All the World's a Stage

Whether he's creating a hotel, restaurant or performance set, master designer David Rockwell always starts with a narrative

- Melinda Sheckells

IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO throw out a design or art reference that architect David Rockwell can't catch. During an average conversation with the founder of Rockwell Group-arguably the world's leading hospitality-design firm, opened in 1984-expect a speed round of pop-culture name-drops. Even if he hasn't worked on it or created it, he is curious about it. In the matter of a few breaths we orbit the worlds of luxury hotels and cool restaurants like Nobu, Tao Group and Groot Hospitality, then draw nuances from influential artists such as light-and-space icons Dan Flavin and James Turrell and kinetic sculpture queen Es Devlin, before ending up in the heart of it all in New York City on Broadway. If you've eaten there, seen this show, stayed in that hotel over the last four decades, chances are Rockwell had a hand in it.

Upcoming projects include the Tao Hotel Orlando set to open in 2025 and W Naples planned for 2024. Rockwell Group recently completed The Boca Raton, Nobu Hotel Atlanta, Rosevale Kitchen + Cocktail Room at Civilian hotel in New York City, Chasing Rabbits in Vail, Jacqueline restaurant in Barcelona, and Seda Club in Granada. Over the years he has taken on hospitality, cultural and educational institutions, transportation hubs, luxury residences, set design, products, urban interventions, exhibitions and festivals. This stacked deck means that his 300-person cross-disciplinary architecture and design firm based in New York with satellite offices in Los Angeles and Madrid is always buzzing.