US design has lost its soul.
We've forgotten the fundamental purpose of design: to create spaces that make people feel something profound.
What happened to the art of crafting environments that tell a story, that breathe with character and intention?
Today's design landscape has become a monotonous sea of efficiency, stripped of any meaningful connection to human experience.
Here’s what happened and how you can capitalize on this opportunity.
The Downward Spiral of American Design
American design has gradually morphed into a clinical approach that prioritizes spreadsheets and profits over soul.
We've traded creativity for convenience, personality for productivity.
Modern architecture has transformed into a repetitive landscape of concrete boxes and glass facades that could exist anywhere—and nowhere.
These spaces are engineered for maximum efficiency and minimum character, creating environments that feel more like sterile hospitals than places meant to inspire or comfort.
It's not just hotels. It's everywhere.
Look around any American city, and you'll see the same devastating trend across industries.
Restaurants have become uniform dining halls with interchangeable decor. Office buildings blend into a gray landscape of sameness. Apartments and condos appear as if they've been stamped out by a massive, creativity-crushing machine.
The Aston Martin building in Miami serves as a perfect metaphor.
A brand built on automotive artistry partnered with a developer who completely stripped away its heritage. The result? Residential spaces that are nothing more than soulless concrete cubes bearing a legendary name.
It's the perfect representation of modern design: take a brand known for craftsmanship, hand it to a developer focused on maximizing profit per square foot, and watch as all meaningful design vanishes.
No texture. No warmth. No personality.
But hotels are the worst offender (in my opinion)...
The hotel industry epitomizes this design apocalypse. Check into any major chain across the country, and you'll experience a mind-numbing uniformity.
Close your eyes, and you'd have absolutely no idea what city you're in. Every Hilton, Marriott, and Holiday Inn has become a carbon copy of corporate design guidelines—rooms so standardized they could be anywhere from Texas to Thailand.
The perfect example: ski destinations.
Mountain towns offer towering peaks, dense forests, and dramatic landscapes that beg for design that connects guests with the environment. The perfect canvas for creativity.
But our American ski resorts? Massive concrete structures with cookie-cutter “lodge” designs that stick out like painful architectural wounds, completely disconnected from their natural surroundings.
Contrast this with European destinations like the Dolomites, where architecture is a celebration of landscape and local character.
Their mountain retreats are integrated with the environment, using natural materials, local craftsmanship, and designs that breathe with the surrounding terrain.
Do Less. Do It Better.
Here's the radical approach for your first hospitality project: Stop thinking about volume.
Stop trying to maximize room count. Instead, focus on creating a destination that people are so drawn to they forget to look at the price.
Don't build a multi-hundred room soulless box. Instead build 15-25 keys that will completely blow people away. Invest everything you have into creating spaces that tell a story. Bring in rich textures that invite touch. Frame views that take your breath away. Create amenities that become social media moments.
This approach increases your chances of success exponentially compared to blending into the sea of commodity hotels and Airbnbs.
At Baya, We're All In
Our next project is a testament to intentional, soulful design.
We're fully embracing biophilic principles—units integrated into an exotic fruit forest, natural grottos tucked into lush palm groves. Every design decision is about creating connections: between guests and landscape, between built environments and natural worlds.
Travelers in 2025 don't just want a place to sleep.
They want transformation. They want stories. They want to feel something real in a world that's become increasingly artificial.
Ready to have a team of experts running your marketing and revenue strategy?
At Oasi, we act as your outsourced Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Revenue Officer. Giving you executive-level leadership backed by a full team of specialists in content, social media, ads, email, SEO, and pricing strategy.
If you want to boost revenue and drive more direct bookings, we'd love to help.
Fill out an inquiry here and let’s explore how we can work together.
See you guys next week!
-Ben Wolff
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🎥 Check Out My Podcast with Steve Turk Diving into The Story Behind Baya, Our New Tropical Landscape Resort
🎥 Check Out My Episode on The Bigger Pockets STR Podcast on Redefining Luxury Hotels and Outperforming Traditional Hotel Models
🎥 Check Out My Podcast Episode on the Action Academy about Making Millions Through Direct Bookings
Ben Wolff
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