the first time that both arrivals and departures shared the same hall, allowing people to feel the excitement of traveling together. Its spaces encourage people to move intuitively throughout the terminal. The simple roof structure allowed for daylight everywhere. From almost every part of the departure experience, you can look outside.

For HSBC, HKIA and many of our other buildings, it is easy to understand their construction and how they work. They are not covered or decorated. It is challenging to arrive at this clarity, because it is about doing the most with the least.

ID: Has your firm been championing adaptive re-use design from day one?

AY: Reducing carbon is about doing the most with the least. We all have to deal with the climate crisis. And I feel the best buildings relate to history. You can see that with the Reichstag in Berlin. The dome is transparent, and it is very clear what is old and what is new. It is the same with the covered plaza at the Queen Elizabeth II Great Court in London’s British Museum. The interventions show the passage of time by being true to history.

ID: The Murray hotel in Hong Kong showcases both adaptive re-use and interiors. Can you elaborate on this?

AY: The points of contact for people in a building are very important. The spaces between and within buildings are just as crucial as the building itself. And we have long been about the three R’s: reinvent, renew, renovate. We always question clients if a building really needs to come down. More adaptive re-use is better for the planet and something all architects need to participate in.

For the Murray, we had input from the original 1966 building’s architect Ron Phillips. He helped us understand why and how the building was designed. There was an oil crisis at the time the building was conceived. Being a civil servant designing a government building, he was tasked to come up with a solution that minimized electricity. The angled windows mean that the sun never hits the glass, requiring very little air conditioning to keep everyone comfortable.

How do we build upon this? The solution was a 21st century interpretation of a luxury hotel. As people move around the building, they are fully aware of what is new and old. The building tells a story that links to its history and the city’s fabric.

ID: And now the firm’s work is mostly in the Middle East?

AY: Our projects are spread across the globe from San Francisco to Sydney. We strive to work with clients who want to invest in meaningful projects. For example, Masdar City is a sustainable masterplan project in Abu Dhabi—an extraordinary experiment that runs completely on renewable energy. Its design takes cues from Middle Eastern cities and streets, drawing on the history of the region and its traditional architecture while using the latest technologies to achieve a sustainable outcome. 

ID: What are your current stateside projects in the pipeline?

AY: One Beverly Hills is a mixed-use development with hotels and residences set around a huge botanical garden. It’s very much about the public space and greenery. During the design process, we discovered that the site was originally a nursery for all the city’s planting when Beverly Hills was first master planned. It is wonderful that the site’s history determined part of the project’s current program.

Television City Los Angeles is about reimagining the film studio for the future. There are so many people involved in making movies and television: set designers, make-up artists, catering crew. It’s very people intensive, like a university campus. It’s still in the early days, but we are preserving and re-using buildings on the historical site. Heritage is very much part of Hollywood culture.

ID: Are you personally interested in housing?

AY: Housing is an issue everywhere in the world. And the pandemic made things even more challenging as homes became workplaces.

I use the word “home” on purpose. They are not units. What does a home mean to people? What do they want out of it? There are universal traits with specific cultural needs and differences. Moving forward, it is critical that housing trends are generous in spirit. Windows should be operable. There should be shading. They should have views out. All residences should be treated as homes for people, not products. What do young people need and where do they want to be? Homes do not have to be luxurious; public housing can be very special if they are designed with generosity in mind.

ID: How does the Riverside studio reflect your firm’s DNA?

AY: Our studio is also like a university campus, where many different minds meet in a hotbed of creativity. From the beginning, we had engineers, interior designers, landscape architects and media relations colleagues all in the same space. Today, we have model makers, 3D printers, environmental psychologists, urban planners, researchers and many other professionals whose specialties inform our projects. This is one of our biggest strengths.

We are all about people and problem solving. Norman started the process of regular project reviews. Everyone can see what’s going on. Nothing is locked away. Models are everywhere; they are things that you can touch, walk around, and visually enter. We make models at every stage from concept to final design. They are powerful tools; like a material sample that alludes to what an interior will look and feel like. It helps clients who may not understand the visual world of drawings and images.

ID: What do you like to do when you’re not working?

AY: I enjoy time in the kitchen when I’m at home. I’m a make it up as I go cook. I have a nice wok and use it for a lot of stir fries, experimenting with the East Asian flavors I grew to love while living in Hong Kong. And I like planning family trips, though often they revolve around architectural tours. Design is very much part of our lives.

10 Questions With… Snøhetta’s Richard Wood

Richard Wood Discusses How Snøhetta Focuses On Community

Interior Design: Why does architecture appeal to you?

