Portrait by Jada & David.

By Julia Gamolina

Kristina O’Neal cofounded AvroKO in 2001 with her three partners — Adam Farmerie, William Harris, and Greg Bradshaw. Over the last two decades, AvroKO has earned a reputation as one of the most impactful and influential design firms in the hospitality field. Through their combined spirit of adventure and entrepreneurship, they’ve founded additional companies under the AvroKO World umbrella, including creative agency Brand Bureau and, most recently, gallery and gathering space HOST on Howard. In 2020, Kristina founded Hospitable Bridge, a micro-grant and investment organization focused on female founders innovating in the hospitality space.

JG: I’ve admired AvroKO ever since I was a student! What is your personal vision for the practice for the rest of 2025? With that, what should we all be paying more attention to and reading about, in general?

KON: I’m focused on the quality of energy inside the studio—how ideas are surfacing, how teams are creating together, and what kind of conversations we’re actually having behind the scenes so we can build a more interesting business for the future. We’re leaning back into what we’ve always done best: designing connected spaces that feel meaningful and narrative-driven.

As for what to pay attention to, I might suggest a peek into how space shapes emotions and behavior. How a place makes you feel and then the use case, in that order. Read anything that makes you a better observer of people and pattern. The book Welcome to Your World: How the Built Environment Shapes Our Lives by Sarah Williams Goldhagen would be a good place to start.

HOST on Howard. Photography by Joe Kramm.

We both went to Cornell. What are your biggest takeaways from your time there that you still apply to your work today?

Cornell trained me to think in layered storytelling. I was a Multidisciplinary Art major, so there wasn’t really a box around creating. More than anything, I left with a deep respect for functional design, embedded in a live story and I think we do that well at AvroKO too.

Tell me about the evolution of AvroKO—how did you start it with your partners? What were you looking to do in the world that was different?

We weren’t trying to be a firm, exactly. We were trying to build something that was idea-driven, but not vehicle-specific. I had founded a concept and design agency with William Harris, and Greg Bradshaw and Adam Farmerie had a traditional architecture practice. Both firms were small and agile and ready to try anything.

The four of us were different in all the right ways, each one of us bringing our own passions to the table to create a funny sort of melange. What made us different back then was our obsession with the holistic experience — not just how things looked, but how every piece came together to create a feeling. We wanted to create environments that welcomed people into something deeper than just design, and our own projects — self-propellers like restaurants and bars we owned and operated — helped us shape our working model.

“...if a design is layered, intentional, and human-centric it can hold up quite well over time.”

— Kristina O'Neal

You’ve been running it for almost twenty-five years—that’s a lot to commend. How has the practice evolved, and how have you personally evolved with it?

The work has grown up and we have matured quite a bit too. We’ve moved through so many eras together as humans, creatives, and business owners. We work globally, with five studios covering the US, Asia and Europe, so there has been a tremendous amount of refinement for different studios, different cities and different versions of what we thought “success” looked like.

What’s stayed consistent is the partnership. It’s not always smooth, but it’s grounded. We’ve learned how to trust each other’s instincts, even when we disagree. Personally, I’ve gotten clearer about what to stay focused on for the most impact creatively, while also making sure each of us gets to explore new arenas. The business is our play space.

Looking back, what have been the biggest challenges? How did you move through setbacks or disappointments?

Letting go of things that used to define us. That’s always the hard part. We’ve had big pivots and moments where things didn’t go the way we hoped. Whether it’s a role, a reputation, or a type of work that once felt essential, learning to release it without panic takes practice. But the way through has always been paved with a whole lot of trust and stick-to-it-ness. A four-way creative partnership amongst friends doesn’t often stay intact for twenty-five years, but I am happy we worked our way through to here. It’s beautiful.

What has surprised you? What has encouraged you?

I love when a hospitality project holds for decades. Restaurants in particular seem to come and go in five to ten-year cycles; however, if a design is layered, intentional, and human-centric it can hold up quite well over time. It’s exciting to revisit it and still see so much buzz.

It encourages me when I see how hungry people are for true Hospitable Thinking in design. People want spaces that make them feel safe, delight them, and invite them into something more thoughtful and synergistic than just a plastic representation of line, form, and space. It keeps us thinking about how we can do more applied environmental psychology in each of our projects.

“Learn your craft deeply, but don’t get trapped in technique. Your perspective is what gives it meaning.”

— Kristina O'Neal

Who are you admiring now and why?

I admire a handful of designers who are choreographing emotional experiences with fresh, fantastical narratives that make me go “Wow.” Laura Gonzalez, Pam Shamshiri, and Patricia Urquiola top the list. These designers understand that space isn’t just physical, it’s psychological and relational too.

What is the impact you’d like to have on the world? What is your core mission? And what does success in that look like to you?

We want to build environments, both physical and cultural, that create a real sense of belonging—through shared archetypal storytelling and new interpretations of Hospitable Thinking in design. Our gallery and gathering space HOST on Howard is a great example of blending those two concepts.

My mission has always been about creating coherence between story, space, and behavior. If design can connect intention with atmosphere, in a way that reshapes how people relate to each other and themselves, that’s success. Success isn’t about scale, but about resonance.

Chief Chicago. Photography by Anthony Tahlier.

What advice do you have for those starting their career? Would your advice be any different for women?

Be curious and be useful. Learn your craft deeply, but don’t get trapped in technique. Your perspective is what gives it meaning. Also, ask better questions! Great design seems to start with a question no one thought to ask. We call it “thinking sideways” at AvroKO.

For women, I’d add this. Don’t wait until you feel completely ready. That moment usually doesn’t come. Trust that your eye, your instinct, and your presence have value right now. Speak up and take the lead even when you’re unsure. The room is more open than you think.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

People and Patterns: AvroKo's Kristina O'Neal on Creating Coherence and Thinking Sideways