Lawrence Adams managed and directed the design of large-scale development projects at major architectural and planning firms for the past 45 years. As a global authority on hotel and resort design, Adams served as adjunct faculty at New York University for nine years teaching master’s degree courses on Hotel Design and Development.

Adams co-authored the second edition of Hotel Design, Planning and Development with Richard Penner and Stephani Robson. It followed the original edition of Hotel Design, Planning and Development, which Mr. Adams co-authored with Walter Rutes and Richard Penner. Both tomes were written for architects, developers and hotel executives as comprehensive and professional guides for hotel and resort design and development. In addition, Adams is a frequent contributor to Hotel Business Review magazine where he has written more than 25 articles.

In addition to a wide range of project types, his most significant hotel projects include the New York Four Seasons Hotel, on which Mr. Adams collaborated with I.M. Pei; the Chambers Hotel in New York, for which he partnered with Rockwell Group; and RIGHA Royal Hotel, Manhattan’s first all-suite hotel, which is now named Conrad New York Midtown. Most recently, he directed the design of the adaptive reuse of an iconic mid-century high-rise for the 326-key Westin Dallas Downtown Hotel.

Adams directed the design of the 600,000 square foot National Headquarters for the Marine Corps Reserves in New Orleans as the centerpiece of the Federal City master plan, which Adams also directed. Adams worked with the Czech ambassador’s team on designing the Czech Mission to the United Nations on Madison Avenue in New York.

Adams is an innovator at the intersection of Senior Living and Hospitality design. He has been involved in the design of several senior living properties and sees the two specialties as interrelated. He brings his expertise in hospitality design to all aspects of the senior care environment where he creates an experience that transforms the traditional model of senior care into one that delivers a luxury resort-style experience.

Among his large-scale mixed-use projects are The Knox District Master Plan in Dallas, The Heart of Montrose in Houston, Yerba Buena Master Plan in San Francisco, CA, Hunters Point in Queens, NY, Federal City in New Orleans, Riva Place in San Antonio, and the Intermodal Transportation Center in La Place, Louisiana.

“ As an architect who specializes in hotel design, I am always looking for ways to enhance the hotel guests’ experience, to make it more invigorating and stimulating. Hospitality design requires that you go beyond mere functional plans and incorporate elements that inspire and enhance human sensibilities—that nourish the human spirit. ” - Lawrence Adams