Hospitality Design - July 2014 - 61

perspectives

trends

startups
By Alissa Ponchione

BACK FROM THE BRINK

When the recession struck in 2008, the
hospitality industry was hit especially hard.
Development came to a virtual halt, affecting
construction companies, hoteliers, vendors,
and designers alike. While companies were
eliminating design positions (and sometimes
whole departments), many talented designers
were faced with a dilemma: hope to find another
job in a fledgling economy or venture out on
their own. Statistics were against those planning
to start boutique firms, as more than 170,000
small businesses closed between 2008 and 2010,
according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
But those designers who persevered and
saw the downturn and its aftermath as a catalyst
for change-some featured here-have been
rewarded. "From the get go, it was the worst
time to be working or to start a company," says
Adam Goldstein, one of the founding principals
of Santa Monica, California-based Studio
Collective. "But there's never a good time to do
it. There's never a good time to go out there, but
there are good stories coming out of it."

Studio Hatch, San Francisco
Who: Rebecca Brownlee McEfee and
Kate Hanzo
When: Hanzo and McEfee worked together for
four years at Design Atelier when they realized
their skill sets melded together perfectly. When
a handful of freelance projects came their way
in 2012, they decided the time was ripe to start
their own firm, and Studio Hatch was born.
Why: During the early stages of Studio Hatch,

there was buzz the economy was coming back,
but the industry had not fully begun its recovery
from recession lows and the duo still struggled
to find hospitality work. Being in San Francisco,
however, made them accessible to the tech
industry. The chance to design the offices of a
local tech startup looking for an atypical and
innovative design helped the pair find a niche
market in that world. Those type of projects

Photography by EVA KOLENKO

Designers who forged their own paths during the economic
downturn are now enjoying success

1. The HotelTonight
offices were designed to
reflect a boutique hotel
lobby.

1

"have been keeping us very busy for the last
couple of years," McEffee says.

Lessons Learned: Having started the firm as
the recession was lifting, Hanzo and McEfee are
still cautious about growing the company. "We
have been riding the ebbs and flows in workload
and realizing how quickly things change,"
McEffee says. For example, having been on the
verge of hiring more staff a couple of times, they
had to hold off when projects were placed on
hold. "The learning curve feels very steep,"
she adds.
Success Stories: After creating successful

office spaces, it was only a few months ago that
Hanzo and McEfee felt they were making some
headway in the hospitality world when they
were awarded their first two hotel jobs. "We each
had close to 10 years experience with hotels and
restaurants at our previous firms, so starting
on a boutique property again felt comfortable
but very exciting," Hanzo explains. The step

Photography by EVA KOLENKO

away from hospitality "brought us a refreshing
outlook on materials and finishes, and function,
and we're excited to bring some of what we've
learned [in commercial design] back" to the
hotel world, she explains.

Projects on the Boards:

Motel Mylo, San Francisco
LIA Motel, San Francisco
Artis Coffee prototype design, various U.S. cities

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