Full-Time
Interior Designer
Michael Hsu Office of Architecture
51-200 employees
Architectural firm designing livable urban spaces
No salary listed
Austin, TX, USA
Hybrid
Three days in person per week required at the Austin office.
Bachelor's
 UI/UX & Design (1) |
|---|
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- At least 3 years of professional interior design experience, including design and construction document production for commercial, hospitality, residential, or mixed-use projects.
- A Bachelor's Degree in Interior Design or Interior Architecture from a Council for Interior Design Accreditation-accredited university.
- Ability to commute to the Austin, Texas office a minimum of three days per week.
- Proficiency in Revit, SketchUp, Adobe Creative Suite, and AutoCAD.
- Working knowledge of interior design practice, including design documentation, detailing, building materials, building systems, applicable building codes, and construction technologies.
- Strong understanding of finishes, fixtures, furnishings, lighting, artwork, and decorative elements.
- Demonstrated design ability and a strong portfolio of academic and professional work.
- Strong technical skills, creative problem-solving abilities, and attention to detail.
- Excellent verbal, written, and graphic communication skills.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and contribute effectively across multiple projects simultaneously.
- Willingness to collaborate within a team environment.
- Ability to remain stationary and work at a computer workstation for extended periods throughout the workday.
- Ability to frequently operate a computer and other standard office equipment.
- Ability to communicate effectively with clients, consultants, contractors, vendors, and team members in person, by phone, and electronically.
- Ability to travel to project sites, client meetings, construction sites, and vendor locations as needed.
- Ability to move throughout active construction sites, existing buildings, project sites, and showroom environments, including walking, standing, climbing stairs, bending, reaching, and navigating uneven surfaces.
- Ability to observe and assess project conditions, construction progress, design details, and installed work.
- Ability to occasionally transport project materials, samples, presentation materials, or equipment weighing up to 25 pounds.
- Ability to visually review drawings, specifications, project documentation, and digital design tools for extended periods.
- Contribute to the design and delivery of projects across a variety of scales, typologies, and phases of design.
- Develop interior design concepts and translate them into coordinated drawings, details, renderings, presentations, and construction documents.
- Create mood boards, finish palettes, material studies, and presentation materials that communicate design intent clearly and effectively.
- Assist with the selection, specification, and coordination of finishes, fixtures, furnishings, artwork, and accessories.
- Contribute to the design and coordination of custom furniture, millwork, lighting, and other bespoke interior elements.
- Coordinate with consultants, vendors, and internal team members to maintain project alignment and documentation quality.
- Support construction administration efforts, including responding to requests for information, reviewing submittals, and assisting with field observations.
- Take ownership of assigned portions of a project while proactively communicating progress, questions, and potential coordination issues.
- Participate on multiple concurrent projects in various capacities.
Michael Hsu Office of Architecture designs architecture and interiors in Austin with a focus on locally-engaged, neighborhood-oriented spaces. They work on a range of projects including mixed-use developments, commercial interiors, and residences, using a simple, edited design palette and unadorned natural materials chosen for their honesty and suitability. Their process emphasizes active collaboration among designers, clients, consultants, and craftsmen, and they tailor solutions to site and budget, often pursuing adaptive reuse and sustainable approaches to create spaces that are functional, engaging, and cost-effective. The firm differentiates itself through its strong local focus, emphasis on collaborative, site-responsive design, and commitment to sustainable, resourceful solutions. Its goal is to produce livable, community-centered environments that enhance Austin’s urban fabric.
Company Size
51-200
Company Stage
N/A
Total Funding
N/A
Headquarters
Austin, Texas
Founded
2005
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- July 3, 2026 Foster Village won $20,000 in pro-bono design and fundraising support.
- Michael Hsu Office of Architecture is designing Untitled Art Houston's inaugural floor plan.
- Recent Texas Society of Architects awards and media coverage keep inbound client demand high.
What critics are saying
- Sítio El Tropicano must reopen Fall 2026; delays hurt a marquee San Antonio showcase.
- Work clusters around Texas developers like Trestle Studio, Intracorp, and Transwestern.
- Any Austin downturn would hit a 60-plus-person, Texas-centered firm with limited geographic diversification.
What makes Michael Hsu Office of Architecture unique
- July 17, 2026 TxA named MHOA its Firm of the Year for Texas excellence.
- Austin and Houston offices support hospitality, mixed-use, adaptive reuse, and residential work.
- Design for All, launched March 10, 2026, converts philanthropy into visible local credentials.
