
5 Design Luminaries Share Their Top-of-Mind Destinations
Shoptalk is our monthly roundup where we ask industry insiders topical questions seeking insight into the design zeitgeist. This month we asked principals of ODA Architecture, AB+AC Architects, Roar, MAWD, and CID Design Group, respected studios hailing from across the U.S., Europe, and the Middle East: What cities are on your design radar and why?
Keep an Eye on Designs Hailing from These Locales
Design Standouts from Charlotte, North Carolina to Nashville, Tennessee
“There’s a new wave of branded residences and hospitality projects booming in smaller U.S. cities like Jacksonville, Florida, where ODA is designing the interiors of a new Four Seasons hotel with residences. Cities like Charlotte, North Carolina; Tampa, Florida; and Atlanta are still seeing growth in both hospitality and residential markets. We’re also seeing great talent and design coming out of southern cities like Austin, Texas; Nashville, Tennessee; and St. Louis.” — Eran Chen, ODA Architecture
DesignWire
10 Questions With… Katie Vance
Katie Vance of Powell is changing the hospitality scene in Nashville, one space at a time. See what makes people flock to the spaces she creates.
Projects
This Austin Nightclub Embraces Disco Era Design
Superstition, a new nightclub in Austin, harkens back to disco decadence with interiors swathed in 1970s design motifs thanks to Casa Metta.
Projects
Inside a Playful Office for LendingTree in Charlotte, North Carolina
When it comes to amenities, the new LendingTree office in Charlotte, North Carolina, goes above and beyond—quite literally considering its “treehouse” areas.
Explore Designs from Lisbon, Portugal and Beyond
“Lisbon seems to have the right balance of raw creative talent, abandoned buildings with great potential, and skilled craftspeople to make it all happen. Its captivating charm, in constant dialogue between tradition and contemporaneity, is now drawing creators and investors alike from different industries, stimulating imagination and inspiring architectural innovation. Some might say it’s the New York of 40 years ago.” — Arianna Bavuso, AB+AC Architects
Projects
Hot Shots: AB+AC Architects Designs an Experiential Center for Healing Arts in Lisbon
Get to know the founders of AB+AC Architects who designed a healing arts center for the nonprofit Open Hearts Lisboa in Portugal.
Projects
Frescoes Inspire This Coworking Space by Studio Pim in Lisbon, Portugal
Studio Pim highlights a series of striking frescoes for one meeting room in this Lisbon co-working office space.
DesignWire
Viterbo Interior Design Revives Hotel Albatroz in Cascais, Portugal
Hotel Albatroz has been centuries in the making. The 51-key hotel was expanded and redesigned in the 1980s and, again, more recently.
Design Hotspots in Dubai, United Arab Emirates
“My hometown: Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. The world’s millionaires and billionaires flocked here during COVID when it was pretty much the only city open. Many stayed, which is fueling a real-estate boom. Fifteen years is old for a mansion in Dubai, so they’ll gut it completely. Then everyone needs offices for their staff and schools for their kids, plus hotels, restaurants, shops. Growth is also insane in Saudi Arabia.” — Pallavi Dean, Roar
Projects
Roar Entices Pastry-Lovers With a Spunky Donut Brand Design
For Here-O, a Middle Eastern donut brand, Roar conceived of an interior design meant to entice and wow pastry-lovers, complete with a sugary pink palette.
Projects
The Museum of the Future Opens in Dubai
The Museum of the Future, a collaboration between local firm Killa Design and British structural engineer Buro Happold, celebrates what’s still to come in Dubai.
Projects
This Installation for Dubai Design Week Draws Attention to Indigenous Mangroves in the U.A.E.
See the mazelike installation by OBMI for Dubai Design Week that educated visitors on the mangroves indigenous to the northern U.A.E.
Must-See Designs Spotted in Miami, Chicago, and Denver
“We have a name for those that have caught our eye for being centers of innovation, excitement, and development: magnet cities. In the U.S., Miami, Chicago, Denver, and Austin, Texas, fit the description—they’ve experienced an influx of young residents who appreciate high-caliber design.” — Elliot March, MAWD
Projects
SheltonMindel Designs a Miami Home Fit for Beach Days
This Miami apartment by SheltonMindel embraces the surf and sky with a shimmering palette, a focus on light, and architectural furnishings.
Projects
The Denver Art Museum Gets a Thoughtful Update
A comprehensive four-year overhaul of the multibuilding campus of the Denver Art Museum included both renovation and expansion.
Projects
Gensler Enlivens the Street-Level of Chicago’s Willis Tower
For Chicago’s Willis Tower, Gensler’s expertise in workplace and hospitality is used to transform the street-level program into a paragon of 21st-century amenities.
Dream Up Desert Inspiration in Marfa, Texas and Joshua Tree, California
“A time-tested example of artists leading us to the coolest places, Marfa, Texas, spotlights our affection for unusual, storied, cultured destinations. The Sunbelt has been the beneficiary of tremendous recent growth, teeming with opportunity and talent. From Joshua Tree, California, to Florida’s 30A, it’s less about one powerhouse design mecca and more about the collective influence of all these uniquely creative micro-markets. Lisbon, Portugal, has also been the recipient of major growth fueled by affordability, access, beautiful land/weather/lifestyle, and the emergence of wanderlust nomads now free to work remotely and surf at will.” — Jenn Zella, CID Design Group
Products
Liz Lambert’s New Outdoor Textiles Serve Up Southwestern Style
Liz Lambert fills her Far West collection of outdoor textiles with colorful sarape stripes and soft textures, made with Perennials’ UV-resistant acrylic.
Projects
A California Home in the Desert With Japanese Influences
This SoCal desert home by Lucas is a family’s zen oasis, complete with mountain views and interiors influenced by Japanese design.
DesignWire
10 Questions With… Alex Holloway and Na Li of Holloway Li
Holloway Li cofounders share insights into projects leading the way in sustainable rooftop design, the influence of film on their work, and more.
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DesignWire
Highlights from ‘Threadwork: Women Redefining Fabric Art’
A group of 17 fiber artists explore concepts of female-identifying means of self-expression in “Threadwork: Women Redefining Fabric Art,” an online exhibit.
DesignWire
New York’s Noguchi Museum Spotlights Filmmaker Marie Menken
A new showcase at The Noguchi Museum in Queens looks to highlight Marie Menken’s influence on and filmic translation of Noguchi’s explorations.
DesignWire
Yasmin Spiro’s Latest Installation in Chicago Fosters Community
Groundation, an installation by Yasmin Spiro at the Arts Club of Chicago through October 7, comprises seven panels of hemplike polypropylene rope.
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DesignWire
On The Move: March 2025 Promotions And Hires
Discover the most recent industry promotions, new hires, and company news in Interior Design’s March 2025 edition of On the Move.
DesignWire
10 Questions With… Emma Maclean
Interior designer Emma Maclean embraces her love for Hong Kong, sharing how community plays a central role in her hospitality projects.
DesignWire
ThinkLab’s Amanda Schneider Explores The Future Of Work In TEDx Talk
Is work broken? ThinkLab’s Amanda Schneider explores this question and shares insights into what’s top of mind for Gen Z in this TEDx x Fargo talk.