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Alessia Genova
Principal, Tihany Design
“I love pushing myself to explore design ideas that do not come to me naturally. The challenge stimulates my creativity and increases the project’s quality”.
A love of well-crafted work and a strong sense of determination have shaped Alessia Genova’s professional path. After graduating in architecture from Politecnico di Milano, she dreamed of working at New York firm Tihany Design, founded in 1978 by Adam D. Tihany and specialized in luxury hospitality design. Her dream came true in 2007, when she moved to New York and began an internship at the firm. In 2020, she became a partner and, since 2024, has been the firm’s principal. She has continued to champion the founder’s principle of shaping each project around the client’s unique vision, adding to it a distinctly European – Italian, specifically – sensibility that further enriches this made-to-measure approach.
What defines luxury hospitality design today, and what ideas are shaping the sector?
Designers no longer try to express luxury in bold or conventional terms. Today, luxury is more about well-being, craftsmanship, and a sense of place. It means creating bespoke spaces that reflect the client’s identity and intent with meticulous attention to detail and a carefully crafted narrative for each project. It is about personalization rather than esthetics for their own sake – a lot like a garment made to measure for a special occasion. Today, luxury hospitality design is very much human-centric: as designers, we focus on how the space will be used, on the people who will inhabit it, and on the authenticity of their experience.
With the expedition ship Seabourn Venture, you created a vessel designed for everyone on board – from guests to crew. How important is an inclusive approach?
It is fundamental – it was the starting point of the project. Proper spatial planning is a priority. For us, the front-of-house spaces are as important as the back-of-house areas. We were not just designing a pleasant space for people to enjoy; we also had to plan the layout and furnishings so staff can deliver the best possible service. The ship is experienced by a large on-board community of guests and staff. And this group is sharing a confined space for extended periods, since voyages can last ten days, a few weeks, or even several months. The vessel is therefore a kind of self-contained world that needs an extremely high level of customization and attention to detail. Unlike a hotel, where staff simply provide a service, here they become part of the guest experience. In fact, it is the staff who first communicate the project narrative to the guests.
With the Seabourn Venture, that narrative is about the romance and spirit of adventure we associate with travel and exploration. Art also plays a central role in this project. One of my favorite pieces – in the corridor and stair area – references animals camouflaging themselves in their natural surroundings for protection. We set out to interpret travel as not just a memory of a place visited but as a narrative of the experience and journey itself.
One of the firm’s recent projects is the Sauska Winery in Tokaj, Hungary. How do the winery’s interiors relate to the historic, UNESCO-listed wine region?
Integration with the landscape is the project’s defining quality. As interior designers, we were committed to honoring the architects’ vision while creating a warm, welcoming atmosphere within the building’s enclosed spaces, which include a wine bar, lounge, restaurant, lobby reception and a tasting room. Focused on emphasizing the form of the architecture, our concept adopted a complementary language that engages the context and plays with the same curvilinear geometries. This is on show in particular in the curving reception desk and the bar’s circular counter. To complement BORD Architectural Studio’s design approach, we chose natural materials such as wood and stone that echo the colors of the landscape. Everything was designed so that guests could focus on the views and the wine-and-dining experience.
The Penrose Room’s interiors draw on the heritage of The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, USA, a resort recognized for its uninterrupted Forbes Five-Star and AAA Five-Diamond ratings. How does that narrative unfold?
For The Broadmoor, we developed a narrative of legacy and prosperity. The resort was opened over a century ago by visionary philanthropists Spencer and Julie Penrose. With the Penrose Room, named in their honor, we aimed to celebrate their adventurous spirit and love of travel and art by creating a restaurant inspired by the Old West. So, after passing through the foyer, bar, and dining rooms, you step into a contemporary interpretation of a classic frontier saloon. Red velvets, pendant lights, and copper accents pair with checkerboard floors, wood paneling, and leather details drawn from classic Western tack. Each space centers on an aspect of the Penroses’ story, with the private Jade Ore room reflecting Julie’s cosmopolitan personality, and a concealed bookcase – a nod to Spencer’s famous secret doors – leading to a speakeasy-style clubroom. The walls feature vintage black-and-white photographs, display cases present objects carefully selected from the couple’s travels around the world, and large windows frame panoramic views of Cheyenne Mountain.
At the Victoria Place residences in Honolulu, Hawaii, the design balances beauty, functionality, resilience, and a deep connection to the surrounding landscape. How were these ideas translated into the design?
That was a special project for the firm – our first residential development. We worked with SCB Architects and the landscape team at Vita to create a one-of-a-kind tower. Esthetically and in terms of location, the project was outside our usual scope, but the objective was clear from the start: the client wanted a residential building with a resort-like atmosphere – an idea that was less common in 2019 than it is today. And, with our extensive experience in hospitality, that was precisely why they chose our firm.
The residence is part of the Ward Village development, inspired by Victoria Ward, a 19th century Hawaiian landowner and businesswoman who played an important role in shaping Honolulu’s present image. While the other projects we have spoken about convey their narrative through visual, tangible historical references, at Victoria Place, we designed a space that unfolds gradually, inviting residents and visitors to engage in a multisensory experience. We focused a great deal on art, since the complex includes several striking works. We also focused on water. In one room, for example, you can hear water from the gap between wall and ceiling, but you only see the water itself when you walk behind the wall. The design includes several Victorian references, but we aimed for an international, contemporary character. We treated certain key public spaces – notably the double-height lobby at the base of the residential tower – with a more architectural than decorative approach. The two pendant lights were conceived as large Hawaiian lanterns, paired with furnishings that lean toward an Italian sensibility – airy yet intimate, dramatic yet comfortable.
The interior spaces are closely connected to the outdoors, reflecting Ward’s love of nature. The natural landscape plays a central role in Hawaiian culture, and our project reflects that connection in both the infinity pool, which seems to merge with the ocean, and the use of materials such as walnut, quartz, and basalt that echo the region’s vernacular architecture. Entertainment areas were located strategically and designed with both private spaces and areas for social interaction. Victoria Place remains one of my favorite projects to this day.
How has Tihany Design changed since your arrival nearly 20 years ago? And what is your vision for the firm’s future now that you are at the helm?
I definitely intend to preserve the studio’s bespoke approach. Our goal is to create projects that identify the client rather than the designer. But doing this, we raise the bar a little higher with each new commission. Esthetics depend on personal taste, but the service Tihany Design provides is objective. With time, I have found myself prioritizing the quality of our work above everything else. Commissions now come with ever-shorter timelines, making it increasingly difficult to stay creative and original while still maintaining the highest standards. Art is also crucial for us: a project reaches its fullest expression when art is part of its narrative.
These ideals are on show in our Rome office, in which I have invested heavily since taking the studio’s helm. We have chosen a new location in a historic palazzo near Piazza Navona. With its high ceilings and terrazzo floors, we use this 19th century building as a showcase for our work. We conceived the office as an apartment and furnished it with custom wood and metal pieces we designed ourselves, with lacquered colors that echo the frescoes, bronze details, and leather-wrapped shelving. There are also unique artworks that we commissioned specifically for the space.
Tihany Design is an American firm, but our projects have the European – Italian, specifically – sensibility that I instinctively bring to my work, sometimes without even noticing. I am convinced this approach is worthwhile, and I intend to carry it forward in the years and projects ahead.
THE PLAN Interior Design & Contract 12 is the twelfth supplement that THE PLAN has dedicated to the world of interior architecture. The publication, out in April 2026 as a supplement to THE PLAN 169, looks at around twenty of the most important inte... Read More
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