The design is inspired by the orchid. How does it preserve local DNA? 

The orchid, Colombia’s national flower, symbolizes resilience, diversity and a sophistication born of nature. In the project, its presence is not literal but conceptual: it translates into enveloping curves, overlapping layers, smooth transitions and a composition that suggests organic growth and structural delicateness. The architecture and interiors evoke that natural evolution, from root to petal, generating a coherent spatial narrative. 

Preserving the local DNA means interpreting the Colombian identity with depth and rigor, integrating materials, talent and cultural sensitivity from a contemporary perspective. It is an authentic expression of the place, elevated to international design standards. 

What experience does Calya seek to offer? 

Calya is conceived as an urban sanctuary. Amidst the intensity of Provence, it offers serenity, privacy and a carefully orchestrated experience. The suites function as micro-residences designed for short or long stays, with a spatial logic that combines hotel sophistication and domestic comfort. We aspire to compete with the best international products in hospitality, offering a deeply local proposal in identity and character, executed with global quality standards.

We want the guest to feel truly at home. That he can move his daily rituals into space: cooking, working, resting, practicing wellness or receiving guests. Natural balanced light, controlled acoustics, tactile materiality and functional distribution are designed to accompany this experience. Calya not only hosts; it welcomes and elevates the way a city is temporarily inhabited. 

What role does architecture play in the luxury experience? 

Architecture directly influences human behavior and the nervous system. Studies in neuroarchitecture show that proportion, scale, natural light and materiality affect stress levels, sense of security and sense of well-being. Lighting regulates circadian rhythms, organic textures generate calm and controlled acoustics promote rest. In hospitality, these elements form the basis of experience. 

In contemporary luxury, the experience begins in how space receives and guides the user. Intuitive circulation and harmonious transitions create emotional coherence. When the design is thought through, it reduces friction and conveys a clear sense of care. Architecture thus becomes a tool of wellbeing and sophistication. 

Moya has been awarded Power 100 Playmaker, 40 Under 40 and Minority Business Leader of the Year. 

What other developments do you plan in Colombia? 

We are currently focused on the flawless execution of Calya, ensuring that every detail meets the standards we have set. In parallel, we evaluate new opportunities in boutique hospitality and high value-added residential developments, where we can integrate design, brand and strategy from the conception of the project. We are also interested in participating in educational, civic, and social-impact initiatives that bring tangible value to communities. We believe in strategic and selective growth, focused on projects that build heritage and raise the quality of the urban environment in Colombia. 

Is this the beginning of a structured presence in Colombia? 

No doubt. Colombia is at the heart of our long-term strategic vision. This is not a one-off incursion, but to consolidate a coherent and sustained presence over time. We aim to develop projects that integrate international sophistication with local identity and social responsibility, contributing to raise standards and have a tangible impact on the urban and cultural environment of the country. 

What has been your biggest learning experience in the US? 

I’ve learned that creativity needs a strong business architecture to sustain. My primary role is to lead an organization with structure, financial vision and strategic clarity. Designing a firm requires the same rigor as designing a building: planning, risk management, and a clear positioning narrative. 

Competing in the US means operating in one of the world’s most challenging environments. That experience taught me constant discipline, structured innovation, and strategic resilience. Excellence is not aspirational; it is operational. 

What’s your secret to success outside? 

Meticulous preparation, consistency in execution and professional integrity. In highly competitive markets, differentiation is achieved not only with creative talent, but with rigorous compliance, attention to detail, and a consistently built reputation. Sustained success is the result of method, ethics and long-term vision. 
 
CONTRASTS 
Óscar Jaimes 
Director of Strategic Communications Moya Design Partners  

“In December 2025, Calya reached a milestone in its construction and from that moment sought to be an architectural reference for well-being, hospitality and sustainability.” 

 

What challenges did you face at MGM National Harbor and Howard Theatre? 

At MGM National Harbor, the challenge was to demonstrate skill and vision to a sophisticated client who evaluated every decision with strategic precision. At the Howard Theatre, we took on the responsibility of intervening with a historical icon, which involved a delicate balance between heritage preservation and contemporary updating. 

Both projects required innovation, complex multidisciplinary coordination, and strict adherence to timelines and technical standards. These apprenticeships reinforced my conviction that the scale changes, but the level of excellence must remain unchanged. 

How did Washington, D.C. influence their approach? 