Richard Wood: I’ve always liked art and architecture from an early age growing up in south Manchester; but I love architecture for its collaborative nature. I find it inspiring when different people from different companies and different places with different agendas all move in the same direction to build. There is nothing quite like designing something that really matters. It’s a vocation: You have to really feel it to want to do it professionally.

ID: How did you end up in Hong Kong?

RW: I undertook grad studies at The Bartlett School of Architecture in London—a very international school. I made many friends from Hong Kong, and I wanted to experience the city.

I applied for jobs in Hong Kong, Nicaragua, and Istanbul after graduation; when the job in Turkey came through, I worked there for two and a half years. Then, a position in Hong Kong opened up and I transferred here in 2013. I joined Snøhetta Hong Kong in the summer of 2021 and took over as managing director overseeing our Asian projects at the start of 2023 working with the team here.

ID: Your first project with Snøhetta was the mixed-use AIRSIDE complex?

RW: I joined when AIRSIDE was at the interiors and finishing stage. Snøhetta’s Hong Kong office was set up after we won the mixed use project in 2017. Hong Kong is a great spot for us as it is in the middle of Asia. AIRSIDE showcases all our strengths: We did its landscaping, architecture, and interior design for the office tower lobbies, base building provisions, and retail podium. AIRSIDE was an important project for us; we handed it over to client Nan Fung Group in 2023.

AIRSIDE demonstrates how we work. We believe in specialists; not everyone is good at everything. We swap places around the meeting table. We explore the emotions behind our client’s brief. We go through the process of seeking a bigger picture. Along the way, we learn more about what can influence the eventual design solution. For AIRSIDE, we learned through the Kai Tak community about the importance of a community garden. These amateur gardeners all want different things. They gave us new ideas that fed how we landscaped the terraces and outdoor spaces.

Now that AIRSIDE is up and running, it has much more of a lived-in community feeling. People are taking ownership. Go there any weekend; it is packed—particularly with dog lovers! It has become part of the Kai Tak neighborhood. There is a coziness to the shopping mall that is special; it’s due to the way the balustrades weave in and out, the light filtering from above, how the central atrium forms a hub. And it has won a number of green awards including BEAM Plus, LEED, Green Building Award, MIPIM Asia Awards, and WiredScore and SmartScore Platinum. It sets a benchmark for what a mixed-use complex in our region can be.

ID: Now, you are working with Swire Properties?

RW: Yes, we have a number of projects with them. They understand what we are trying to do and we understand their goals. Our values align very well. We love how they work with local specialists. They have a sustainable way of working, making it the heart of their projects.

ID: You recently completed HORIZON for Swire at Art Basel Hong Kong?

RW: HORIZON was an intimate space for people to gather during a very busy art fair. It was designed to be agile. The Kvadrat-upholstered mounds could be broken up and rearranged. It looked completely different with different settings, at different times of the day. The undulating mirror above reflected the energy below. The canopy referenced the sky as you looked out at the horizon line through the glazing of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. And we designed it to be future-proof; Swire has plans to install it elsewhere now that Art Basel Hong Kong is over.

Through working on HORIZON, we understood more about Swire. They really took care of collaborators like us and made us part of that art week.

ID: What other projects are you doing with Swire?

RW: We are working on the architecture of a mixed use complex in Tokyo’s Shibuya district that includes Swire’s first House Collective hotel to open in Japan. It is slated to be completed in 2027 and developed by Tokyu Group. Like AIRSIDE, we are responsible for the architecture, landscaping and retail podium interiors. The project is all about capturing Tokyo’s energy: the liveliness of the streetscape near the famous Shibuya pedestrian crossing, the quiet back alleys, and playing up that dichotomy. The form is like an open book at the base that closes further upwards, with a grand marble-clad lobby. It is intended to be a highly sustainable destination.

For Swire’s 2.5 million sq.ft. shopping mall project in Sanya, China, expected to be completed in phases starting this year, we reference the local fishing villages on Hainan Island. There is a strong pedestrian focus to the project within the context of making public spaces for the community to enjoy. We reference the tropical climate of Sanya with deep eaves and large water roofs, to emphasize its resort vibe. With sustainability our focus for this outdoor shopping experience, we inserted amazing greenery for moments of discovery. We imagined it to be like a community center; it is about making places for people.

ID: Beijing City Library reminds me of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Johnson Wax Headquarters; did you have this in mind?

RW: That’s a compliment. No, we were referencing the park that the building is sited within, but it’s not surprising that the design feels familiar. It was completed in 2023, and we did both the architecture and interiors, collaborating with different specialists from our Oslo studio. It is important to be present where we are designing, with a high degree of autonomy. At the same time, our Oslo and Innsbruck colleagues offered fresh eyes and their skill set. 

