Making an Impact: Mauro Comoli
OBMI’s Mauro Comoli Speaks to The Zweig Newsletter About Leadership, Design, and the Future of Architecture
As seen in The Zweig Newsletter
With more than 12 years of international experience, Comoli provides hands-on leadership for architecture and interior design projects in large-scale developments, luxury hospitality, mixed-use urban environments, and cultural destinations.
“Early in my career, I thought I was too quiet and shy to be a good leader. Now, I realize that my ability to listen, reflect, and consider an idea allows me to build trust, develop a shared understanding, and express my intent more effectively. I don’t need to be the loudest in the room to make an impact.” – Mauro Comoli
The Zweig Letter: Your website says that “extraordinary design can awaken new possibilities.” Can you illustrate this with an example of how a design changed a client’s possibilities?
Mauro Comoli: Staying loyal to the character and culture of the places where we design lies at the core of who we are as a master planning, architecture, and design firm. This is particularly true in Bermuda, where OBMI has such a long and rich history designing cultural appropriate architectural designs. For the St. Regis, we were very much inspired by our founder, Wil Onions’ contribution to the traditional Bermudian vernacular with steeped and stark white roofs. The plans for the St. Regis Bermuda had challenges due to its slender location, sensitive surroundings, and proximity to a world UNESCO heritage site, Fort St. Catherine. They required meetings with the government to properly construct the buildings without damaging the location or surroundings.
After more than 85 years of experience in the Caribbean, our designers were confident in their ability to realize the client’s dream. The architects carefully applied design methods that would exceed the client’s expectations and respect the site. In the end, the project turned out to be a perfect mixture of the traditional Bermudian vernacular with the playfulness and allure of the St. Regis brand, all while celebrating Fort St. Catherine and the natural topography.
The Zweig Letter: Trust is essential. How do you earn the trust of your clients?
Mauro Comoli: OBMI has devised an innovative workflow, with clearly identified stages, to ensure the project emerges through collaboration. We gain trust from our clients by listening to their wants and needs, being the design guardians of the project, and valuing client feedback. The driving force for our firm is to translate our clients’ dreams into three-dimensional forms, and I think the individuals, brands and developers can sense that. We want our projects to be timeless, and provide long term value to the local community, site, and the clients.
