In Identity Magazine June edition, Rahul Shankhwalker, Partner at HBA Dubai, reflects on how design coherence creates value, and why hospitality design should be envisioned as a cohesive experience, rather than a fragmented collection of separate disciplines.
As guests become increasingly sensitive to coherence, Rahul explains HBA’s integrated design approach, where strategy, architecture, interiors, lighting, art, graphics, branding and F&B are brought together from the outset. These disciplines are developed through a unified way of working and guided by one clear narrative, ensuring integrity across the guest experience, strengthening efficiency, and ultimately enhancing commercial performance.
As Rahul notes: “Hospitality now asks projects to achieve many things at once: commercial performance, cultural relevance, operational clarity and emotional resonance. Meeting those expectations requires more than good taste. It requires a more unified way of working, where design evolves as one continuous experience rather than a sequence of handovers.”