Washington, D.C. is a laboratory of cultural diversity, institutional sophistication, and intense competition. It is a city where technical precision and conceptual detail are decisive. There I developed a sensibility towards proportion, elegance and narrative coherence of the design.  

This international experience consolidated a methodological discipline and a global vision that I now apply in Colombia, bringing high standards of execution and a strategic perspective to each project. 

Más allá de los números, el impacto es medible en desempeño. En desarrollos alineados con estándares como EarthCraft V5 Gold, las estrategias de eficiencia energética pueden reducir el consumo entre 15% y 30% frente al código base, dependiendo del sistema y clima. La integración de envolventes de alto desempeño, ventilación eficiente y maximización de luz natural genera reducciones adicionales de entre 15% y 25% en áreas comunes y unidades. Asimismo, el uso de materiales durables puede disminuir los costos de mantenimiento entre 10% y 20% a lo largo del ciclo operativo. 

 “En vivienda multifamiliar, el interior influye directamente en la permanencia de los residentes, en el mantenimiento y en la percepción de seguridad. En ese momento deja de ser estética y se convierte en estrategia financiera y social”, señala Moya. En proyectos como The Iris, Modera H Street o Takoma Metro, las áreas comunes funcionan como multiplicadores de oportunidad: pueden operar como coworking, aula, espacio de programación comunitaria o punto de encuentro intergeneracional. “Un espacio flexible puede ampliar la vida cotidiana del residente sin incrementar la huella del edificio. Esa es la verdadera optimización”, agrega. 
 
De cara al futuro, MOYA apuesta por interiores adaptables que respondan al trabajo híbrido, el envejecimiento en sitio y la diversidad de hogares. En desarrollos como Forest Glen o Takoma, se incorporan plantas eficientes con espacio adaptable para escritorio, almacenamiento accesible y áreas comunes versátiles. “La vivienda asequible del futuro debe anticipar el cambio físico y social. Diseñar solo para el presente es diseñar con fecha de vencimiento”, concluye Moya. 

En un contexto de creciente demanda de vivienda multifamiliar, la propuesta de MOYA demuestra que optimizar no significa reducir calidad, sino diseñar con precisión. Cuando el interior se concibe como infraestructura social y herramienta de gestión, cada decisión espacial puede multiplicar oportunidades y expandir el acceso a una vivienda verdaderamente digna y sostenible. 

Beyond the numbers, the impact is measurable in performance. In developments aligned with standards such as EarthCraft V5 Gold, energy efficiency strategies can reduce consumption between 15% and 30% compared to base code, depending on system and climate. The integration of high-performance envelopes, efficient ventilation, and maximized natural light generates additional reductions of between 15% and 25% in common areas and residential units. Likewise, the use of durable materials can decrease maintenance costs between 10% and 20% throughout the operational lifecycle. 

“In multifamily housing, the interior directly influences resident retention, maintenance, and the perception of safety. At that point, it ceases to be aesthetics and becomes financial and social strategy,” notes Moya. In projects such as The Iris, Modera H Street, or Takoma Metro, common areas function as opportunity multipliers: they can operate as coworking spaces, classrooms, community programming areas, or intergenerational gathering points. “A flexible space can expand a resident’s daily life without increasing the building’s footprint. That is true optimization,” she adds. 

Looking ahead, MOYA is committed to adaptable interiors that respond to hybrid work, aging in place, and diverse household structures. In developments such as Forest Glen or Takoma, efficient layouts incorporate adaptable desk space, accessible storage, and versatile common areas. “The affordable housing of the future must anticipate physical and social change. Designing only for the present is designing with an expiration date,” concludes Moya. 

In a context of growing demand for multifamily housing, MOYA’s proposal demonstrates that optimization does not mean reducing quality but designing with precision. When the interior is conceived as social infrastructure and a management tool, every spatial decision can multiply opportunities and expand access to truly dignified and sustainable housing. 

Integrated Nature and Buildings to Preserve and Conserve Resources 
Biophilia has evolved from decorative gesture to strategic framework. Research shows that integrating nature improves wellbeing, productivity, and creativity. 

Additionally, The Colombian Chamber of Construction (CAMACOL) estimates that buildings meeting green standards can reduce energy and water consumption by 20% to 40%, while increasing durability and asset value.² 

In 2026, sustainability and efficiency are no longer optional add- ons, they are competitive advantages. 