The concept is shelter underneath the canopy of trees to enjoy a good book. The interiors are designed to be a series of landscaped terraces clad in white oak looking out to the view of the park through full height glazing; at the time, the 52 ½ ft high panes we used were the tallest we could source. People find their book through the library’s digital catalogue, then make their way to their favorite niche. There are many nooks and crannies, as well as different community spaces for gatherings, meetings and events.

There was a lot of talk about public libraries’ comeback. I don’t think they ever went away. Through Beijing City Library, we explored what a library means to people today; how it can be an attraction.

ID: And Shanghai Grand Opera House?

RW: We are really excited that it’s coming together—though it won’t open until late next year. It’s south of The Bund within the Expo 2010 Houtan site in Pudong, and we are doing the landscape architecture, architecture and interiors.

The concept is based on movements in dance and a Chinese fan as it unfurls—the grand exterior spiral staircase makes going up and down a real journey. It will include three main theatres with the largest one looking out to an adjacent park. We sunk the road so that the axis allows people to walk straight out to the Huangpu River. Inside, red is a key color along the undulating balustrades.

ID: Why did you open a Shenzhen office last year?

RW: We see the Hong Kong and Shenzhen offices as one entity. Together, we have a total of 40 staff members with about a dozen in Shenzhen. Being in mainland China gives us more flexibility and streamlines the process of working on our projects across the country. Hong Kong remains the base for our Asian operations.

ID: You mentioned that Snøhetta Oslo is not your headquarters—can you clarify?

RW: Oslo is where we first started and the largest office in terms of head count. But it’s more like a mother office. Each of the locations owns and designs its projects; being localized, we are attached to them.

Since we are spread across the globe, every other year all the studios get together to climb Snøhetta. The journey is along a rock-strewn footpath and it takes several hours to summit 7,500 feet to the peak. Not everyone has to do the somewhat challenging hike; there are also gentle walking trails looping around the mountain that offer beautiful views. It’s a chance to meet and share stories with colleagues who we may only know over emails or Zoom, and to reconnect with where we come from.

10 Questions With… One Bite Cofounder Sarah Mui

Sarah Mui Discusses Art, Design, and the Hong Kong Community

Interior Design: Why did you study architecture?

Sarah Mui: I originally wanted to be a fashion designer; my mother gave me a book on I.M. Pei and it changed my mind. Since I liked to draw and my math wasn’t bad, mom thought that architecture was a good combination of my skill set. My second choice was social work: voluntary community involvement has long been my hobby.

After I graduated from The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) in 2006, I continued my architectural studies abroad. I felt the need to see more and chose the Bartlett at University College London because that city is about design. Living in the UK taught me to embrace cultural shock and gave me a lot of insight and inspiration, including into the Brits’ particular sense of humor. I learned there is a place for whimsy in design along with its aesthetic appeal.

That was how Alan and I came up with the name One Bite in 2015: our approach is to share the experience of design one bite at a time—to savor its unique flavor. We definitely didn’t want to name the studio after ourselves. Instead, One Bite is an interesting enough name to strike an impression even with those who know nothing about design. It is humorous. Hopefully, it invites people to reach out.

ID: Why a studio with your husband?

SM: We met at CUHK; Alan was two years ahead of me. We both moved to London together: me to study and him to work. After we returned to Hong Kong, I was with a large firm for several years overseeing mostly commercial projects. I travelled all over China for different sites and found that I wasn’t interested in working only on chain brands and shopping malls. So, I took a break in 2014 to figure out what I wanted to do.

It was very natural to partner with Alan. It was tough finding a company that aligns with my passions. We had just gotten married and thought we would do our own thing for six months or so. And we are still doing it!

ID: How do you approach design decisions together?

SM: We have very different strengths. I’m the one who crafts the narrative and forms the vision for our projects. Alan executes its details in the right places at the right times; he is also an excellent project manager. I see our partnership like cooking: it takes different strengths to make a delicious meal come together.

ID: And this year you are celebrating One Bite’s 10 year anniversary?

SM: Yes, but our mission remains the same: We are still about connecting people and making places. All of us wear many hats. In 2017, we started One Bite Social to test new ideas. Last year, One Bite Strategy began as a way to help community building. And One Bite Urban is research-oriented, using data as a way to address a city’s needs.

We try to share a number of our values through these channels. We advocate refurbishment over demolition. We encourage people to make use of existing spaces. On the public side, we see ourselves as interconnectors: We work with NGOs and other stakeholders in each neighbourhood to rope in their experience—shared experiences become shared memories.

