I truly believe that change happens when visionary people come together – those who see the potential not just for profit but for true, lasting impact. It’s about aligning purpose with innovation to build a better future.

A global visionary ambassador for sustanability in architecture and design: Yasmine Mahmoudieh throughout her enlightening career has earned a number of merit acknowledgments that have made her an undisputed leader in this sector. Recently she has been awarded the title of Most Influential CEO 2024 in London for Architecture & Interior Design, also thanks to the countless projects she has been involved with ranging from Luxury Hospitality, high-end residences, offices, multi-use projects, and retail in order to express her creativity on many levels and enhance the adoption of green practices.

Her expertise is actually even broader and is applicable at several levels to renovation, reuse and historic preservation of buildings, their refurbishment and adaptive reuse. But also to the outdoors for the creation of green spaces, redisigning public environments with 3D printed furniture and structures or according to a biophilic design. Without forgetting mobility providing innovative materials for green transportation solutions, cyclable routes and pedestrian-friendly infrastructures.

A new concept of Design, which is based on really innovative eco-sustainable materials, ensuring LEED Gold Standard Achievements and high environmental performances with a special attention to human health.

A multi-sensory Design (a holistic concept Yasmine espoused from the very beginning and that today has a strong following…) engaging elements  stimulating sight, sound and scent in order to live extraordinary human Experiences.

True commitment, high technology and originality are undoubtedly the main pillars for redefining the construction industry, according to Yasmine Mahmoudieh’s vision.

This was her intent when captured by the beauty of this timeless practice: she decided to study Art History in Florence, Architecture at L’École d’Ingénieurs de Genève in Switzerland and Interior Design in San Francisco, before graduating at UCLA (University of California) in Architectural Design. A year after her graduation, she opened Yasmine Mahmoudieh Design in Los Angeles and since then she has travelled the world as a global talker and lecturer at the most important Universities and Colleges (a Visiting Professor for nine years at École hôtelière de Lausanne – EHL) but also at major events (World Economic Forum in Davos 2024, COP28 in Dubai, OPAL Award Summit in Shanghai 2024 and many others).

I aim to inspire others to take action in their own fields. We don’t need to wait for permission or for ideal conditions – we can start now to improve the way we build, work, and live. It’s time to push boundaries, innovate boldly, and lead by example.

What certainly sets Yasmine’s practice apart is her long-standing research into alternative and highly innovative materials – natural and recycled – that can reduce our carbon footprint but also be ‘healthy’ for our Well-being, fostering the creation of truly sustainable liveable spaces.

This research also includes a building process using a high-level technology by significantly decreasing time and waste. And a widespread false prejudice…

As she herself claims: “There’s a common misconception that sustainable design is more costly – this simply isn’t true. In many cases, sustainable solutions offer long-term savings, both financially and environmentally, proving that we can create impact without sacrificing economic viability”.

The floor now passes directly to her, after this necessary introduction to her fascinating up-to-date attitude regarding architecture and design, which is also an urgency to act at the earliest in defense of our too long-sacrificed environment.

• Yasmine, what kind of Design do you aspire for the future?

First of all thanks very much for this interview. I belive as a creative architect and designer that we have the responsability to reduce the carbon footprint with our work. We all know that 40% of CO2 emission is coming from the construction industry and this is quite alarming. There are a lot of things we can do today that are not being done.  We have the possibility to employ organic, sustainable materials instead of harmful ones. What is better for the planet is better for human beings too. And this is one of the biggest challange we have. My mission is not only to spread awareness but also propose tangible solutions through my architecture, design and exhibitions.

• Which are the concrete actions you are taking to realize your idea of a ‘green architecture’.

With my team we have been researching for sustainable and alternative materials around the world for 22 years. Sadly there is too little attention on it even if the cost of these alternative natural materials is matching the harmful ones! It’s not true they are more expensive. There is a misconception about pricing. It’s important to understand HOW to make a project more sustainable, which intelligence we need to use to reduce the embedded carbon. And also to understand how we can save money in the medium and long term by using materials reducing the cost of energy by fifty percent. There are materials which can clean the air or reduce bacteria.

It’s a very exciting field, and as a creative person, I’m thrilled to come up with so many ideas for my clients.

• Sustainability is an overblown word: what meaning does it have for you?

For me it’s about authenticity, transparency: greenwashing is not an option. The European regulations but also worldwide dispositions are becoming very strict. I have shown in my exhibitions how for example we can repurpose plastic waste through 3D printing in architecture and design only addressing the problem in order to overcome it because plastic doesn’t magically disappear from landfields and oceans.

Another important action and solution is studying the application of new materials like hempcrete, mycelium, coming from nature, to build natural spaces. Materials which can be used in many ways as an alternative to concrete.

In Italy exists amazing companies already producing hempcrete and using it instead of traditional materials. The use of wood can also be dangerous because of formaldehyde especially in boating and yachting industry for example.  And this is precisely why I continue to look for companies that can make organic ceilings.

• What limitations do you see today and how to overcome them?

Big companies have a sustainability officer. Sometimes it is only a title, sometimes not, it depends on the transparency and authenticity of their actions. Doing researches and experiments on alternative materials is essential for the community of designer and architects. I have reminded this urgency very often at international important events. We have a great responsability. Doing something meaningful should be one of the checkpoint on the toplist.

• What do you think about the new Government ESG rules?

We need Government and strict regulations, they are necessary. Free will does not make changes. I’m an ambassador of global organizations such us It must be now, a luxury platform for Hospitality, which give admission to Hotels with certification by the Australian Earthcheck.

Many people do not realize that we are in a very critical planetary situation and that we will not meet the goals of the 2030 agenda and that environmental disasters will still happen.

• Is there a special project you want to tell us about? That you are working on?

Yes of course, there is one handsome project, a realistic one. I’m very interested in how we will live in the future, our human needs. Architecture and design have something to do with a form of psychology because we can influence people with spaces and influence how people feel. Transformative spaces in contact with nature.

I have my luxury sustainable Hotel project, the Y-Hotel: a global brand  outside city center not too far away in beautiful nature including a longevity and biohacking wellness centre. And this Hotel of course must be a represantation of all my innovative materials (I’m working on a marketplace of them for 2025), like a prototype of sustainability. My idea is also to create a community of like-minded people who are interested in a transformative experience and organizing within the Hotel interesting panels with international speakers. It won’t be a medical Spa at all but a pleasant location, enjoying a new lifestyle to rejuvenate.