Lauren Rottet already had a designer’s mindset as a child, creating structures at her home in Waco, Texas. “I did not realize it at the time, as I was only 5, but I spent most of my time outside building treehouses, digging lakes, and master-planning our backyard,” she says.
Rottet’s family moved to Houston, where she was impressed by the various structures that dotted the downtown skyline—but was disappointed by the offices, which she thought were boring. In a full-circle moment years later, when Rottet was an architect at SOM, she designed spaces in the very same places and made sure they were just as compelling as the exteriors.
She founded Rottet Studio in 2008, and since then the firm has completed more than 90 million square feet of built design. Her contemporary aesthetic is steeped in luxury, seen in the hotel properties, private residences, and even the ships that she envisions.
Rottet launched her furniture company, Rottet Collection, in 2017 as a complement to her signature interiors. With lines that reference the art of James Turrell and Robert Irwin, the pieces double as sculpture in a variety of settings.
Today, Lauren Rottet joins us for Friday Five!
Photography by Rebecca Moses
1. My Siberian Cat
I love working on architectural and design plans at home with my Siberian partner, Sirree.
Art courtesy of Rebecca Moses
2. Rebecca Moses Artwork
I have always been enchanted by the art pieces of my dear friend Rebecca Moses. Her kindness and grace are matched only by her immense talent.
Photography by Scott Frances Photography
3. George Nelson and Gordon Chadwick 1962 Home in Montauk
I own a replica of this home, which was built by the son of the original owners using the original plans and original built-in millwork, light fixtures, and some furnishings. This home is one of the most wonderful examples of mid-century modernism, when creatives like Nelson, Charles, and Ray Eames embraced organic shapes to create an emotional bond between humans and nature. Every room in the home is a hexagon, used for the efficiency of its shape.
Photography by Lauren Rottet
4. The Delano Hotel in Miami Beach
The newly reopened hotel has kept some of the elements that have made it iconic through the years, such as the depth of the gorgeous pool.
Photography by Lauren Rottet
5. Beaches
The dichotomy of the powerful international connection and the perceived calmness is empowering and inspiring to me. I look, and all I see is light blue, dark blue, and many shades with hints of yellow sunlight or gray clouds—the calmness rests my mind and allows me to think. I always come back full of ideas and energy. I find that all beaches inspire, but not all relax. Some terrify, some motivate, and some calm. For me, it takes knowing a beach to relax around it.
Works by Lauren Rottet
Photography courtesy of Hilton
1. Conrad Washington D.C. at City Center, Washington, D.C.
The Conrad Washington D.C. is a classic representation of understated, stately power, reassurance, and comfort from early America to now. Herzog de Meuron created a building uniquely shaped by its surroundings to graciously house the Conrad. When designing a new hotel, I look at a city’s historical context and current influences.
Photography courtesy of Lauren Rottet
2. River Oaks Houston
The building underwent a major renovation and complete overhaul of a 1963 concrete structure. Though it is now completely different aesthetically from the original building, it still preserves one of Houston’s great modern structures. The clean lines and modernist, minimalist attitude of the original building were maintained and enhanced. The modernist notion of indoor and outdoor spaces blending seamlessly is celebrated in our design approach.
Photography courtesy of Corinthia
3. The Surrey Hotel
The Surrey will always hold a special place in my heart as my first hotel design that was ranked the #1 hotel in New York for 10 years in a row.
Photography courtesy of Lauren Rottet
4. Paul Hastings LLP’s New York Office
This office set the tone for my interiors career, and the lessons I took from this project continue to inspire me through smart spatial planning, lighting design, strategically placed mirrors, and art curation.
Photography courtesy of Lauren Rottet
5. The Stolle House
It is a contemporary reflection of a Mediterranean home. The rustic details combined with contemporary architectural details are a dream.