Color Moves Beyond Neutral: 2026 Embraces Warm, Deep, Emotional Tones 
Color becomes a central narrative thread in interior design in 2026. According to a report by Vogue, the premise is clear: the home must become a refuge, and color is a primary tool in achieving that.³ 

The cool palettes that dominated for years —pure whites, grays, and neutral beiges— are gradually giving way to richer, nature-inspired tones with emotional depth. Warm browns, ochres, terracottas, and caramel hues emerge as new chromatic foundations, offering depth, character, and an immediate sense of warmth. 

This shift does not pursue immediate impact, but harmony and permanence. Butter yellows evolve into more toasted variations; reds deepen into brick, wine, or burgundy tones; and neutrals are redefined through warmer nuances such as Classic Beige or Wax Paper. 

Bold accents such as Crimson, Emerald, Indigo, or Chocolate appear across larger surfaces, furnishings, and full-height walls. The result is more sophisticated, enduring, and emotionally resonant spaces, where color does not decorate, but constructs atmosphere and wellbeing. 

Designing for Tangible Impact 
Looking ahead to 2026, architectural design is increasingly defined as a tool for tangible impact in daily life. For Paola Moya, this means integrating wellbeing, place narrative, and emotion into every project, with the understanding that spaces are not simply used—they are felt, remembered, and inhabited. 

“When a space succeeds in moving people while caring for them at the same time, it has fulfilled its reason for being,” she concludes.  

The Hilltop Floor, on the third level, opens things up even more. Hills, trees, waterfalls, and birds create a lighter, more expansive landscape. The graphics feel more abstract and exploratory, matching both the interiors and the growing independence of the kids who use the space.

Different moods, different colors, different stories, all connected.

Designing for independence and inclusion
Kids don’t need to be told where they are. They feel it.
Clear themes, familiar characters, and thoughtful scale help children move through the building naturally. Spaces feel predictable in the best way, welcoming, legible, and easy to understand. That sense of comfort supports independence, confidence, and a feeling of belonging.

Collaboration matters
This project works because the graphics and interiors were designed together. Colors, materials, and proportions were aligned early on, so nothing competes for attention.

When interiors and environmental graphics speak the same language, the space feels whole, and kids feel it too.

That’s when design does its quiet magic.

It’s how we design at Moya Design Partners (MOYA), with intention, collaboration, and care.

Some things we can do in scenarios where trust is important include: 
Translating complexity into clarity: In Washington, DC, African American residents represent 41% of the population, yet they make up 68% of those facing housing insecurity. This gap shows how data, when explained with clarity and context, can guide fairer design decisions and public policies. 

The explanation for this complex situation stems from how people live: for example, African American residents, who are also more likely to live in households with children, are more likely to experience other challenges such as overcrowding, substandard housing conditions, pests, and lack of affordability. 

Numbers inform, but stories mobilize. This shapes how housing is conceived and built. 

Connecting data with emotions: while in the United States, affordable housing lies at the intersection of policy, economics, and social responsibility, in contexts such as Colombia—where territorial inequalities run deep—communication translates data into narratives that acknowledge the human experience behind the statistics. 

That connection is key to generating empathy, participation, and a sense of belonging. Cities like Washington, DC are redefining density and access while balancing sustainability goals and equity mandates with actions that connect with society. 

In Colombia and across Latin America, the challenge feels equally urgent. Rapid urbanization, migration, and post-conflict reconstruction programs demand solutions that combine design, sustainability, and cultural sensitivity. 

When communication brings together evidence, context, and emotion, it becomes a powerful tool for advancing more equitable housing. 

Giving visibility to the human stories behind architectural progress: Social housing is, above all, a conversation about dignity. A conversation that begins with language, continues through communication, and materializes in the built environment. When words include, projects can include as well. And when design responds to that listening, the city stops being an abstract system and becomes a place where people can truly belong. 

In the United States, equity mandates require all parties involved in architectural projects to demonstrate the progress their work brings to communities. In places like Washington, DC—where approximately 44,000 residents spend more than half of their income on rent, while more than one-third face food insecurity⁴—the impact of an architectural project can be made visible through the transformations experienced in everyday life. 

If social housing helps transform not only housing security but also improves living conditions related to food security, it is undoubtedly a story that must be told. 

Every message we craft can strengthen the bridge between political intention and community acceptance. 

