Kathianna Rousseau
Director & Senior AssociateRockwell GroupKathianna Rousseau is a Director and Senior Associate at Rockwell Group. In her work, Kathianna focuses on extending a sense of hospitality across different typologies from hotels and restaurants to residential towers, and offices. She has worked on a range of projects in the U.S. and abroad, including The View in New York, 200 Clarendon in Boston, Nobu Hotel Atlanta, 15 Hudson Yards in New York, Union Square Cafe and Daily Provisions in New York. Kathianna draws upon diverse influences and experiences, including art, fashion, and film, to create dynamic, inclusive spaces that connect people and place. Her upcoming projects include Equinox Hotel Amaala and Fairmont New Orleans. To strengthen her connection to the hospitality industry, Kathianna is a member of the Hospitality Diversity Action Council (HDAC) and serves on their membership and social media committees. She received a Bachelor of Science in Interior Design from Philadelphia University.
The Choreographed Hotel: Cinematic Design for Evocative Guest Experiences
This session reframes hospitality design as something closer to filmmaking than interiors, where spaces unfold with emotional intention.Drawing on cin…This session reframes hospitality design as something closer to filmmaking than interiors, where spaces unfold with emotional intention.Drawing on cinematic storytelling and art direction, the conversation explores how hotels can be choreographed lik…This session reframes hospitality design as something closer to filmmaking than interiors, where spaces unfold with emotional intention.Drawing on cinematic storytelling and art direction, the conversation explores how hotels can be choreographed like films: lighting as atmosphere, materials as emotional cues, and spatial sequencing as narrative structure. Each room becomes a scene. Each transition, a deliberate cut. The guest moves through a pro…This session reframes hospitality design as something closer to filmmaking than interiors, where spaces unfold with emotional intention.Drawing on cinematic storytelling and art direction, the conversation explores how hotels can be choreographed like films: lighting as atmosphere, materials as emotional cues, and spatial sequencing as narrative structure. Each room becomes a scene. Each transition, a deliberate cut. The guest moves through a property as part of a carefully composed story, one designed to engage, immerse, and stay with them.The panel will highlight how cinematic environments translate into meaningful impact; where mood shapes memory, memory builds loyalty, and distinct, story-driven spaces create cultural and commercial resonance. Through insights on collaboration across design, branding, and operations, alongside the integration of adaptive lighting and digital media, the discussion will reveal how these layered experiences are brought to life and sustained over time.Ultimately, this session positions hospitality as a time-based, sensory medium, where design is experienced in sequence, and where success is measured by how deeply a space resonates, performs, and endures.Show MoreClick the title to see all detailsShow More
