Senior Interior Designer

HKS appoints Sean Tan as Principal and Studio Head for MEA commercial & mixed-use. * June 8, 2026 The appointment marks a significant milestone in HKS's continued expansion and growing portfolio. Global design firm HKS has appointed Sean Tan as Principal and Studio Head - Middle East & Africa (Commercial Mixed-Use), marking a significant leadership addition as the practice continues to expand its regional footprint. In his new role, Sean will lead the strategic direction, design vision, and delivery of commercial and mixed-use developments across the Middle East and Africa. His appointment reflects HKS's continued investment in strengthening leadership capabilities in high-growth markets, particularly as the region experiences increasing demand for integrated, experience-driven urban environments. Sean brings a multidisciplinary approach that bridges design ambition with commercial viability. His work focuses on translating complex development goals into coherent architectural strategies that respond to market realities while maintaining strong design integrity. With experience spanning large-scale urban developments and mixed-use environments, he is known for aligning creative vision with long-term operational and financial performance. At the core of Sean's design philosophy is a fundamental exploration of shelter - the most basic yet profound condition of architecture. He is driven by the idea of defining the boundary between inside and outside, and how this threshold shapes human experience. For him, architecture is not only about form or function, but about creating environments where people feel a sense of belonging, protection, and connection. He joins HKS at a time of continued momentum for the firm in the region, with a growing portfolio that reflects its commitment to transformative, future-focused developments. Key projects across the Middle East include One Residence in Dubai, AMAALA Yacht Club, The Arena in Diriyah, and the Skyiera Mixed-Use Master Plan. These developments highlight the firm's engagement with large-scale urban destinations that combine hospitality, lifestyle, residential, and commercial components. As the Middle East continues to evolve as a global hub for ambitious urban development, Sean's leadership is expected to play a key role in shaping projects that balance design excellence with contextual relevance and economic performance. His appointment reinforces HKS's long-term strategy of delivering architecture that is both visionary and grounded in the realities of place, purpose, and people. caption: Sean Tan joins HKS to lead design strategy and delivery across commercial and mixed-use projects in the Middle East and Africa, strengthening the firm's regional growth.

Sergio Saenz named Global Sector Director at HKS. May 19, 2026 Miami-based partner will help drive growth, innovation and cross-practice collaboration across the global Place sector. Global design firm HKS has named Sergio Saenz as Global Sector Director of its Place sector, reinforcing the firm's integrated leadership approach and continued focus on growth, innovation and client value. Based in HKS's Miami office, Saenz will lead the Place sector, which includes the firm's hospitality, mixed-use, mission critical, multifamily residential and senior living practices. Discover more Home Alarm & Security Systems Architecture Fire & Security Services "We have an incredible opportunity to unlock new growth and expand the value HKS brings to clients worldwide through deeper collaboration across the Place sector," Saenz said. "When we connect knowledge, research and ideas across practices and markets, we create stronger solutions and open new possibilities for innovation. For our clients, that means deeper partnerships, better outcomes and ideas that translate vision into value. For our people, it means working together across disciplines to imagine what's possible and make it real." Saenz approaches design with architectural longevity in mind, creating landmark, resilient projects that help clients future-proof their assets against climate change, evolving environments, and natural disasters. Born in Texas and raised in Mexico, he brings a global perspective shaped by work across diverse regions and strong relationships throughout HKS. He was named to the Design Futures Council's 40 Under 40 and received the Luis Barragan Design Media Award. His appointment reflects HKS's belief that placemaking is essential to the success of any region, city or neighborhood. Through a collaborative, cross-practice approach, the Place sector is positioned to deliver economically, socially and environmentally sustainable solutions that help clients and communities thrive. Previously, as the global leader of hospitality, Saenz led one of HKS's most visible practices, helping expand its global reach and reputation. He is recognized for guiding complex, high-profile projects with clarity and creativity, bringing multidisciplinary teams together to deliver innovation and performance at every scale. He is also respected for bridging creativity and strategy so that design decisions advance both vision and value. The Place sector's collaborative model continues to strengthen partnerships and create new opportunities across markets by connecting design, delivery and advisory expertise. This integrated approach enables HKS to deliver high-performing solutions tailored to evolving client needs and market opportunities. Notable upcoming projects under the Place sector include AMAALA Yacht Club on the Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia, Four Seasons Jacksonville, The Setai St. Maarten and The Eastpoint development in Nashville. Legacy work includes Rosewood's Las Ventanas al Paraiso, Astra Tower, Conrad Orlando, Querencia at Barton Creek, Aligned Data Centers, and Pier Sixty-Six. Saenz's appointment underscores HKS's commitment to evolving its leadership in ways that build momentum, deepen collaboration and expand opportunities for impact across the built environment. HKS is an interdisciplinary global design firm. Our team of 1,800 architects, designers, planners and advisors across 29 offices partner with clients to design and develop elegant solutions to complex challenges. From iconic gathering places to healing environments, our designs enhance experiences and elevate outcomes for all stakeholders. Our work is inspired by curiosity, driven by research and technology and informed by a deep understanding of human and environmental needs. Proud to be a carbon neutral firm since 2023, HKS was named #1 Most Innovative Architecture Firm by Fast Company in 2026. Discover more Lang Architecture Interior Design Visual Art & Design S9 Architecture

Design-Build lessons from a 1.8-million-square-foot campus neighborhood. How early planning and design-build coordination protected high-performance goals on a six-building campus project. More green building blog. Delivering LEED Platinum on a single building is challenging. Doing it across six buildings totaling 1.8 million square feet - while working under a fixed-price design-build contract - is something else entirely. In part 1 of this series, Green Building Advisor examined how the North Torrey Pines Living and Learning Neighborhood (NTPLLN) at the University of California, San Diego, used climate-specific natural ventilation, modeling, and enclosure improvements to reduce measured energy use by 81%. Operable windows, trickle vents, negative-pressure exhaust, and massing tuned to prevailing breezes formed the backbone of the project's passive strategy. But high-performance design is only half the story; the second half is delivery. Designed by HKS in collaboration with Clark Construction, Safdie Rabines Architects, OJB Landscape Architecture, and a large consultant team, the 1.8-million-square-foot development required six individual buildings to achieve LEED Platinum under a fixed-price design-build contract - with only three and a half months allocated for the competition phase. Get building science and energy efficiency advice, plus special offers, in your inbox. If part 1 was about physics, this article is about process: How do you protect ambitious energy and carbon goals when pricing is fixed early, documentation is incomplete, and six buildings must perform consistently as a unified neighborhood? For Jeff Larsen, principal and regional practice director at HKS, the answer begins with early alignment: "Sustainability strategies had to be established very early and then championed all the way through the constant management of the construction budget." What follows is less about windows and more about systems thinking: embodied carbon within a concrete structural system, weekly cost-and-performance adjustments, and the importance of embedding building-science leadership inside the design-build team from day one. Setting energy and LEED performance targets early. The University of California system has a stated goal of carbon neutrality, and the NTPLLN project was expected to advance campus-wide sustainability commitments. A 1,400-page Detailed Project Program (DPP) established minimum energy performance requirements for... Sign up for a free trial and get instant access to this article as well as GBA's complete library of premium articles and construction details.