Hospitality Studio, Japan

Kotaro Nakamura is a professor and the chair of the Interior Design Department at Iowa State University. He has over 40 years of experience in architectural and interior design and is a principal at RNT Architects, where his practice has been honored with numerous AIA Design Awards. His research focuses on promoting well-being and resilience for both people and the environment.

Rob Reinders, a licensed architect from Washington, DC, led significant growth and strategies initiatives in North America and Europe as a Vice President for Marriott International’s Global Design team, overseeing more than 1,000 hotel projects across various brands and hospitality segments for 33 years before retiring. His efforts helped drive Marriott’s expansion to become the world’s largest hotel company with over 8,800 properties in 139 countries. Before Marriott, Rob worked in architectural practice on a variety of project types while concentrating on hotels.

Rob holds a Bachelors degree from Iowa State University, a Master of Architecture from Rice University, and is a member of the American Institute of Architects. He taught a graduate level hotel development planning course at Cornell University and currently serves as a Professor of Practice in the College of Design at Iowa State University where he teaches the multi-discipline hotel design studio. He received a Design Achievement Award from Iowa State and serves as a member of the College of Design Dean’s Advancement Council.