Established in 2013, Curioso is one studio with two locations: Chicago, IL and Mérida, Mexico. As a collective, we help companies around the world create unique brand & interior experiences. We understand that the secret to doing this is not simply having the best idea or the most creative vision – It’s about having the right people at the table.
Our Studio.
Daniel Pierce
DESIGN PRINCIPAL. Daniel Pierce is Design Principal and Co-Founder of Curioso, focused on finding design solutions that create high-impact experiences for each project that comes through the studio.
Nina Grondin
MANAGING PARTNER. Nina Grondin is Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Curioso, where she focuses on creating meaningful, smart projects that impact the way humans interact with physical space.
Carlos Herrera
As STUDIO DESIGN LEADER, Carlos Herrera touches every aspect of design at Curioso. In this role, Carlos mentors a diverse, highly skilled team across both Curioso’s Mérida, Mexico and Chicago studios.
Louie Sison
As STUDIO DESIGN LEADER, Louie Sison guides interior and brand design at Curioso. Raised in Manila, Philippines, Louie came to Chicago as a young adult, full of artistic energy and a natural instinct for the world of hospitality.
Mariana Estrada
As DESIGN LEADER, Mariana Estrada plays an integral role in the positive energy and forward motion of Curioso’s Mérida, Mexico studio. Her background in architecture and interior design is diverse, having built award-winning luxury hospitality projects around the globe.
ELAINE SCHMID conducts a beautiful symphony of design. Whether gathering intel from consultants, managing timing on design deliverables, or updating a client with myriad priorities, she’s orchestrating all the players and keeping them in perfect tune.
An open mind, eyes and heart inform PEDRO UCH’s design perspective as he crafts emotive, three-dimensional images. Creative impulses and architectural rigor are reflected in visualization and documentation that tell beautiful stories ending with amazing spaces.
ELEANOR RIANT is a designer who brings big ideas and functional solutions to every project. A powerhouse of design energy and management, her contagious charisma combined with a devotion to details make spaces from luxe to laid-back come alive.
DANIEL PEREZ leads with an understated and reassuring presence, sharing his knowledge and nuanced three-dimensional rendering skills on everything from architectural facades and streetscapes to luxurious lobbies and restaurant bars.
Energetic and passionate, REMIKO KITAZAWA brings in-depth knowledge, creative solutions, and smart coordination to every project. With 20 years of experience as a technical designer for luxury & lifestyle hotels, Remiko leads project teams to the finish line with gusto.
SARAH CABRERA leads People & Culture with a wealth of diverse experience and a passion for community growth. With roots in both Chicago and Mérida, she seamlessly leads across both studios, connecting our teams and fostering collective success.
KATRINA HOERNIG is a method designer and Brand Storyteller, deeply immersed in the story of every place and every space, learning the why behind every choice and delivering projects so full of meaning and impact, they feel as though they were meant to be.
A passionate designer with a keen eye for detail, JOCELYN QUIROZ turns project values and vision into practical, purposeful, and beautiful spaces. As a seasoned Interior Architect, she uses her experience to maximize a project’s positive impact on communities and cultures around the globe.
JUAN POPE GARCIA blends passion, perseverance and fun to make miracles happen! His details and documentation have great results, too. All in the name of amazing design, incredible experiences and functional spaces.
Pragmatic and creative, MILENA TODOROVIC is an unflappable architect whose sense of order and formidable technical skills are powered by an intense curiosity. This respect for every angle of a project, results in better artistry as well as business for our partners.
A conceptual thinker with all the skills to back up her carefully-considered approach, CAITLIN DALY is a solutions-focused designer who takes any project from concept straight through to documentation and on-site administration, all with grace and aplomb.
With a lifelong devotion to art and design, IRI PAZ TREJO approaches the world with an empathetic and enthusiastic mindset. Well traveled and full of curiosity, her international experience inspires interior design that is poetic, pragmatic, and leaves a positive impact on every person it touches.
EVELINA URBONAITE is detail-oriented and highly technical, creating spaces that seamlessly blend beauty and functionality. Driven by this passion for both poetry and pragmatism, Evelina produces innovative deigns that are creatively inspired, rigorously executed, and perfectly tailored to deliver exceptional guest experiences.
Always on the prowl for fresh inspiration, architect and designer JUAN MORENO contributes to every project with an eye toward creating spaces that inspire guests to explore new experiences and unexpected chapters in their own unique stories, as well.
A multi-dimensional designer, ELIZABETH HUTCHINSON is an integral part of the design team at every stage of the process. Her creative spirit and artistic core bring inspiration and creative thinking to every project she touches.
