Contract Magazine - June 2020 - 20

Designers
You
Should
Know
Harken
Interiors

Chicago-based Harken Interiors was founded
in 2015 by Chris Sommers and Jacklyn Moser,
who both previously worked at award-winning
hospitality firm Simeone Deary Design Group.
The firm's name was derived from "hearken,"
meaning to listen, which echoes the partners'
approach to working with clients to channel their
authentic voice into the finished design. Harken
Interiors' work spans the hotel, multiunit
residential, senior living, restaurant, luxury
residential, and workplace markets, with clients
including Hyatt Regency, Homewood Suites,
Aloft, Marriot, Sheraton, Westin, Loews, Hilton,
and Four Seasons.

20

Harken Interiors' portfolio
includes work in the hotel,
multiunit residential, senior
living, restaurant, luxury
residential, and workplace
sectors. The firm's latest
projects include RXBAR's
corporate headquarters (top)
and The Fields Lofts (bottom),
both located in Chicago.

How do your backgrounds in hospitality design
inform your design approach today?
Hospitality as the art of welcoming guests and providing
for their needs is such a simple and honest concept,
but it requires that all the touch points are thoughtful,
seamless, and cohesive. We love developing a narrative
that will influence programming, aesthetics, and most
of all the emotional experience of the guest. For us, the
concept is truly the North Star for every design decision
that unfolds. Having worked on five-star international
resorts, intimate independent boutique hotels, and
food and beverage venues at themed entertainment
districts, we understand that each is unique in their
personality and that personality should not end with
how it looks. Providing for how service is delivered in
the front and back of house while weaving a complete
interior and graphic identity of a space is something that
we do not just for our hospitality projects but also for
workplace, senior living, multiunit residential, and retail.
We believe each layer-visible and invisible-should
be considered.
What is unique about your overall design approach?
When we opened our doors in 2015, we knew that our
goal was more nuanced than developing a singular
aesthetic voice as a hospitality interior design studio.
We certainly bring a point of view to the table, which is
influenced by our time in the industry, education, and
passion for design thinking. However, we believe our
portfolio should feel as diverse as our clients. Above all
else, our approach is driven by our desire to truly hear

and deliver on our clients' goals and dreams-
financially, functionally, and artistically. Our work
has taken us across segments and sectors because
our quest really is to work with passionate clients
who are looking to amplify their voice and vision.
What interior spaces have you worked on recently?
Was there something innovative that you feel you
brought to the project?
We've been excited by the cross-disciplinary nature
of some of our most recent projects as that always asks
for innovative solutions! We're working on a Joie de Vivre
property that is incorporating a long-term-stay model
into their hotel room mix-it's a great exploration
of not just dipping into a lifestyle for a weekend but
determining what that means for the ongoing daily
rituals of life. Two of our expansive senior living
renovations with Vi Living stray from the homogenous
dining hall experience and we are aiming to create
more diverse food and beverage layouts, seating styles,
service types, and menus for varied experiences from
one meal to the next. Our work with Hubbard Street
Group at the Fields Lofts is not only special because
we found ways to preserve and honor the history of
the Marshall Field's Warehouse in the conversion to
multiunit residential, but also because we've developed
a rich amenity program. We provided residents with
cafe space, coworking and lounge options, roof deck
access, and high-end fitness experiences that aren't
currently available in the community but can be found
within their own extended home.
What are some interesting trends that you see
in interior design today?
Paradoxically, we are loving the trend of staying
true to what works for you rather than what may be
the fleeting fashion. We had the privilege of working
on RXBAR's corporate headquarters in Chicago prior
to the acquisition by Kellogg's. Their ethos is clear-
honest and simple from the inside out. Instead
of layering the 10-story office with trendy start-up
diversions and unusual materials, we reflected their
brand in built space. Materials are natural, space
planning is transparent, and wellness is accessible in
easy, everyday ways. The heartbeat of the company
drove the design, which is palpable to anyone
experiencing the space.
What do you see as the biggest challenges facing
interior designers today, especially given the
current situation?
Now more than ever, we as designers need to put
aside how we may have executed a project in the past
and begin with compassion for the challenges our
clients are facing in their markets. We will likely absorb
more hours and effort researching, evaluating, pivoting,
and communicating new processes and products.
However, it's through this diligence that we can lay
the foundation for regrowth. At a time when we are
all desperate for safety, wellness, peace of mind, and
joy, designers can help build trust and transparency
between our clients, their investors, end users,
and staff through our well-researched solutions.
contractdesign.com

JUNE 2020

PHOTOGRAPHY: MIKE SCHWARTZ

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Contract Magazine - June 2020

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