ID: One of your first significant projects was the 2019 Hong Kong portion of the Urbanism and Architecture Bi-City Biennale (UABB) at The Mills. Could you share more? 

SM: We worked closely with Roger Wu, the lead curator that year. We discussed and brainstormed a lot about how to make design more approachable to the public. Compared to other shows we put on afterwards, UABB was heavily designed. All the installations were super spatially curated and participating artists all worked within consistent parameters. But the 2019 biennale’s nature was also very different from later shows. It was held in a new arts hub recently converted from a textiles factory. The space was already very cool to work within. 

ID: What about the interactive exhibition “Serendipity in the Street” in 2021 at Tai Kwun?

SM: It was our third exhibition working with the revitalized cultural hub’s heritage team. Being in the same district, we see daily how public spaces in Central are appropriated. We thought: Why not consider Tai Kwun itself as a public space? It was a chance to adopt our research approach to determine the exhibition’s content. We hosted four months of engagement workshops with people who lived in the area. We audited spaces and approached folks to ask questions such as why they sat on outdoor staircases. The results of our studies yielded the prototypes for the show’s four themes. 

ID: What are some community projects that stand out for you?

SM: The Hong Kong Jockey Club engaged us and Hong Kong Community Colleague to work with eight different local schools for JC Co-creating Wellbeing from 2020 to 2022. The goal was to improve the students’ wellbeing through refreshing the spaces. To get there, we liaised with teachers and students, who had a say in the final design outcome. It is a very personal approach for me to conduct workshops and research—I really like the process of doing it, and we promote the practice to our clients such as Jockey Club.

Since 2019, we have worked with New Life Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association on gift330. This branding project transforms art by people recovering from mental illness into lifestyle products: plates, water bottles and mugs. We like that the word ‘gift’ means both ‘present’ and ‘talent’, which sums up the talents of the people we help through the gifts they make. We got their art plastered onto the sides of a tram—and the artists rode around Hong Kong island on this art-clad tram at its launch. For many, it was their first tram ride. It was so rewarding to see them interact with the city this way.

ID: You just completed the second year curating Sai Kung Hoi Arts Festival?

SM: It is Hong Kong’s largest outdoor public art project to date. There are three rounds of installations over three consecutive years. Each edition with guided tours and workshops run for about two months though the installations themselves remain in situ throughout the festival’s duration. New ones were introduced during the second year for a total of 18 installations across four Sai Kung islands after two years.

For the first year, we invited artists to submit proposals; the second year, there were some sites that we opened it up for any artist to propose. This November will be our third year and includes international performing artists using the previous installations as backdrops for live shows. Since the site may be in the forest or a beach, we want to make sure the first two years’ installations won’t be blown away or wrecked after sitting out unattended for so long. We engaged some architects for submissions since we knew they would create installations that were structurally sound.

We work with a lot of local villages across remote, sparsely inhabited sites, and we got many of their elders to share their stories. For the artists, our main criteria was whether they were willing to communicate their concepts to the public—challenging, as artists tend to let their art speak for itself. The second was that they had to commit to telling their stories on site for two months. The third was to inject the findings of researchers who unearthed tales from villagers, to share them with successive generations of locals. These oral traditions became part of the art.

ID: How do you deal such a wide range of clientele?

SM: Actually, it is all about the people we work with directly, regardless of whether they are in the public or private sector. Are they people with vision? Do they want real change?

We recently began a public training program to share the community engagement methods we developed. The session drew a mix of people: students, government workers and professionals. We help them think outside the box and hopefully they can take away something useful for their own projects. It was a small group of 12 so far, and we hosted it in our studio.  

There is a lot to love about Hong Kong. People here are smart and flexible. But they need to know there are always alternatives. They have choices and space to make those choices. We all need to talk more about what we want out of our cities. And then it is up to governments and developers to make that happen.

ID: What do you do outside the studio to reenergize?

SM: Alan and I integrate life with work. Sometimes we bring our three dogs into the studio. What we do takes a lot of time, hard work and commitment, but we love it.

I can always tell when I’m running low on gas. Then I go read a book or watch a film. Though I don’t read novels, everything else is fair game. I love looking at illustrations or urban design. And I love the world-building in Marvel movies. I get buzzed about our public training sessions. Talking to people energizes me. I am lucky that our work itself often recharges me.

10 Questions With… Joey Ho on Designing Spaces for Kids

Here, between seminar talks and site visits, Ho shares his love for drawing and enthusiasm for learning, as well as key takeaways from designing kids’ spaces and a sneak peek at a children book by his daughter, Joelle. 

