Joshua collins, cid, LEED®AP

Josh joined ESG in 2013 with nearly a decade of experience on high-profile interior design projects, primarily in hospitality. In that time, he observed that the distinction between traditional design disciplines such as corporate, housing and hospitality were becoming blurred. He also noted that these disciplines are not isolated: They inform and are influenced by other disciplines and even such factors as fashion and art. In addition, brands such as Apple and Nike, along with media channels like HGTV, had created design-savvy consumers. “So from a designer’s perspective,” Josh says, “it’s foundational to understand the consumer, the target market, the demographics and all of their expectations, and develop concepts for developers and clients from there.”

While working on a hospitality project, Josh couples his clean, modern aesthetic with a keen understanding of the amenities, warmth and flair those interiors need to be approachable and inviting. While working on corporate projects, he utilizes his expertise in hospitality to design interiors that integrate the mobility and flexibility, private and collaborative workspaces, indoor/outdoor areas, and rooms for gathering and entertaining that employers are requesting to attract and retain employees.

“I like to step into the user’s shoes, to understand who the likely occupant will be and how they’ll experience the spaces,” he says. “I use that expertise to visualize and define the interiors I’m designing and then execute those spaces.” As ESG’s Interior Design Studio Manager, he assists with staffing on projects, mentors and supervises staff to ensure conformity with the firm’s goals and standards, and keeps tasks and projects on schedule. “ESG has all of the professional pressures any firm has,” he says, “but the people here are authentic and wonderful, and understand the benefits of good design.”