RILEY KALINOWSKI seamlessly leads clients to discover what a space was always meant to be. With a deep and broad understanding of the design process and the skills to match, she touches every facet of a project from branding and specs to CDs and CA.
With a keen eye for detail and impeccable taste, MICHELLE JACOBO views design as a transformative power for communities and culture. Passionate and creative, her work fosters connections between built environments and their diverse inhabitants, ensuring that each spaces promotes a sense of belonging for every individual.
Inspired by people, places, and pets, EMILY GREEN's artful blend of strategic thinking and creative instinct helps tell the Curioso story. As Marketing & Communications Leader, she is the driving force behind our studio's brand narrative.
With a curiosity for holistic design & deep experience in creating restaurant environments, JASMINE ESQUINCA is a warm presence in the studio. Her devotion to critical thinking and curiosity results in beautiful, functional, and solution-driven spaces across branded & independent spaces alike.
An artist at heart with a passion for music, SAMUEL FARIAS has always been drawn to the creative process. As an architect, his insatiable curiosity keeps him inspired and continuously learning in order to design uniquely beautiful spaces.
With a holistic perspective on design, CECILIA CARMONA creates from a place of understanding human emotions & connections. Her work explores hospitality through the lens of meaningful and memorable experiences as she layers compassion and story into every project.
Focused and analytical, ANGIE TRACONIS - also known as eagle eyes - has an abiding love for details. Her predilection for fine points and technical minutiae is the perfect match for her nimble mind, always willing to adapt, problem solve and learn.
With quick wit, an endlessly positive outlook, and an enviable style, MARIO DUNSON brings his unique background and whole self to his role as Business and Operations Assistant. Always willing to dive in and collaborate, his ‘can-do’ energy is infectious across the studio.
ADRIAN CARDENAS brings a fresh, optimistic perspective to each design challenge. From student housing and cannabis dispensaries to a hotel bar or lobby, he’ll conceive an idea then tell the story from 3D rendering all the way to documentation.
A master artist, ESAU RAMIREZ translates concepts into visions, illustrating views with such grace and spirit that one is almost magically transported to a space, bringing confidence and more thorough understanding to all design stories and decisions.
A true dreamer and passionate designer, ERIKA GARCIA sees every project as an adventure. Her artistic, poetic nature enables her to look deeply into details, always with a mindset to achieve creative, functional design solutions which also provide unique guest experiences.
JENNI MEDINA explores the world through graphic design, giving her imagination space to expand and create. With a background in photography and fashion, Jenni brings a fresh perspective to every project, translating initial ideas into cohesive narratives and digital works of art.
Inspired by her love of traveling and experiencing new cultures, ISABEL BARBOSA approaches every project with an open mind and innovative spirit. After over 14 years as a licensed architect, her experience is wide ranging and her impact is great.
ZOE BROWNING designs memorable hospitality experiences that allow every guest to feel a sense of adventure and belonging. A master at selecting finishes & furniture, her warm spirit brings an empathetic, human-focused perspective to each of her projects.
A conceptual thinker and expert in coordination, CAROLINA RODRIGUEZ weaves together seamless collaboration between project teams, partners, and clients. As an architect, she’s a champion of spaces that support the wellbeing of people and the reunification of communities.
A licensed architect in both Illinois and Colombia, MARIA QUIROZ approaches her work from a posture of listening and with a passion for creating positive-impact design. Focused on developing high-quality finished products, Maria ensures attention to detail and precision are brought to every phase of design.
ALEXANDRA RUEDA is an architect. She is also a passionate advocate for functional spaces that are both sustainable and beautiful. Her enthusiasm for interior design joined with her commitment to these timely issues brings great purpose and value to her work.
Balancing her creative nature and attention to detail, TATIANA KNOX is a multi-faceted designer with a passion for dreaming up well-rounded, unexpected, and memorable experiences. Her love for textures, materiality, and craftsmanship informs her work and inspires new levels of design bringing gorgeous vision into the tangible, physical space.
A skillful graphic designer and master of details, MARIFER ECHEVERRIA weaves together brand stories through visual interpretations, transforming initial concepts and ideas into tactile realities. Her creative process and imaginative illustrations elevate every project she touches.
Extroverted and full of energy, MAMIE OELERICH is a self-proclaimed “people person” who radiates positivity. Born and raised in Chicago, her lifelong fascination with architecture inspired a career in design, where her attention to detail and problem solving expertise elevate every project team.