How Joey Ho Designs Whimsical, Learning-Centric Spaces for Kids

INTERIOR DESIGN: How did you end up in Hong Kong?

Joey Ho: It is in my blood to move around. My father was a carpenter and initially wanted to move to the States. Singapore was intended as a stop gap for us and we moved there when I was in grade four. Dad managed a factory that manufactured doors and frames before starting his own business doing the same. He always wanted me to take over, but my first love is comics. Of course, my parents were dead set against that as a career. I was expected to go to university and I thought architecture was the closest thing—at least I can still draw!

I did my undergrad at National University of Singapore. I discovered that I really loved architecture—it showed me how big the world is. After my bachelor degree, I worked for a year in Hong Kong. I have long been attracted to the city’s chaotic energy, and I love the films of Wong Kar-wai. I ended up doing my master at The University of Hong Kong (HKU).

ID: Why switch from architecture to interiors?

JH: After HKU, I joined Rocco Yim. Working with him gave me a full picture of how to run a job. While there, I designed and operated a café called Architude with Jason Yung, another HKU alumnus; we also sold second-hand books. It was really fun, and showed me that small projects can also be architecture.

After Rocco, I ran a studio with Anson Chan for a couple of years before establishing Joey Ho Design to concentrate on interiors in 2002. I still love architecture, but I don’t want to devote so much time to a single project. Interiors are perfect.

ID: Why team with Patrick Leung after running your own studio?

JH: When I first started Joey Ho Design, it was like climbing a mountain. I wanted to reach its summit: Bigger projects, more awards, better budgets. Over time, I became exhausted. Maybe it is about climbing different mountains? Working with Patrick allows me to see different views. It may not be my name at the top or a very high mountain, but it gives me a broader perspective.

I know I am not very good at management. I really don’t want to be a boss. It is a relief to be part of a bigger firm, with better bargaining power and more staff support. Being in a partnership allows me to keep learning and concentrate on my specialities and interests, like children’s spaces. It lets me climb other mountains such as give design lectures, judge competitions, and have tenure as chairman of HKIDA—if I was still running Joey Ho Design, I never would have done that.

ID: How did Spring Learning spark your interest in children’s spaces?

JH: Its founders are a couple that believed learning environments were not keeping up with the times, so they created their own pre-school. It changed my perception towards design for kids. The most important thing is to give them respect. How do we do that? I introduced ways for them to be at eye level with adults, and used simple graphics that ignite their imaginations.

I discovered there were a lot of possibilities in this genre of design. It’s challenging, because it is about psychology and creating more meaningful spaces, with the ultimate goal of children growing into happy, well-adjusted people. That is why it is exciting.

ID: What are some lessons learned designing for kids in different countries?

JH: Asian parents tend to prefer pre-schools with games and toys. Our challenge is to avoid designing amusement parks. Playing is not just about props. Anything can engage children: cooking, art, an interior streetscape. They facilitate role play and help develop social connections.

India loves color, and we introduced more color for Singapore International School in Gurugram. There, we reset the concept of blue and pink to avoid their association with gender. In Jakarta, kids don’t have much opportunity to play outdoors as the weather is always very hot and it can be unsafe. For Buumi Playscape in Jakarta, we created an indoor landscape with color based on cultural preferences.

ID: What makes ECNU Xiping Bilingual School a special project?

JH: We came on board while the school was under construction. We changed the façade and added semi-circular balconies with portholes for small children to look out into the courtyard. The façade now resembles stylized budding flowers against the green walls we added.

We took inspiration from Xiping. The city is next to the sea and we included a glass aquarium in the lobby with seating around it to encourage appreciation of marine life. Kids love hiding, and we added large pods that look like bubbles so they can hide within while waiting for parents to pick them up. There is a central atrium with a glass elevator that is like a small garden for children to romp within even if the weather outside is bad. We designed four classrooms that can be combined into a large art space for group activities. It is a cozy, inviting space where kids can draw on the floor as well as typical desks and chairs.

ID: You recently completed a children’s village in Kunming?

JH: It was a very run down site with a number of traditional courtyard houses that we converted into a cultural village. It combines classes with farming concepts. We adapted the courtyard houses into tea houses, with a fish pond in one of them. Kunming is known for its abundance of wildlife, and the village is an immersive environment for parents and kids to learn about nature. The next phase of this project will be a hotel for them to stay in!

ID: Could you tell us about the Shanghai Children’s Theater?

JH: It is under construction in a new shopping mall. The concept is to present live drama targeting children with the formality of an adult theater. Through signage, lighting and other visual cues, we referenced West End and Broadway theaters. We introduced an art deco feel with traditional elements such as a marquee and thick curtains. In the lobby, we designed a mini stage to showcase live coming attractions.

