South Florida-based interior design firm V Starr has welecomed Enrique Vela, AIA, IIDA, as its new principal. In his role, Vela will work closely with the leadership team to hone purposeful business objectives and expand upon the firm’s services to meet shifting industry demands. The new hire underscores V Starr’s commitment to delivering its partners thoughtful, well-rounded interior design concepts as the landscape of development continually evolves, the firm said.
“We’re excited to bring Enrique onto the team to expand our project reach among key markets,” said V Starr Principal Sonya Haffey. “With his extensive and well-rounded experience building luxury hospitality design firms, he will bring a fresh perspective to build on our existing team portfolio and project compatibility.”
Vela comes from an architectural background earning a bachelor of architecture degree from Syracuse University and later a master of science in advanced architectural design from Columbia University. His creative vision has since affected spa, restaurant, hotel, and bar projects around the world – most notably in New York, Las Vegas, Dubai and California.
He has also worked globally with most major hotel operators on projects ranging from small boutique hotels to large luxury resorts. From a residential perspective, Vela’s experience ranges from large 50,000-square-foot single-family residences to leading the interior design team of the tallest and most luxurious tower in the Western Hemisphere at Central Park Tower. Prior to joining V Starr, Enrique served as principal/owner and director of interiors at Olson Kundig, where he helped the firm foray into competitive hospitality markets.
