Design Inn Symposium 2025
Team News
Stack Studio at Design Inn Symposium: A Conversation on Design Value and Strategic Spend
This week, Stack Studio’s director, Grace Lei Guo, joined a lineup of leading industry professionals at the Design Inn Symposium, an annual event that brings together some of the brightest minds in hotel and hospitality design across the Asia-Pacific region.
Grace was invited to speak as part of a design masterclass session focused on a critical topic in today’s development landscape: how to optimise design spend for maximum return. In a climate where every dollar invested must deliver both commercial and experiential value, Grace offered a behind-the-scenes look at how Stack Studio approaches this challenge through the lens of recent projects. Her insights explored the intersection of design intent, operational strategy, and budget realities — and how creative thinking can unlock smarter outcomes without compromising design excellence.
Sharing the stage with Grace were an accomplished group of peers: session host Guy Blunden (WMK Architecture), alongside panelists Andrew Pickering (SHAPE Australia), Catherine Hart (TOGA), and Marie Colangelo (Salter Brothers). Together, the panel unpacked current market pressures, design methodologies, and the collaborative dynamics required between designers, developers, and builders to deliver successful, future-focused hospitality environments.
Grace’s contribution reflected Stack Studio’s ongoing commitment to designing not just for aesthetics, but for performance, efficiency, and long-term value — principles that guide our work across hotel and multi-residential projects in Sydney, Melbourne, and the broader Asia-Pacific region.
As Stack continues to grow its reputation as a strategic design partner, events like Design Inn are a valuable platform to exchange ideas, challenge assumptions, and champion the role of design in driving measurable outcomes for developers and operators alike.
Stay tuned for more updates from the team as we continue to contribute to the conversation shaping the future of design.
Design Inn Symposium 2025 Highlights
