DiLeonardo specializes in full-service luxury hotels, resorts, casinos and spas, and says it’s “pushing the envelope” on new design concepts in its booming overseas markets.

DiLeonardo International is true to its name. More than 55 percent of the company’s projects are overseas, explains President James Lehouiller. “Every market is strong,” he says. “After 2001, things were slow, but now we’ve hit the other extreme. We’re really seeing our greatest opportunities in the Middle East, India and China.”

DiLeonardo specializes in full-service luxury hotels, resorts, casinos and spas. About 95 percent of its work is in this market. Lehouiller says some of the “biggest and best” hotels are being built in overseas markets, and DiLeonardo is “pushing the envelope” on new design concepts there. Although the United States is still a significant market for the design and architecture firm, Lehouiller explains the U.S. market is more mature, so there are fewer great design opportunities.    

Repeat clients are the company’s best-case scenario, but says overseas, the firm often works with first-time developers. “Repeat business is great because there is less of a learning curve, but we really only see that in mature markets where developers have multiple hotels,” Lehouiller explains. “Working overseas, we face the challenge of educating new developers about the design process, which is why communication is so crucial.”

Making Clients Happy
DiLeonardo focuses on reacting to its clients’ needs and delivering a product they are happy with. “The hotels we design are essentially an investment for the developer, so they need to be comfortable with the creative aspects, and it also needs to be profitable for them,” Lehouiller says.

The firm is seeing green and environmentally sound designs take center stage, and Lehouiller says suppliers have come a long way in offering sustainable products and materials. “There used to be very limited options for a recycled or renewable product, but now that the movement has momentum, we’re really seeing it take off. We have had a green library for close to a decade, and the quality of product is getting better each month.” he says.

“To have clients want to incorporate sustainable elements and want us to ensure an environmentally sound design is really exciting and in line with our own priorities,” he adds.

Coming Together
At any given time, DiLeonardo is involved in 40 to 45 projects. Lehouiller states that a successful project is the result of a great team, and DiLeonardo works in “a true studio environment,” Lehouiller says. “Everyone from first-year interns to principals participate.

“We try to foster that creativity among all team members, and also with the architect and client,” he adds. “We look for creative tension among the disciplines, so the best ideas come out in the final design.”

Lehouiller says the firm’s vendors also push DiLeonardo to think critically about design and the final project. Vendor relationships are so important to the company that it hosts weekly luncheons with vendors to discuss new products and design ideas.

Around the World
DiLeonardo’s projects span the globe. Lehouiller says the company is currently working on projects in Europe, Central Asia, India and Africa. “It’s exciting to be in so many areas around the world,” he says. “It allows us to explore many cultures and allows us to create international design with a sense of place.”

The firm has offices in Rhode Island, Los Angeles, Dubai, Hong Kong, Shanghai and the Philippines. Lehouiller says there is fluidity of personnel and resource sharing among the locations.

The conceptual design all takes place in the United States because the firm has the largest design library at its headquarters, but staff flies around the world to collaborate on projects. “We have three people from our Dubai office here now, and we recently had people from our Hong Kong office visit,” Lehouiller says. “It’s like a beehive of creativity.”    

Hiring locally is important, he notes, especially to establish local service and comfort levels with clients. “Communicating clearly to the developer is so important because design is an intangible,” Lehouiller explains. “That’s why design knowledge and background goes hand-in-hand with communication. In Hong Kong, for example, we hire local and regional talent as they speak the language and more importantly, know the cultural nuances of working successfully with our local clients.”

Selective Process
The firm was founded in 1971 by Robert DiLeonardo, who is still involved in design and client services. Lehouiller was named president in 2006, having been with the company since 1994. "The future of hospitality design holds many challenges for client and designer, alike," Lehouiller says. "To meet those ever-changing needs, we have assembled a roster of some of the most gifted designers, architects and planners from around the globe.

DiLeonardo does not plan to grow rapidly, but rather become more selective on the projects it takes on. Building its portfolio and diversifying the brands it works with is the focus. “We want to pick the best projects and the best partners to work with us,” Lehouiller says. “We’re content with our size, so now when we consider a client, it’s a two-way interview. We need to want to work with them as much as they want to work with us.

“A great project needs a great team,” he continues, “and right now, it’s a wonderful time for us and the hotel industry. We’re very excited about what we will deliver in the next couple of years.”