Part Art School, Part Time Capsule: Inside The Radical Hotel's Fearless Design
The Radical Hotel is the eccentric, art-school cousin, who somehow makes spray paint and Bakelite accessories look chic. This 70-key boutique hotel, nestled in Asheville’s River Arts District, is a brilliant collaboration that transformed a 1920s warehouse into a seamless, cohesive design. Fearlessly designed by Suomi Design Works and set decorator Kris Moran (of The Royal Tenenbaums fame), the hotel wears its industrial bones and history—bomb shelter and all—with pride. From graffiti-inspired guestrooms and sculptural furniture to a hidden "grow-room" inspired bar and a circus "Ball of Death" DJ booth, The Radical is loud, local, and alive, proving that embracing your scars is the ultimate style statement..
“Architecture succeeds when it creates dignity, belonging, and pride, especially for communities that have historically been overlooked.“Good design recognizes the social, environmental, and cultural impact of what we build and understands that architecture carries responsibility far beyond aesthetics."—Pascale Sablan,FAIA, NOMAC, LEED AP; CEO of the Adjaye Associates' New York Studio; founder of Beyond the Built Environment and the Great Diverse Designers Library; and author of GREATNESS: Diverse Designers of Architecture |
HOK’s Seattle Studio Is a Love Letter to the Pacific Northwest
HOK’s new Seattle studio doesn’t just reflect its location—it embodies it. Set inside the former IBM Building, the space peels back layers of history to reveal Yamasaki-era concrete and waffle slabs, then warmth, hospitality, and Pacific Northwest personality. From topography-inspired floors and a Puget Sound–referencing welcome desk to flexible work zones, inclusive meeting rooms, and playful local Easter eggs, the studio balances serious design with human comfort. It’s a workplace that shifts from focused workday to community hub—Seattle, distilled.
From Warehouse to Brain Trust: Inside Stanford’s New Sustainability Hub
What happens when you take a window-starved concrete warehouse and ask it to host the future of sustainability? You get one very smart adaptive reuse. For the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability Accelerator, CAW Architects transformed the building into a bright, flexible hub for collaboration. North-facing skylights flood the space with daylight, hospitality-forward lounges encourage connection, and clever material moves quietly pull double (and triple) duty. It’s a project that proves sustainability isn’t just something you study—it’s something you build, reuse, and rethink.
Five Questions With Designer Nina Magon
Nina Magon didn’t set out to become an interior designer, but once she discovered a passion for shaping spaces, everything clicked. Pivoting from finance to interiors, the Canadian-born, Houston-based designer of Indian descent built a career defined by ultra-lavish, fashion-forward environments. Entering a white, male-dominated industry, Nina carved out space on her own terms, earning global recognition and redefining modern luxury. Here, she shares the ideas and instincts that drive her work.
Virgin Hotels Integrates Design Details Autism Parents Will Appreciate
While many brands claim to offer programs that cater to neurodiverse travelers, some fall short, out of touch with the needs and the nuances of children on the spectrum and their parents. Virgin Hotels has set out to change that: A number of its properties have been certified Autism Double-Checked, including Dallas, where one activist and influencer made a stopover with her two ASD kiddos. And they were not disappointed!
5 Sustainable Stars in Resilient & Hardwood Flooring
Whether they are reclaimed, renewable, or recycled, sustainable floors are now the expectation—not the exception—for today’s commercial interiors. Here are five wood, resilient, and engineered wood floors from Parador, Mohawk, HempWood, Pioneer Millworks, and Patcraft that can help occupants, installers, and designers meet their green goals, while breathing a bit easier in the process.
Isn't It Iconic? B+N Industries Builds on a Classic
Conventional wisdom says it’s best not to mess with something iconic. But B+N Industries does it anyway. The brand is evolving its popular Iconic Panels wall-cladding line with two new collections: Architects and Hypernature. Where the Architects Collection draws inspiration from the built world, Hypernature turns to nature by reimagining familiar organic forms into bold, textured wall reliefs that feel both recognizable and fresh.
This New Yorker Left Banking for Bespoke Millwork
What happens when an investment banker takes over a legacy millwork shop? Growth—with intention. Axos Designs founder Chris Yerolemou shares how he’s scaling handcrafted production, expanding into a 30,000-square-foot facility, and modernizing operations while keeping old-world craftsmanship firmly intact..
Take a Spin on the "Pink Mirror Carousel"
It's a carousel that barely moves—but it makes you stop and take notice. Installed on the ice rink at Kulm Hotel St. Moritz, Carsten Höller’s Pink Mirror Carousel slows the altered amusement park ride down to a two-minute rotation, inviting visitors to reflect on time, motion, and what it means to become part of the art itself.
A Bank Turned Boutique Beauty in Savannah
AAmp Studio revives a 1960s bank with warmth, curves, and community-minded charm, transforming it into the inviting new Municipal Grand Hotel.
Brooklyn’s Ottra—A Furniture Maker With Architectural DNA
Architect-designed and bespoke solid-wood, these statement-making furniture pieces that act as a sculptural anchor in any interior.
Fab 5: E.B. Min
Once on the brink of leaving architecture for med school, E.B. Min found her purpose through mentorship and advocacy. The founder of Min Design shares the experiences that shaped her vision for a more equitable profession.
5 Portable LED Lamps That Take Mood Lighting Mobile
Cool Bench, But Can You Actually Sit on It?
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The Comm Sheet celebrates the commercial design world while sparking community connection. Our twice-monthly newsletter delivers bite-size content—including insights from top designers; spotlights on new projects and innovative products; and deep dives into topics like neurodiversity, inclusivity, environmental sustainability, and democratization in design—all in a sharp, lively, easily digestible format.