ID: Why did you start drawing again during the pandemic?

JH: Like everyone else, I had a lot of time on my hands when I couldn’t travel to visit sites, judge award competitions or give talks. In my spare time, I went back to my first love: drawing comic strips. I also began sketching portraits and landscapes. I had previously studied ink drawing under architect Raymond Fung, and got back into that, too.

ID: How did you end up helping on a children’s book by your daughter, Joelle?

JH: Joelle and I have been sketching together since she was a little girl. I think she is more talented than I am. Now that she is in university, we talked about working on a children’s book together: She would do the writing and I would do the drawings. After she finished writing, I still hadn’t started any of the drawings. So she did those, too, and I helped her edit them down to suit the story better. She got it done in time for the Hong Kong Book Fair this past summer. In a way, this children’s book shows both our love for learning and drawing.

10 Questions With… Briar Hickling of Linehouse

Summer in Hong Kong oscillates between blazing sun and torrential rain. One Thursday afternoon, yellow and white striped loungers on the sun-dappled terrace of guesthouse Ying’nFlo are soaking up rays after a seasonal storm during that magical in-between time. Travelers absent from Hong Kong due to three years of pandemic-induced restrictions are finally back, and they are wheeling their suitcases up Wanchai Gap Road to check-in. With guest rooms featuring full kitchens, generous shower stalls, natural materials, and restrained aesthetics, the latest Langham Group brand caters to a young demographic keen for a communal home away from home. Who better to design the space than Briar Hickling of Linehouse?

Briar Hickling Takes Us Behind Linehouse’s Design Projects

Interior Design: Why did you pursue a career in architecture?

Briar Hickling: My father is a lawyer turned farmer. I grew up on a farm in Gisborne on the east coast of New Zealand’s north island. I always felt a strong connection to the land, culture, and people of New Zealand. A sense of place and identity always resonated with me personally. Naturally, this translated to architecture.

I studied interior design at Massey University in Wellington. The city had a great hospitality scene. After graduation, I worked for a small firm where I built my strength designing hospitality spaces.

ID: How did you end up in Shanghai?

BH: I was 25 years old and felt that China offered a lot of opportunity. When I first moved there, I was really inspired by the streetscape and how you see people living in a very public way in comparison to New Zealand. Asia has such a rich history to draw inspiration from. There is a less rigid way of working—a broader momentum in the culture of design and craftsmanship. It was a great chance to push myself and my boundaries.

When I started with Neri & Hu in 2009, it was a small company and I was given a lot of responsibility. I enjoyed its interdisciplinary, holistic approach to architecture.

ID: How did Linehouse begin?

BH: Alex and I met while working at Neri & Hu. We share a similar design sensibility and a desire for our visions to be realized. Her mother is Swedish while her father is from Guangzhou. She felt a strong connection to China and to explore her Chinese heritage. New Zealand is multicultural and being immersed in a completely different culture always inspires me. We completed one project together. Through its success, Linehouse evolved.

ID: One of your first and best known Hong Kong projects is Basehall—what is the appeal of hospitality projects for you?

BH: We completed Basehall just before COVID hit. Basehall was one of the first contemporary food halls to hit the Hong Kong F&B scene, and a new type of project for owner Hongkong Land at the time. Jardine House is such an iconic building in the cityscape—I love the early ’70s period of architecture in Hong Kong, and this retro nostalgia was reference in the design.

Hospitality gives us the opportunity to transport people to another world. We have worked on a diverse range: from hotel projects offering home comforts such as Ying’nFlo, or a more theatrical design for Black Star Pastry in Shanghai, which embodies a sense of being suspended in space. Gaga Coast Restaurant, also in Shanghai, has a deep connection to the Mediterranean through refined rusticity across three floors of different F&B spaces.

ID: As architects, how would you describe your approach to interior design?

BH: Our approach is purposeful, creating poetic concepts through research; cultural, urban and historic contexts; and responding to the program, site and function. Whether it is architecture or interior, our approach is always the same. Through the process of design, each project has a strong narrative, a focus on craft and unique spatial experiences with a dynamic intersection between disciplines.

We recently completed a four-story house on the south side of Hong Kong where we did the interiors and landscape design. In response to the site, we brought a coastal essence and a seamless connection between the interior and exterior spaces.

ID: Your projects vary greatly in scale, too.

BH: It is natural for us to do projects of every scale with the same approach. Our design process is vigorous and explorative—whether that is a piece of furniture or an interior or a building. Having different scaled projects allows us to maintain diversity and see projects realized.

