Last week, we gathered at Manhatta for day two of The Leadership Summit—a day focused on finding fresh angles on the questions that matter most to the design industry now.
From the rise of AI to the evolving real estate market, a rapidly shifting media landscape, and changing tastes among clients in the algorithmic era, members and partners questioned assumptions and pushed past easy answers.
Over the course of the Summit, one thing became clear: this is a genuinely new moment for the industry and our society, and it calls for a different kind of thinking—and staying connected as we work through challenges together.
More to come, including recordings from the day's programs.
Photographer: Alan Padilla (@alandavidpadilla )
Beautiful spaces are still important—but they’re no longer enough on their own.
According to our Annual Member Survey, clients are placing greater emphasis on quality, functionality, and how a space supports everyday life. While aesthetics remain essential, performance and longevity are increasingly shaping design decisions.
The findings point to a broader shift: homes are being evaluated not just by how they look, but by how they live.
Explore the full findings in The Quarterly, Issue 8, p. 58 through the link in bio.
Please join us in congratulating Simon Prunty and the team at Hoerr Schaudt (@hoerrschaudt ), recipients of the 2026 Arthur Ross Award for Excellence in the Classical Tradition from the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art (@classicist_org ) in the category of Landscape Architecture.
The nationally recognized firm has built a reputation for landscapes that are deeply rooted in horticulture, craftsmanship, and place. Today, with offices across Chicago, Los Angeles, Kansas City, and Richmond, Hoerr Schaudt continues to shape the field through residential gardens, civic parks, and public spaces that feel timeless while responding thoughtfully to their surroundings.
“Receiving the Arthur Ross Award is a tremendous honor for our firm. At Hoerr Schaudt, we strive to create landscapes that feel both timeless and deeply connected to their setting, places that endure, evolve, and enrich daily life. We’re grateful to the ICAA for this recognition and to the many clients and collaborators who have entrusted us with their landscapes.”
Under the leadership of Doug Hoerr alongside DLN member Simon Prunty, Carroll Conway, John Evans, and Nick Fobes, the firm continues to advance a design philosophy grounded in beauty, stewardship, and a profound understanding of the landscape.
Congratulations to the entire Hoerr Schaudt team!
Please join us in congratulating Daniela Holt Voith, co-founder of Voith & Mactavish Architects LLP (@voithmactavish ), Scott O’Barr, and Nina Voith, who have received the 2026 Arthur Ross Award for Excellence in the Classical Tradition from the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art (@classicist_org ) in the category of Architecture.
Since founding the firm in 1988, Daniela has led work grounded in the belief that architecture can express innovation within the context of tradition. Through projects that thoughtfully respond to the cultural and physical character of each site, the firm has remained committed to craftsmanship, sustainability, beauty, and enduring design.
“My partners, the entire VMA team, and I are so proud to be honored by the Institute of Classical Architecture and Art," Daniela tells the DLN. "We thank them for continuing to be the premier platform for traditional design excellence and we thank the jurors for recognizing our body of work which has been in service of a wide variety of clients at an even wider range of budgets. It has been a joy at every turn. The Arthur Ross Award means the world to our practice, and we are grateful to celebrate this evening with all the award recipients.”
Congratulations, Daniela, and the entire VMA team!
Please join us in congratulating Joan Craig, principal of Craig & Company (@craigandcompany ), who will receive the 2026 Arthur Ross Award for Excellence in the Classical Tradition from the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art (@classicist_org ) in the category of Interior Design this evening. The award, one of the field’s highest honors, recognizes outstanding contributions to architecture, artisanship, and design.
For more than three decades, Joan has shaped projects celebrated for their sophisticated balance of classicism and inventive modernity, building a body of work grounded in craftsmanship, collaboration, and artistry.
Reflecting on the recognition, Joan shared with the DLN:
“To be recognized by the ICAA with this award is a profound honor. It is a testament to the collaborative spirit of our studio and, most importantly, to the incredible artisans and craftspeople who bring our visions to life. We are deeply grateful for this recognition of our shared commitment to artistry and excellence in design.”
The honor comes ahead of another major milestone for Joan and her team: the September 2026 release of her debut monograph with Rizzoli, On Artistry: Architecture and Interiors, which explores the firm’s dedication to craftsmanship and collaboration.
Congratulations, Joan!
The first day of The Leadership Summit is underway, with behind-the-scenes access to the studios, workshops, and spaces shaping the industry today.
From Alfredo Paredes’s studio—where a refined, layered approach to interiors comes together with precision—to Kati Curtis’s vibrant workspace, filled with the color and pattern that define her work, attendees are stepping inside the environments where our members' ideas take shape.
Elsewhere, visits move between craft and innovation. At Tom’s Sons International Pleating, a family-run workshop in the Garment District, members are seeing the process behind custom pleated textiles. Meanwhile, Miriam Ellner is demonstrating the intricate, centuries-old technique of verre églomisé—transforming glass into luminous, hand-gilded surfaces.
Architectural tours offer a different perspective. Groups are exploring the Sky House atop a landmarked Beaux-Arts building, visiting the newly completed JP Morgan headquarters by Foster + Partners, and stepping inside the Flatiron Building during its next chapter.
Together, these experiences offer a cross-section of New York—through design, craft, and architecture—setting the stage for the conversations ahead.
For Joshua Liberson (@jliberson ), founder and CEO of Dobbin (@dobbinai ), leadership starts with paying attention.
He pushes his team to look closely—at what people are saying, what’s actually happening, and what’s real. For Joshua, that kind of awareness is what leads to better decisions and clearer direction. It’s also what shapes his perspective on AI: not as a replacement for people, but as a tool to support them.
Thank you, Joshua, for showing that strong leadership is built on attention, clarity, and a deep respect for people. #DLNLeadershipFiles
No one’s treating Salone like just a trade show anymore.
The 2026 edition made that clear—this is a cultural platform. And the brands that understood that showed up differently: bringing collectible design to the center, putting archives in conversation with new voices, and building installations that actually created a sense of wonder.
Design writer Sean Santiago (@sean_santiago ) breaks down what mattered, what shifted, and what it signals for the industry.
Read the full piece at the link in bio.
At High Point Market (@highpointmarket ) last week, we hosted an al fresco with our friends Pooky (@pookylights ) at 313 Space (@313.spaces ). While we were there, we made good use of an antique confessional source by Schwung Home, tapping our community to share their biggest design confessions.
Some opinions. Some secrets. Some design crimes. All forgiven.
If you were in the booth, what would you admit?
Next Friday, we’ll gather at Manhatta to convene a room of leaders shaping the business of design right now.
From cultural critics and editors to investors, technologists, founders, and industry builders, the program brings together voices who rarely share the same stage, let alone the same room.
Across keynote conversations, breakout discussions, and a networking lunch, our members and partners will enjoy thoughtful dialogue about the design industry’s current state—and its near and longterm future.
Forward-thinking programming, peer-to-peer exchange, and deeply-informed experts: It’s what the DLN is all about.
Watch for a rundown of the day’s expert voices, and stay tuned for coverage of these conversations to come.
We loved teaming with @designleadershipnetwork in NYC for afternoon tea at The Whitby! 🫖
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Exchanging industry thoughts and ideas over tea was a fun and relaxed treat to start the week.
Not all growth channels carry the same weight.
While firms invest in social media, publications, and new platforms, most clients are still coming through referrals—both from past clients and trusted industry partners.
For a community built on connection, that’s not surprising.
Our Annual Member Survey reinforces what we see every day: relationships remain the foundation of this industry—and the most powerful driver of new business.
Explore the full findings in The Quarterly, Issue 8, p. 37 through the link in bio.
