The Comm Sheet

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 Michael Suomi 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.

HOK’s New Seattle Studio Is a Love Letter to the Pacific Northwest

HOK’s 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 layers in 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 seamlessly 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 publishing 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, San Jose–based CAW Architects transformed the last remaining press building on campus 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.

Pascale Sablan on Leadership, Advocacy, and Expanding the Canon

Architect Pascale Sablan is reshaping what architectural leadership looks like by pairing design excellence with advocacy, authorship, and justice. Her work expands the canon, widens the profession, and proves that representation isn’t a metric—it’s a responsibility.

Fab 5: Nina Magon

Nina Magon didn’t set out to become an interior designe, but once she discovered a passion for shaping spaces, everything clicked. After pivoting from finance to interiors, the Canadian-born, Houston-based designer of Indian descent built a career crafting ultra-lavish environments infused with a fashion-forward point of view. Entering a predominantly white, male-dominated A&D industry, Nina carved out space on her own terms, earning global recognition and redefining modern luxury along the way. In this Fab 5, she shares bold opinions, creative instincts, and the philosophy that continues to push her work—and the industry—forward.

Virgin Hotels Integrates Design Details Autism Parents Will Appreciate

Family travel is never easy, but for those with autistic children all the unknowns can make it a hard "no” for the whole family. 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 let us tell you—they were not disappointed!

Isn’t it Iconic? B+N 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 with patterns named Eero, Frank, Norman, and Zah, Hypernature turns to nature by reimagining familiar organic forms into bold, textured wall reliefs that feel both recognizable and fresh.

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 Mohawk, HempWood, Pioneer Millworks, Parador, and Patcraft that can help occupants, installers, and designers meet their green goals, while breathing a bit easier in the process.

How Investment Banker Chris Yerolemou Pivoted to 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.

Rimadesio Makes a Move to Miami With a New Flagship

High-end Italian furniture maker Rimadesio opened up shop in Miami with a 3,000-square-foot flagship in the trendy Edgewater district, blending architecture, materials, and product design into a seamless, immersive experience. Curated in-house by R Studio, the showroom showcases the brand’s modern DNA through warm neutrals, rhythmic layouts, and a material palette of glass, aluminum, and walnut. From sculptural tables to the brand’s Modulor boiserie system, each element is arranged to create a cohesive, harmonious journey. More than a showroom, the space also houses R-Academy, a hands-on training hub for Rimadesio’s materials and technologies—making this flagship both a retail destination and a center for design learning in Miami.

A Mid-Century Bank Becomes Boutique A Beauty in Savannah

Savannah always has a way of charming people—which is exactly what happened when architecture firm AAmp Studio was engaged to transform a former 1960s bank into the Municipal Grand Hotel. “What drew us in immediately was the distinction between the building’s mid-century modernist rigor and Savannah’s lush garden-filled historic district,” says architect and AAmp Studio cofounder Anne-Marie Armstrong. That tension between tidy geometry and botanic exuberance set the tone for the entire transformation. With restored terrazzo, revived tiles, softened millwork, and a cocktail-loving lobby, the Municipal Grand is Savannah’s past and present in one gorgeous conversation.

Brooklyn’s Ottra—A Furniture Maker with Architectural DNA

Brooklyn-based Ottra is redefining what architect-led furniture can look like. Founded by Adam and Sofia Zimmerman, the firm turns out bold, sculptural, solid-wood pieces that double as “landing points and landmarks” in any space. From their Red Hook warehouse studio on the Brooklyn waterfront, a team of artisans fabricates furnishings and objects by combining expertise in both architecture and furniture design—including a standout, solid-wood, elliptical staircase and an 8-foot-diameter rolling mirror intended for a large-scale space such as an atrium or lobby. Designers are increasingly mixing Ottra’s handcrafted work with standard commercial lines to bring warmth, artistry, and a bespoke touch to offices, community centers, and more.

5 Portable LED Lamps That Take Mood Lighting Mobile

Nothing can ruin the ambience at a dimly lit, romantic restaurant faster than someone shining their harsh iPhone light. Talk about an etiquette faux pas! Granted, we all can use a little extra illumination at times—whether it’s when reading the fine print in a dark restaurant or working in the office late-night. But there must be a better way, no? It turns out these five stylish, rechargeable, and portable LED lamps from Ambientec, QU Lighting, Buster + Punch, Established + Sons, and Vibia fit the bill. Take them on the move to provide just the right amount of light exactly when and where you need it.

Meet SUPERWOOD—Reengineered Timber That Can Outperform Steel

It may sound too good to be true, but it’s very real! It’s SUPERWOOD, a reengineered material that’s four to 20 times stronger than natural timber—and potentially four times lighter in structural applications. Developed by material scientist Liangbing Hu and introduced by InventWood in October, the product compresses and restructures cellulose at the molecular level to deliver durability, dent resistance, and even Class A fire performance. Full building-code approval is still ahead, but designers can already reserve SUPERWOOD for 2026 in categories like siding, decking, and fencing.

Fab 5: E.B. Min

E.B. Min’s path to architecture was anything but linear. A former pre-med student, she nearly left the field altogether after a series of discouraging early jobs—until a pivotal role at San Francisco–based Delaney and Cochran reframed what practice could be. Since then, the Korean American architect has built an influential career rooted in mentorship, equity, and interdisciplinary design. Founder of Min Design and a key force behind the Missing 32% (now Equity by Design), E.B. has helped reshape the conversation around gender and inclusion in architecture. Here, she reflects on her journey, inspirations, and hard-earned insights.

Flexible Classroom Design Gives Every Student a Voice, Says Speech Pathologist

Supporting students with moderate-to-severe disabilities across Fresno County, California, Crystal Martinez focuses on augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) tools that help nonverbal learners express themselves. Her approach proves that inclusive design isn’t just about furniture or lighting; it’s about making communication physically accessible. From low-mounted “community buttons” to flexible storage for devices and adaptive tables, Martinez works with teachers to create environments where every student can participate. Her vision: classrooms where communication tools are standard, modeled by everyone, and every learner’s voice is genuinely welcomed.

How Taniya Nayak Gave Tuscan Kitchen Its New England Soul

Walking into Salem, New Hampshire’s Tuscan Kitchen—designed by the ever-magical HGTV personality Taniya Nayak—feels like a warm bowl of tagliatelle for the soul. Taniya delivers a space that’s both sexy and grounded, with a wine cellar that doubles as sculptural theater, an open kitchen radiating wood-fired warmth, and rustic textures softened by glittering chandeliers. She tells us the restaurant is “transportive, not themed,” and she’s right—every corner feels intentional, atmospheric, and just waiting for you to twirl some pasta. Tuscany meets New England? Delizioso.

FAB 5: Lori Weitzner

To textile designer Lori Weitzner, there's nothing quite like handmade. From her Manhattan studio, which she dubbed “White Box Sanctuary,” she creates everything from wallcoverings and rugs to jewelry and stonework—often inspired by global craft traditions she's discovered firsthand. Through Weitzner Handmade, she partners with artisans worldwide to keep time-honored techniques alive (like her Up to Date wallcovering made from hand-cut, woven magazine strips). With collaborations with brands like Perennials and West Elm and work housed in major museums, Lori continues to champion tactile, color-rich design that engages all the senses.