One of our larger projects is a seven-story shopping center in Bangkok for Central World, where we did the architecture and interiors. We wanted the architecture to resonate with the Hindu temple it surrounds, along with the urban nature of the locale. It is expressed through the harmonious form of double layered arches defined in concrete form work. The area, too, was once abundant with lily pads. Spatially, we interpreted this with columns ascending and radiating through the central atriums.

Explore Hospitality Designs by Linehouse

Wutopia Lab Creates a Whimsical Bookstore in Yancheng, China

Yancheng may well be worth more than its weight in salt. For the past two millennia, the Chinese city’s natural river salt reserves have seasoned Jiangsu province’s many celebrated dishes. In fact, its name literally translates as salt city. North of Shanghai, Yancheng’s development has progressed at a more temperate pace when com­pared with its glamorous neighbor despite a population of over 8 million. But for architects such as Ting Yu, founder and principal of Wutopia Lab, the city offers much room to experiment—and is the perfect place to unleash his creative prowess in experiential retail design at a parent-child branch of Duoyun Bookstore.

At first, however, Yu was hesitant to take on the 18,300-square-foot project. Recently completing the award-winning Taizhou outpost of Duoyun, he was worried he might be typecast as a bookstore designer. But the city’s potential was one factor in changing his mind. “Yancheng has a long history, rich resources, and is developing rapidly,” Yu begins. “But it’s in need of fresh blood to bring it in line with the rest of the world.”

A Touch of Imagination Brings the Duoyun Bookstore to Life 

Another swaying factor was the work of Italian illustrator Cristina Làstrego, whom Yu discovered upon his first meeting with the project’s developer, Jiangsu Spring Blossom Cultural and Creative Town Cultural Tourism Industry Development Co. Over the past four decades, the 82-year-old artist and her partner Francesco Testa have produced more than 170 books for children that have been adapted into films and online media.

“I was deeply impressed by the imagination of Làstrego—her gorgeous scenes are very moving. I felt I could use her works to create a fairy-tale bookstore and retain a sense of innocence to take customers, young and old, back to a pure place in their hearts.” So Duoyun Bookstore, which has six shops through­out China, and Jiangsu Spring Blossom joined forces for the venture, as the latter holds the intellectual property rights for Làstrego characters such as Mirò the Cat and her animated films The Creation and The Circus. “Mirò is famous in Italy but not China, so we had to introduce the animation to Chinese customers through the design,” Yu says. But rather than literal depictions of the characters, he simplified Làstrego’s meticulous details to yield whimsical spaces that play with scale, creating a childlike wonder for visitors of all ages.

The Bookstore Design Invites Guests to Stay Awhile

The Oceania Drawing Library on the opposite end of the café is a large open activity space for children that also accommodates workshops and exhibitions. It encompasses four smaller, stand-alone rooms dubbed illustrated book houses that are filled with children’s books. These structures feature different laser-cut entries in the shape of animals adopted from Làstrego’s The Creation. Each one employs different-colored perforated panels while their interiors are uniformly white with built-in benches—tranquil environments to browse books in. A terrace at the end of the second floor is furnished with a red aluminum tent in a nod to one depicted in The Circus; Wutopia’s version has a custom carousel inside it.

Duoyun is a pioneer in China’s retail book arena and leads the trend in combining sales with food and beverage, education, and exhibitions. To gel together the many disparate areas, Yu looked to another children’s literary character: Peter Pan. “At the end of the story, Wendy can never go back to Neverland, but the tale left a strong impression,” he says. “Duoyun Bookstore is like a Neverland—I hope that its older customers can shed the stress of adulthood and feel pure again.”

Wutopia Lab: shengrui pu; chen lin; jie lv; yanyan feng; zijie xu; chao bian

10 Questions With… Heidi Painchaud

On a quiet afternoon in January, the second floor of a Midtown Toronto studio is buzzing with activity just a few days into the new year. While some concentrate on their flat screens, others in the pantry catch up on holiday accounts with impromptu discussions about projects. It is clear that iN STUDIO Creative walks the walk, operating by letting inspiration ebb and flow, similar to how the team collaborates on corporate design projects. It is no wonder that some of its clients include the biggest and most progressive household names.

I must give credit to UofM for the passion it instilled. I love that I learned about design under the umbrella of design for the built environment. When I graduated, I had an underlying respect for the craft of architecture and that we, as designers, are not in it alone.

ID: You got your start in the States. What were some of the biggest lessons learned there?

