Impeccable taste seems to run in the DeSantis family. Father-and-son architects Nunzio and Marc have a lot to celebrate with their eponymous firm NMDA’s five fruitful years in Dallas’ booming Design District. Here, the dynamic duo talk trends, their design process and what we can expect next.
Father-and-son design duo Nunzio and Marc DeSantis
Why is the Design District the perfect home for NMDA?
ND: We are proud to be the only architecture firm in Dallas’ Decorative Center, which is considered the heart of the Design District, and are grateful to be surrounded by some of the most revered design showrooms and galleries in the country. The Design District reflects and supports what we are all about: living in a park but within a small design city. Our neighbors are our friends with whom we share a glass of wine and meals on a regular basis. We are all each other’s supporters, connectors and inspirers.
How do you take a building and bring it back to life?
ND: As time passes, the way we live our lives, surroundings and markets change; it compels us as architects to reimagine spaces to transform them into more current, functional spaces that are complementary to their surroundings. What was once an impressive, functional office building 20 years ago could now bring a more dynamic, multifunctional offering to an area—one that not only performs a singular function as an office building but one that also includes restaurants, hotels, entertainment halls, event spaces and otherwise.
How has your relationship further enhanced your creative or business experience?
MD: The father-son dynamic plays a role in our work, sure. We are building a generational legacy together, so if you think about it through that lens, we are perhaps even more personally invested in each project we create as a team.
One of NMDA’s most-anticipated works is its restoration of Bishop’s Lodge, Auberge Resorts Collection in Santa Fe.
Walk us through your individual roles in the design process.
MD: We both touch all of our projects. Every single one of them. For certain projects, one of us may be more involved than the other, but we are both always involved throughout, and that will never change. One of us begins with a sketch, and the two of us remain a part of each and every project—though for some, one of us is more involved than the other.
What trends do you see making an appearance this fall?
ND: Authentic, out-of-the-box luxury experiential elements that take inspiration from the history and essence of the destination itself. These days, we are having a lot of fun, building structures that break the mold and enhance the overlay of what a hotel is expected to be. We are redefining the guest stay and creating experiences by way of designs that are inspired by the location itself. We are building outdoor tents, dugouts, birdhouses and all kinds of experiential, unconventional structures. These are all authentic, out-of-the-box luxury experiential elements that take cues from the history and essence of the destination itself. It is the difference between buying a suit off the rack and having one handtailored to fit you.
The iconic InterContinental Hotels & Resorts at Cityplace Tower
Can you tell us about any current or future projects?
MD: We are working on a project in Ronda, Spain, just outside of Malaga. It will be the world’s next greatest resort. Think olive groves, horses, wine and agriculture. Even in its rawest form, the location is magical. 1617 Hi Line Drive, Ste. 190, nmdarch.com
Photography by: COURTESY OF NMDA; AUBERGE RESORTS COLLECTION