A call to strategic empathy
Affordable housing is not only a matter of construction; it has political, economic, design, and also cultural challenges—it is cultural. The way we frame messages determines whether it is perceived as social assistance or as civic pride. 

However, the future of housing depends as much on design as on dialogue. If we want resilient, inclusive, and sustainable cities, we must first build the language that unites them. As communicators, we have the responsibility to speak that language with empathy and purpose: to turn housing into a story of dignity, not scarcity. 

Because every project begins with a conversation. 

Why This Matters to Our Clients

In today’s complex business environment, our clients are seeking something more intentional: clarity, cohesion, and confidence. The true value of an integrated, full-service approach lies in the details: lighting, materials, furniture, art, and finishes that bring warmth, character, and meaning to a space. These elements transform a well-designed environment into one that feels complete, human, and enduring. By aligning architecture, interiors, branding, development strategy, and curated living elements under one guiding philosophy, we offer one vision, one accountable team, and a level of care that elevates every project across sectors.

Looking Ahead

Eight years in, we are more committed than ever to designing with integrity, curiosity, and care. MOYA continues to grow deepening our ability to serve our clients holistically.

Thank you to the clients, collaborators, and team members who have trusted us, challenged us, and grown with us.

Paola Moya

CEO and COO, MOYA Design Partners

@bypaolamoya

 

As a multifaceted designer, my work has never lived within a single lane. Architecture, interiors, urban design, branding, environmental graphics, and strategy have always informed one another in my practice. That same integrative mindset guided every conversation we had: how design operates as a system, how it supports communities, how it scales responsibly, and how it can elevate both public and private initiatives.

What stood out most during this journey was the openness. The willingness to collaborate. The shared belief that Colombia benefits when knowledge circulates freely, when those of us who have built careers abroad return not to impose, but to contribute.

I’m deeply grateful to the organizations, institutions, and media partners who welcomed us, shared their time, and engaged in thoughtful dialogue. These conversations reaffirmed something I hold strongly: giving back is not a gesture, it’s a responsibility. This is not a conclusion. It’s a continuation.

Thank you to everyone who made these meetings possible. I look forward to building what comes next—together.

— Paola Moya CEO & COO, Moya Design Partners (MOYA)

@bypaolamoya

Day 3 — Adaptive Reuse, Innovation & Reinvention

On the final day, I explored Mare Island — once the first U.S. Naval Shipyard on the West Coast and now a hub for innovation, craft, and sustainability.

From the precision of Factory_OS, reimagining how modular housing is built, to the authenticity of Redwood Empire Whiskey, revitalizing heritage structures with California soul, the tour was a lesson in reinvention done right. It’s proof that legacy spaces can evolve into platforms for the future, when design, reuse, and community vision align.

My experience at ULI fuels our collective knowledge and sharpens the strategies we bring to our clients. At Moya Design Partners (MOYA) we’ve always believed that great design begins long before a line is drawn, it starts with understanding systems, people, and purpose. The lessons from San Francisco reinforced that belief.

We integrate resilience early in the process, treating infrastructure and the environment not as background conditions but as design opportunities. Our approach ensures that energy performance, climate adaptation, and long-term stewardship are woven into the architectural DNA of a project from day one.

We also build collaboration frameworks that bridge public agencies, private developers, and community voices. True impact comes from partnerships that align values and resources — and from creating spaces where everyone has a stake in the outcome.

Designing for equity and belonging remains central to our practice. We view accessibility, inclusion, and sustainability as essential elements of good design, not optional features. Every space we create aims to foster connection, dignity, and opportunity for all who experience it.

And finally, we focus on placemaking — crafting environments that celebrate culture, identity, and context. Our work seeks to reflect the stories of the people who inhabit these places, ensuring design serves as both a physical and emotional anchor.

The ULI Fall Meeting reminded me why we do what we do. Walking through neighborhoods like Mission Rock, Sunnydale, and Mare Island wasn’t just an educational experience, it was a glimpse into the future of cities: resilient, equitable, and alive with purpose. At MOYA, we carry those lessons forward. They’ll inform the next waterfront we reimagine, the next community we design for, and the next generation of sustainable architecture we deliver.

Follow me at @bypaolamoya or @moya.us.

#ULISanFrancisco #ULIFallMeeting #MissionRock #AffordableHousing #UrbanDesign #SustainableDevelopment #ResilientCities #InclusiveCommunities #AdaptiveReuse #MoyaDesignPartners