HP: I first worked in Minneapolis at The Wheeler Group before it joined Perkins&Will. Gary Wheeler was and is still my mentor. Then I moved out to NBBJ in Los Angeles. Perkins&Will was very diverse and excellent in executing designs, while NBBJ was a big global firm that provided great groundwork for the design process. I learned to listen first before I drew. I then worked for Wirt Design Group (WDG), a small L.A. firm that concentrated on corporate design. I found that I liked the structure of corporate design, and wanted it to be more adventurous. I saw the ramp to get us there.

For big firms to survive, they have to offer a lot of different design disciplines and services. In the States, the relationship between architecture and interior design is a much closer marriage than in Canada. In Toronto, we can sign drawings, for example. I also saw how important project managers were in the States, when that role was still in its infancy in Canada in the late ’90s and early 2000s. Project managers have really evolved here—they are like snow plows that allow designers to do our best work.

ID: Why return to Canada and start from scratch?

HP: Although I loved living in L.A., Guy and I are Canadian and we knew it was time to come home by the mid-2000s. We opened Habitar, our first practice, and a major client wanted us to move our studio across the border. We relocated to Calgary in 2006 and landed in a boom. B+H Architects took notice and acquired our practice. We moved to Toronto in 2008 and started iN STUDIO in 2015.

To operate a creative studio, you have to be brave. We are always reinventing ourselves. While we know how to navigate the details of delivering something completely bespoke every time, the hardest part is staying inspired. I think that comes from knowing a client well enough so that inspiration flows naturally.

ID: Biggest challenges and rewards of working with your spouse?

HP: When we both first graduated from UofM, it was unacceptable for a married couple to be employed at the same firm. Guy also interviewed at Perkins&Will but he decided to take a job at Ellerbe Becket. Now, after nearly three decades together, we know how we complement each other. It is instinctive since we are partners. Guy is the fearless creative while I interpret client needs and make sure we meet at the finish line.

Though we try to avoid shop talk at home, sometimes our dinner table conversation revolves around plumbing fixtures. Our home is like a lab where we explore new materials and experiment on design details.

ID: How has workplace design evolved, particularly during and post pandemic?

HP: When COVID first hit, working from home made people develop habits that we are still feeling the effects of. The biggest change on this side of the pandemic is how lonely everyone is for human contact, and how it impacts collaborations. Water cooler conversations got lost. And a lot of unplanned learning also got lost without those accidental collisions. We are an action-reaction business; we need to read face and body language to understand people.

I see comfort coming back in a big way. There is less formality in the workplace. There is a lot of analysis on how to better utilize real estate, while balancing that with the on-going staff members’ fear that if they lose their desk, they will lose their job. There are a lot of delicate conversations going on.

Resi-mercial—or residential/commercial hybrid spaces—are more interesting post-COVID. People realize that they don’t need a meeting table to connect, or work at a formal desk or cubicle. One of our clients admitted that their most popular meeting space is a corner with living room furniture. Our job is to understand what our client’s staff members are doing while they are in the office and how to best use that space. It does not necessarily mean pool tables. Instead, we are getting more requests for quiet spaces. We are incorporating more tech and more tech-enabled rooms.

ID: How did you end up contributing to Designing Your Business, a textbook for professional interior designers?

HP: Author Gordon Kendall approached me to co-author the second edition of his book. He was a terrific coach and gave me a lot of guidance. I worked with an outline of topics that I then shared on-the-ground experience stories to help flesh them out. Until I wrote about them, I didn’t realize that 20 years of accumulated good stories made for a book. It was cathartic.

ID: Could you share more about your house in France and its artist-in-residence program?

ID: Why do you think design matters more than ever?

HP: During the pandemic, people alone at home stopped solving problems and communicating the same way. Design helps to reignite basic human functions. It helps companies define what they stand for. Why staff members want to work for them. It allows clients to ask how they can supercharge staff members’ understanding. If people work in a vanilla box, they may not want to go into the office every day.

ID: What is next for iN STUDIO?

HP: We opened our Calgary office in 2022 at the invitation of our clients. Calgary used to be a very traditional city but it is evolving rapidly. It is really inspirational to see such a huge appetite for change there. Our clients there include an energy company, a law firm and a real estate office. Guy and I fly back and forth between Calgary and Toronto, and we have a senior staff member based there. All our Calgary staff members are local hires, which we strongly support.

ID: And Roene will become your family’s third generation of designers?

HP: Yes—they are 18 now and considering their university options in the States and Canada. I must admit: I asked if they really wanted to pursue a career in design after seeing what their parents go through. They are on a gap year right now and helping our marketing department. Having them here, I really think that the next generation will do a much better job at sustainability, inclusivity, and gender neutrality.