Simone Micheli is an Italian architect and designer celebrated for his visionary and unconventional approach to architecture, interior, and product design. Together with his wife, Roberta Colla, he leads his studio, focusing on projects that combine strong identity, fluid forms, and emotional impact. His work is rooted in sustainability and aims to create spaces that are immersive, sensory, and reflective of contemporary living. Known for designing hotels, spas, residential spaces, and exhibitions, Micheli crafts environments that challenge traditional design, blending simplicity and boldness to deliver unique, human-centered experiences.
Approaching Hospitality Design
How does your approach to hospitality design influence the education of students in the Master’s in Interior Design (MID) program?
My approach is deeply rooted in experience, emotion, and ethics. I believe every hospitality space should tell a genuine story and evoke real emotions. Passing this mindset on to MID students means showing them that designing isn’t just about shaping spaces, it’s about creating meaningful places that can turn the ordinary into something extraordinary. I encourage them to think boldly, to challenge conventional models, and to see hospitality as an art of living.
What are the main challenges you face when designing spaces that need to be functional, welcoming, and innovative?
The biggest challenge is breaking free from routine. Today’s guests are looking for authenticity and one-of-a-kind experiences but at the same time, they still expect comfort, efficiency, and familiarity. Striking a balance between bold innovation and everyday functionality is a delicate process. It requires empathy and vision to create spaces that surprise but also feel deeply human. In short: true works of design!
Designing for Experience
How does hospitality design help create unique experiences for guests? How does the MID program prepare students to design with this in mind?
Hotels and resorts aren’t just spaces for specific functions—they’re tools for storytelling. When I design a space, I imagine a multisensory narrative that guests will experience. Colors, lighting, shapes, sounds, and materials all work together to create lasting memories. The MID program teaches exactly this: how to design living spaces that engage everyone who passes through them. It encourages experimentation, blending different disciplines, and exploring design through all the senses.
How do you balance the need for comfort with the desire for distinctive design in hotels and resorts?
There’s no real conflict between comfort and character—if the design is thoughtful. A space should certainly captivate, but it must also soothe and embrace. My designs are both ergonomic and poetic. I use flowing forms, innovative materials, and invisible technologies to craft environments that are both soulful retreats and functional works of art. It’s precisely in the dialogue between emotion and function that truly meaningful design is born.
Technology & Innovation
Which technological innovations do you see as most relevant to the future of hospitality design?
Artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and sensory automation systems—all these tools have incredible potential. But they must never be used just for the sake of it. Technology should enhance the human side of a space, not replace it. I envision hotels where tech is a quiet, supportive presence that makes each stay more personal, comfortable, and empathetic. The most powerful technologies will be those that deepen the guest experience without overwhelming it.
How do you incorporate new technologies into hospitality spaces to improve the guest experience?
I design spaces that adapt, respond, and interact. From mood-based lighting to smart climate control systems, every element plays a role in creating an immersive, dynamic experience. Technology helps me craft more fluid, intuitive environments spaces that respond to people’s deep desire for comfort and well-being
Sustainability in Hospitality Spaces
How do you integrate sustainability into hospitality design?
For me, sustainability isn’t a trend it’s an ethical obligation. Every design choice must respect the planet, make the most of resources, and stand the test of time. I prioritize recycled materials, short supply chains, and energy-saving technologies. But above all, I aim to create spaces with soul—because what has meaning is preserved, not discarded.
Which sustainable solutions have become essential in hospitality design?
Today, you simply can’t ignore intelligent energy systems, certified natural materials, or water-saving technologies. Circular economy principles are becoming a must, where every element is designed to be reused, recycled, or repurposed. Additionally, biophilic design bringing nature inside through plants, natural light, and organic forms plays a crucial role in creating healthier, more welcoming environments. Sustainable hospitality design is about creating spaces that respect both people and the planet, without compromising on style or comfort.
Future Trends in Hospitality Design
How do you envision the evolution of hospitality spaces in the coming years?
They will be hybrid, fluid, and interactive spaces places where you live, work, dream, and heal. The boundaries between different functions will disappear. Hospitality will become increasingly experiential, intimate, and relational. Spaces will need to stimulate the mind and caress the senses. They won’t be mere sets or backdrops anymore, but living environments in constant transformation.
What emerging trends in hospitality should MID Master’s students be aware of?
Extreme personalization, the blending of nature and technology, the hybridization of design and art, and a return to slowness. The designers of the future must be storytellers, innovators, and humanists. They need to understand that guests no longer seek just luxury, but truth, authenticity, and relationships.
Preparing for the Professional World
What qualities do you look for in a young designer entering the hospitality design field, and how does the MID Master’s prepare students to meet industry demands?
I look for vision, empathy, and a desire to break the mold. A young designer must be curious, cultured, and able to listen. The MID Master’s program prepares students for all this: it offers a solid technical education but also fosters critical and creative thinking. It helps them become authors, not just executors.
How does the MID Master’s help students develop practical skills for designing hospitality spaces?
Through real workshops, interaction with professionals, and hands-on labs where students experience the complexity of real projects. But above all, through the freedom to think. Students learn to design with the human being in mind, to engage in dialogue with the context, and to give meaning to space. This is the real skill needed today.