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Company News
Michael Hsu Office of Architecture launches Design for All Partnership. Empowering Nonprofits through Design Michael Hsu Office of Architecture (MHOA), a Texas-based architecture and interior design firm, has announced its fifth annual Design for All Partnership. The firm is seeking a new nonprofit partner with a demonstrated need for design services in the Austin, Houston, and Dallas-Fort Worth areas. About the Partnership The Design for All initiative provides design solutions that are realistic and affordable, directly supporting an organization's mission. MHOA will work with the selected nonprofit partner to develop a project plan and deliverables tailored to their needs, providing $20,000 in pro bono design and consultation services. "Design For All has become one of the most meaningful ways we connect our work to the communities we care about," says Michael Hsu, founder and principal of MHOA. "Each partnership has shown us how thoughtful design can strengthen the impact of organizations already doing extraordinary work." Eligibility and Application To be eligible, organizations must be registered as 501(c)(3) and located within a 50-mile radius of Austin, Houston, and Dallas-Fort Worth. Master-planning projects should be 50 acres or smaller, and architecture and interior design projects should be 20,000 square feet or less. The application deadline is May 15 at 5 p.m. CT. Key Details - $20,000 in pro bono design services - Eligible areas: Austin, Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth - Deadline: May 15, 5 p.m. CT - Previous partners: Austin Angels, Central Texas Table of Grace, Abigail E. Keller Foundation, The Women's Home and Children's Assessment Center Image Courtesy: Virtual Builders Exchange
San Antonio's historic El Tropicano reopening in Fall '26. Trestle Studio is transforming one of San Antonio's more cherished River Walk landmarks. The iconic midcentury El Tropicano will reopen as Sítio El Tropicano in Fall 2026. Set along one of the city's storied corridors, the 1960s-era property is undergoing a transcendent rejuvenation that honors its heritage while ushering in a new era of cultural exchange. Trestle Studio has partnered with Texas-based Michael Hsu Office of Architecture to lead the design. This marks the duo's first collaboration in San Antonio, following their previous success with The Line Hotel in Austin. Michael Hsu is also known for celebrated regional hospitality projects including Hotel Ella and the South Congress Hotel. Elegant, upscale, and a touch whimsical, Sítio El Tropicano will weave design with nature, creating a lush botanic wonderland that reconnects locals and travelers with this significant stretch of the River Walk. "El Tropicano was the first hotel to grace the River Walk, and it quickly became one of the city's most magnetic social landmarks - a place of distinction where cultural tastemakers from around the world gathered and left their mark," said Jake Lamstein, Founder of Trestle Studio. "We chose Sítio because it offers distinction to the El Tropicano legacy, speaking to the idea of 'place,' not just geographically, but emotionally and culturally. Our ambition has been to honor what this hotel has meant to San Antonio while imagining what it can become for future generations. We are humbled to help usher in a new era for this storied destination, stewarding its legacy as it reclaims its place as an icon of the city." For more than six decades, the hotel has been an integral part of San Antonio's cultural evolution. The property opened in 1962 during a period of rapid growth; envisioned by developer R.E. Dumas Miller, it embodied the glamour and optimism of midcentury travel, welcoming motorists with "swank" amenities like a tropical pool deck, Flamingo Garden, and on-site retail mall. Its public spaces featured craftsmanship rare for the era, with mosaic tilework, designer textiles, and richly layered materials that underscored the hotel's modern sophistication. Over the decades, El Tropicano hosted restaurants, salons, creative businesses, and a convention center and private club - quickly becoming one of the city's most dynamic social hubs and reflecting the spirit of a city on the rise. Sítio El Tropicano will reintroduce the legacy property as an urban oasis. Inspired by the philosophies of avant-garde Brazilian landscape modernist Roberto Burle Marx, the hotel will integrate nature into every facet of its design. Boundaries will blur between hotel, home, shop, and spa to create a dynamic ecosystem of experience that feels both deeply San Antonian and refreshingly unexpected. The 315-room property will feature San Antonio's largest pool deck; three signature culinary and cocktail venues, created in collaboration with an acclaimed local restaurant group to be announced later this year; 16,000 square feet of meetings and events space; and a 5,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art spa and wellness retreat, all set along more than 400 feet of River Walk frontage. Art throughout the hotel will highlight Southwestern and Latin artists, drawing on influences such as Joan Miró, the Bauhaus, and Giorgio Morandi to create a vibrant, contemplative dialogue throughout the space. Designed for the community's leading voices and cultural torchbearers, a private membership program will welcome those who nurture San Antonio's creative spirit, cementing Sítio El Tropicano as a hub for purposeful connection. "El Tropicano has long been part of San Antonio's cultural rhythm, its mid-century character holding an optimism from another era," said Michael Hsu. "With Sítio, we're building a dialogue with that history: preserving what's meaningful while introducing richer textures, deeper landscape connections, and a lobby experience that will welcome guests as a true gathering place along the River Walk." The Sítio El Tropicano development team includes Trestle Studio; commercial real estate developer and investors Town Lake Company; Austin based Michael Hsu Office of Architecture; and San Antonio-based architects Studio8.
In a new partnership, Untitled Art will collaborate with the Austin-based firm Michael Hsu Office of Architecture to design a floor plan that elevates the experience for exhibitors and visitors alike.
The Michael Hsu Office of Architecture worked with Korman to design the new store.
Michael Hsu Office of Architecture worked with Intracorp on their 44 East Avenue project in the Rainey Street District to design the amenities and common areas.