Boutique Design - Fall 2023 - 42

A RENDER I NG OF THE HOTEL WES TLUND, AN URBAN VI LL AGES PROJECT LAUNCH I NG IN SEAT TLE NE XT YEAR
How did you get started in the industry? Seventeen
years ago, I decided to shift my career from fi nance to
design. At the time, it felt like a radical move. Growing
up as a Chinese immigrant, I didn't even know design
was a career path. I was drawn to hospitality because
it was a space that celebrated and memorialized some
of life's biggest moments-family vacations, weddings,
anniversaries, birthdays. Hotels and restaurants are
always in the backdrop of these moments that are etched
into our memories. I was drawn to the idea of helping to
shape these important life experiences.
Do you feel that you had a " big break " ? It was a series of
steps, saying yes to opportunities, trying the unknown,
following my curiosity, and meeting and working with
the right people. My business partner, Dan Pierce, for
example. I wouldn't be where I am if Dan and I hadn't
met and started working together with similar goals-
designing meaningful projects through real collaboration
and with great people. And fi nally, it's the team that we've
built-bringing together a diverse group of passionate and
talented designers who are driven by excellence and not
ego. Their exceptional work and human spirit are what
continue to propel our company forward every day.
What trends or movements in hospitality design are you
paying attention to? For our clients, we try to pay more
attention to the long game, in many ways bucking the
trends and fads and instead designing for longevity. It's
the fi nancially and globally sustainable thing to do. We're
working to preserve as much as we can in the buildings
we touch, and we're designing for well beyond the next
renovation cycle. It's an alignment of values as we're
working with clients (like Urban Villages out of Denver)
and brands (like Six Senses) who really care about their
impact on the planet.
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FALL 2 0 2 3
What would you like to see in terms of a more inclusive
industry? There are a lot of passionate, young
professionals from diverse backgrounds trying to enter
the hospitality space, but they need access to capital.
And, unfortunately, passion, conviction, and a strong
work ethic just aren't enough to open those doors right
now. I'd like to see more investment and fi nancing
available for a diverse group of future hoteliers who want
to develop meaningful hospitality spaces at a grassroots
level in the communities they care about.
Advice for a strong client/designer relationship? Spend
time together. Break bread, travel. Get to know one
another on a human level. It's the same as any other
meaningful relationship in your life. You need to invest
the time and energy into getting to know the other
person and build trust. These projects are complex and
long. One certainty is that there are going to be hurdles
along the way. It's only with mutual trust and the ability
to speak honestly to each other that project teams will
overcome those hurdles and come out the other side with
a great fi nal project.
What are you most looking forward to at Curioso? We're
collaborating with some incredible people around the
world. From designing Vienna Beef's fl agship restaurant
and company headquarters in Chicago to a Six Senses
resort and residences in the Bahamas, the work in our
studio is dynamic, interesting, and soulful. We turn 10
this November, with nearly 40 team members across
the U.S. and Mexico. It's a long way from when Dan
and I started in 2013, renting a single desk in a shared
offi ce space. It's a signifi cant milestone, but we're also
reminding ourselves that in human years, we're only in
4th grade, and there's a lot more learning and growing
ahead of us.
NINA GRONDIN
MANAGING PARTNER
CUR IOSO, CHICAGO
RENDERING: COURTESY URBAN VILLAGES

Boutique Design - Fall 2023

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