Luxury is not ostentatious
Luxury is not ostentatious; we seek to create the capacity to generate lasting value
Paola Moya, CEO of Moya Desing Partners, talks about the boutique hotel they are building in Medellín and the possibility of new investments .
Carlos Jaramillo Palace – Journalist
Paola Moya, one of the most influential Latin architects in the US, never lost her idea to invest in Colombia. Long after he was gone and with his firm, Moya Design Partners, more than consolidated, entered his country to build, for now in Medellín, Calya Provenza, a boutique hotel of 1,184 m2 and seven suites that will open this year. Her firm is responsible for more than 80 developments in the US, including the renovation of the Howard Theatre and the University of the District of Columbia student center. We talked to her.
After decades of working in Washington, D.C., what motivated you to develop your first hotel project in Medellín?
Returning was not a geographical move, it was an emotional and strategic decision. The pandemic led us to rethink where and how we wanted to live, prioritizing quality of life, connection with nature and more human urban environments. In this reflection, Colombia, and particularly Medellín, stood out clearly for its temperate climate, its evolving urban infrastructure, its biodiversity, and the creative energy that now defines the city.
Initially I invested in a residence, but by understanding more deeply the cultural and economic dynamism of Medellín, a greater conviction emerged: not only to inhabit the territory, but to actively participate in its development. After more than two decades of leading projects in Washington, D.C., I felt it was time to bring that international expertise, technical rigor, and execution discipline to Colombia. Calya was born, precisely, as a bridge between two worlds: the structure and requirement learned in America and the cultural sensitivity that has always been part of my identity.
Why invest in Colombia?
Colombia is now one of the most attractive destinations in Latin America for strategic investment. It is the second most biodiverse country in the world and has a natural and cultural wealth that drives sectors such as tourism, hospitality, and the creative economy. In recent years it has recorded record numbers of international visitors and growing foreign investment in trade, hospitality and real estate development. Its geographical location and air connectivity strengthen a competitive environment for high value-added projects.
For me, investing in Colombia means returning home with purpose. After decades in a highly competitive market like the US, I felt a responsibility to provide not just capital, but also structure, technical discipline, and international standards. It combines business vision with country commitment: generating financial return while raising standards of urban design and development.
In terms of figures, how is your firm Moya Design Partners doing?
Moya Design Partners has maintained sustained, strategic and disciplined growth. We currently have a projected portfolio of $15-20 million over the next four to five years, supported by a strong corporate structure and long-term vision.
A key component of our evolution has been the comprehensive diversification of services: from urban planning and masterplanning to architecture, interior design, graphic design, environmental branding and spatial narrative. We operate in multiple sectors: multi-family, civic, educational, sports and hospitality, which allows us to transfer knowledge between typologies and enrich each project with a transversal perspective. Last year we launched Moya Development, our real estate development division, where Calya is one of the flagship projects; and this year we introduced Moya Living, a platform focused on art, lighting and product design. This expansion is not just growth, it’s the consolidation of a creative ecosystem that integrates concept, design and execution under one strategic vision.
How many people work at the firm?
We have approximately 30 professionals including architects, interior designers, graphic designers, creative strategists, researchers, filmmakers, writers and administrative staff. We operate under an interdisciplinary model that covers the entire project cycle: market research, business development, proposal structuring, conceptual design, technical execution and final delivery.
We are a technology-intensive firm. We use advanced tools for BIM modeling, visualization, data analysis and digital project management, and have been pioneers in the adoption of artificial intelligence to enhance our creative capabilities, optimize processes and raise standards of accuracy and quality. Technology is a central part of our operational and creative strategy; it is an engine that amplifies the team’s talent and allows us to deliver more sophisticated, efficient and competitive solutions.
How do you define luxury in your projects?
For Moya Design Partners, luxury is not ostentatious. We seek to generate the ability to create value that will last. It is the convergence between strategy, identity and conscious design. In our projects, from urban developments to residential proposals such as Calya, luxury is expressed both in what remains over time, and in what is seen and experienced: the rigorous selection of materials, the interior atmosphere, the relationship with the external context and every detail that builds character. More than a symbol of excess, we understand luxury as an authentic experience, where every surface and every design decision brings coherence, sophistication and meaning.
What international apprenticeships did you apply to Calya Provenza?
With nearly 25 years of experience, I have learned that design evolves with discipline and method. In large-scale projects in the US, I developed multidisciplinary coordination, budget control, rigorous timelines, and multi-stakeholder management capabilities. This structure ensures that creativity has technical backing and operational feasibility.
In Calya we apply these principles together with our internal process, Moya Lab, an initial phase of deep historical and cultural research of the place: territory, urban context, community and user behavior. We didn’t start by drawing; we started by understanding who and why we design. From there we extract the conceptual DNA that guides architecture, interiors and brand. With this comprehensive vision we think about every detail: from the navigation of the website and arrival at the building to the experience in each interior space.
This is the design and that’s how Calya Provence will be.
What was the inspiration for integrating nature and architecture?
Medellín, known as the city of eternal spring, demands a permeable and sensory architecture. Its temperate climate, mountainous topography and green intensity of the landscape invite to dilute the boundaries between interior and exterior. Before designing, we carried out a deep analysis of its geography, culture and urban evolution to understand how the project had to dialogue with the environment, not impose itself on it.
The organic forms of the building, inspired by leaves, petals and the subtle movement of trees, emerge from that study. In the interior we pay homage to the orchid as a national symbol: the lower levels adopt deeper tones that evoke roots and roots, while the higher ones become progressively clearer, alluding to the lightness and openness of the petals. The result is a spatial narrative that translates nature, identity and transformation into architecture.
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.
