How ten years in Indonesia have shaped HBA’s global design perspective

Leading global hospitality design firm HBA (Hirsch Bedner Associates) celebrates its tenth anniversary in Indonesia this year, marking a decade of growth that has seen the country become an important market for the firm, and an increasingly influential part of its global design practice.

Since establishing its presence in Indonesia in 2015, HBA has grown into a multidisciplinary design collective of more than 100 creatives across its studios in Jakarta and Bali. Today, HBA’s portfolio spans hospitality, residential, commercial and workplace design, with its Indonesia-based designers contributing to projects throughout the archipelago as well as across Asia, the Middle East and other international markets.

“As Indonesia’s market has matured, HBA has evolved alongside it, responding to new destinations and shifting traveller expectations. Over the past decade, we’ve had the privilege of contributing to Indonesia’s hospitality landscape, working alongside our clients to create experiences that are meaningful, relevant, and enduring. Each project is shaped by a dialogue between vision, place, and design. As we mark ten years in Indonesia, we look forward to building on this foundation and shaping what comes next,” reflects Chris Godfrey, Co-CEO, HBA

Indonesia’s diversity has been integral to HBA’s growth. Its distinctive architecture, craftsmanship, varied landscapes, and cultural narratives offer a powerful foundation for contemporary design rooted in place and emotion. This richness is reflected within HBA itself, with its Indonesia teams bringing together designers from across the country’s diverse regions and cultural backgrounds. From Sumatra and Java to Borneo, Bali and Nusa Tenggara, and Maluku, these different perspectives create a dynamic exchange of ideas and a deeper understanding of Indonesia’s regional identities. Increasingly, that exchange is reciprocal. HBA’s international design network brings global experience to projects in Indonesia, while the knowledge and perspectives developed by its Jakarta and Bali teams contribute to projects across the wider HBA network.

“HBA launched with five people in Jakarta in 2015 and a conviction that design, done properly, lasts. That belief is what has carried us since,” said Christin Castillo, Principal Indonesia, “A decade later, our Jakarta studio has grown to 100 designers, while our practice in Bali has evolved into HBA Resort, devoted entirely to the craft of resort and hospitality design in one of the world’s most inspiring settings. Different cities and different disciplines, but the same belief that great design is a collaborative endeavour. Ten years in, I find myself thinking less about how far we’ve come, and more about the people who’ve been part of that journey.”

Over its first decade in Indonesia, HBA has built a diverse portfolio spanning hotels and resorts, restaurants, residential, mixed-use and workplace design, with projects that respond to the distinct character of their locations. At Regent Bali Canggu, HBA’s integrated design approach brings contemporary Indonesian fashion and culture into the guest experience through the textiles, patterns, colour, and craftsmanship. At Marriott’s Sari Pacific Jakarta, Autograph Collection the design reflects Jakarta’s heritage through Betawi batik patterns, Gigi Balang motifs and Old Batavia influences, reinterpreted through a contemporary lens. Episode Hotel Gading Serpong responds to rapid urbanisation by drawing on Baduy and Peranakan influences to reconnect the area to its roots through a playful, culturally layered design narrative. In Bali, Noema Resort Pererenan balances raw materials, earthy tones, and curated art to slow the pace of living, via a design wholly immersed in the surrounding landscape. BAIC Tower, meanwhile, shows how this design thinking extends beyond hospitality. Its workplace interiors draw on an urban forest, with nature reinterpreted through crafted metal forms, layered textures and green-toned materials. Together, these projects reflect an approach that is not defined by a single aesthetic, but by an ability to understand context and translate the character of a place into distinctive Indonesian experiences.

The next chapter for HBA is already taking shape. HBA Jakarta and HBA Bali are involved in a growing pipeline of hospitality, residential and mixed-use projects across Indonesia and the wider region, while designers from both studios are contributing to work across Asia, the Middle East and Europe. As the firm enters its second decade in Indonesia, that exchange is set to deepen. The focus is on what comes next: continuing to respond to the country’s evolving hospitality and design landscape, while bringing the knowledge and perspectives developed locally to projects around the world. With more than 1,500 professionals across 29 offices in four regions, Indonesia is now an established part of HBA’s global design network, contributing not only to the country’s next generation of projects, but to the wider evolution of HBA’s design practice.

As HBA looks back on a decade shaped by Indonesia’s diverse design landscape and its growing influence on HBA’s global design practice, the milestone will be marked with an intimate celebration on Thursday, 1 October 2026, at Fairmont Jakarta. The evening will bring together HBA senior leaders, industry partners and members of the design community for an intimate gathering reflecting on the journey so far and the ideas shaping the future of design and luxury.

The event will feature two panel discussions bringing together HBA leaders to share their perspectives on the evolving design landscape. “From Designer to Strategic Advisor” will feature Chris Godfrey, Co-CEO, HBA; Christin Castillo, Principal Indonesia, HBA Jakarta & Bali; and Sabine Beck, Partner, HBA Singapore. The second discussion, “Beyond Opulence: Defining the Value of Luxury Today”, will bring together Ilija Karlusic, Creative Director, HBA Resort; Simone Biggs, Design Director, HBA Resort; and Thomas Meier, Design Director, HBA Bangkok.

For more information, visit: hba.com