Hospitality, at its core, is about creating space, both physical and emotional, where connection can unfold. It’s a ritual older than language, woven into the human experience across time and cultures. And its very tangible essence has crafted the conditions for gathering, diplomacy, and the possibility of honoring an old friend or a stranger, equally.

As we think about hospitality today—in our hotels, our restaurants, and our shared spaces—the tools of gathering—the soft warm light, the ergonomic table for two, the uniquely crafted trolleys celebrating everything from ice cream to dim sum—are more than just useful objects. They are the silent architects of the comfortable and delightful welcome we extend, the subtle shapers of the environments where we gather. Hospitality is not just an action; it’s the creation of possibility, a way of saying, "Here, you are welcome. Here, you belong."

The tools of gathering—the objects we use to create spaces of connection—are just as critical as the hospitable gestures themselves. A table does more than provide a place to eat. Its height, shape, and size dictate the kind of interaction that happens around it. A height-adjustable table allows people of different sizes, ages, and needs to gather comfortably, an invitation to linger, to engage. A gentle slope of a table edge adds smooth comfort, communicating that the guests’ well-being matters, while encouraging users to lean in with ease for deeper connection. These small acts of design shape the experiences we have with one another.

The four Founding Partners - Kristina O'Neal, Adam Farmerie, William Harris and Greg Bradshaw - have been friends for over three decades, having met in their teens and established themselves as co-collaborators in numerous businesses spanning the globe ever since.

Connecting with people emotionally, physically, and psychologically through AvroKO World's work is more than just a professional mission — it’s part of our very cellular makeup as co-creators, collaborators, and ultimately friends.

As we’ve grown as people and as a firm, this idea of “connection” has extended beyond just the four of us, our studio, and even the end result of the work. We orchestrate experiences that envelop patrons through a combination of design-driven programming and contextual references.

This ultimate goal of connectivity in our design is to ensure that hospitality backdrops are not simply passive reception spaces where people dine or sleep, but that they create emotionally transcendent experiences, however tiny or even subliminal, allowing the energy of the spaces to shift and evolve timelessly.