The hospitality design sector is continuously influenced by a group of studios, each with its own approach to creating guest environments. These firms share a commitment to delivering tailored, high-standard settings that go beyond mere aesthetics, focusing instead on the overall guest journey. Their methods are based on careful attention to detail, a solid understanding of cultural context, and a thoughtful use of materials that convey both quality and authenticity. Combining global design sensibilities with local narratives, they produce spaces characterized by considered proportions, refined aesthetics, and a connection to place. From Ardh Architects’ link to regional heritage and forward-looking vision, to ANARCHITECT’s “contextual modernism” and material honesty, Customs Bureau’s expressive luxury, Delfina Design’s refined minimalism, and LW’s emphasis on functionality and varied details, each studio ensures projects reflect the client’s vision and the guest’s experience.
Jesper Godsk
LWDesign (on cover)
Since 1999, LW has developed over three hundred hospitality projects from the ground up. The firm employs a diverse design process—an amalgamation of different ideas, concepts, and approaches. LW’s eccentric design process and unparalleled attention to eclectic details are what drive its popularity. At LW, the emphasis lies on the functionality of interior design. LW’s definition of functionality is “the way it makes the audience feel.” The team of architects and designers follows one ideology: flawless design isn’t a seamless panorama where each aspect merges into the other. It’s a combination of different details—a complex meshwork of vibrant puzzle pieces that collide into a dynamic built space. LW has established a worldwide presence in recent years, with a large number of impressive, award-winning projects coming out of its offices in Dubai, Hong Kong, São Paulo, and Denmark. Key to their success is the manner in which the architects and interior designers not only work alongside each other but also partner closely with clients to fully embrace their vision. The resulting projects deliver an experience that incorporates the best of both disciplines. The multi-discipline team boasts a client list and a portfolio of 100’s of hotels and over 300 restaurants/bars.
ANARCHITECT (Jonathan Ashmore & Kristine Marasigan) – Photo © Edmund Sumner
ANARCHITECT
Founded in 2013 by British architect Jonathan Ashmore, ANARCHITECT has built a distinct profile from its bases in Dubai, London and Belgrade. With a team of 13, the studio is known for a refined architectural language at the intersection of modernity and restraint, where material honesty and craftsmanship set the tone. Ashmore calls it “contextual modernism”: a way of designing that combines a global outlook with sensitivity to each site. Sometimes this means working with stone drawn directly from the land; at other times, it means adapting an existing structure instead of starting from scratch. Sustainability here is pragmatic rather than rhetorical. Alongside him, Executive Director Militza Ashmore shapes the studio’s brand and positioning within the worlds of design and luxury, bringing an essential strategic perspective. The portfolio spans desert retreats in Sharjah, residences in Dubai and cultural projects across Europe and Africa, each defined by a sense of place and quiet elegance. Recognition from AD100, AHEAD and RIBA has followed, yet the practice’s identity lies in creating architecture that feels grounded and authentic, while still progressive. A defining work, the Al Faya Desert Retreat (2019), blends stone, steel and timber into a sanctuary that seems to dissolve into the landscape, balancing intimacy with a discreet sense of luxury.
Al Faya Desert Retreat, Sharjah – Photo © Fernando Guerra
Omran Alowais
Ardh Architects
Founded by Emirati architect Omran Alowais, Ardh Architects is emerging as a significant force in contemporary architecture across the UAE. Its name, meaning “land” in Arabic, reflects a profound connection to the region’s heritage, landscape, and culture. The practice combines tradition with innovation, producing architecture that is both contextually aware and forward-looking. Projects like Al Azra Home in Sharjah illustrate this philosophy: a tranquil ground-floor retreat designed for a senior Emirati lady, featuring two bedrooms, an office, a semi-open kitchen with a breakfast island, and a living-dining area that opens onto a private courtyard. Carefully placed vegetation ensures privacy while creating a natural, calming atmosphere, and a water feature enhances serenity, connecting occupants to nature. With a small but dedicated team, Ardh Architects demonstrates an unwavering commitment to balancing heritage, environmental sensitivity, and contemporary lifestyle needs. Their work celebrates local identity while embracing sustainable, functional, and thoughtfully crafted spaces, proving that architecture can be both deeply rooted and boldly innovative.
Al Azra Home, Sharjah — a contemporary retreat harmonising heritage, nature, and modern living
Delfina Cortese
Delfina Design
Milan-born architect Delfina Cortese founded her Dubai-based studio, Delfina Design, in 2019 after more than two decades of experience in Europe and the Middle East. From the start, Delfina Design has stayed true to Cortese’s belief that great design is both timeless and personal. The studio ensures that each project reflects her distinctive vision of elegance, detail, and craft, with Cortese closely involved at every stage, from the first sketch to completion. The studio’s work is guided by a refined take on minimalism: never flat or monotonous, but layered with texture, proportion, and thoughtful contrasts. Projects move easily between private residences, hotels, workplaces, and even art installations. This deliberate variety keeps creativity alive and prevents the repetition that comes from over-specialisation. Recent work includes the Desert Pool Villas at Bab Al Shams Resort, where bespoke furniture and handcrafted details root the design in its desert setting. The project has been shortlisted for both the Hotel & Property Awards in London and the Elite Awards in Capri. Villa Romboli, meanwhile, was named Best Project on Archilovers in 2024. These accolades highlight a practice committed to craft and timelessness in an era of fast-shifting trends.
The Desert Pool Villas at Bab Al Shams Resort, Dubai
