As a Luminary this year, Joyce Wang is the epitome of someone who leads by example and creates her own pathway of design.

Joyce Wang designs interiors that make a signature statement whatever the brief. As founder and principal of Joyce Wang Studio, she has forged a successful career. From a child with an eye for design to the professional she is today, every project reflects her inherent taste and impeccable style.

Born in Honolulu, Wang grew up in a sophisticated environment, with her father working in manufacturing in Hong Kong. Design wasn’t in the family’s DNA, but the family travelled extensively and global exposure shaped Wang’s knowledge and instincts. Drawing was a childhood passion, Wang recalled conceiving different habitats for a variety of animals – creating different environments was good training for her future professional life.

At the age of 12, Wang was allowed to design her own bedroom during a renovation – a pivotal moment. Instead of a childlike space, she created a pared-back Tadao Ando-inspired, contemporary room with concrete walls and architectural glass. So began the start of a brilliant career.

Though born into a traditional Chinese family where medicine or law were expected to be studied, Wang’s family supported her ambitions. She studied Material Science and Architecture at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), then moved to London for an internship at Foster and Partners. As the person creating PowerPoint presentations for competitions, she developed storytelling skills that still serve her.

Wang then completed a Masters in Art and Architecture at the Royal College of Art. Though she imagined a life in London, job prospects were limited, and she returned to Hong Kong. A friend connected her to a potential project: the renovation of The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. The two pitched the project in LA and were awarded the commission, beating many established practices. They designed the 60-key hotel interior, completed in 2010, and the project won a BOY Award in 2012. Over a decade later, it remains in step with 2025’s aesthetics.

Returning to Hong Kong to marry, Wang was offered a new project – a restaurant, AMMO. With only three months to complete the dramatic interior, she delivered it to sensational acclaim and in 2011, she established Joyce Wang Studio. With AMMO’s success, hospitality commissions followed: Landmark Mandarin Oriental in Hong Kong and Mandarin Oriental in Hyde Park. This led to a London studio opening in 2015. Restaurant designs include Spiga, Haymarket and ICHU in Hong Kong, Jin Gui in Hamburg, and Kyubi in London.

Recent projects include The Whiteley London, Club Batard Hong Kong, Berkeley Hotel London, and Equinox Hudson Yards. She also designed the award-winning Mott 32 restaurant in Hong Kong, which has since expanded to Las Vegas, Vancouver, Singapore, and upcoming locations in Dubai, Bali and Saba. Each of these sites has a unique personality that reflects the culture of its surroundings, while encapsulating the brand’s identity.

Wang’s designs create emotional connections, blending authenticity with experience and timelessness. Her work is known for attention to detail, cultural depth and elegance.

Joyce Wang is eloquent, grounded and inspired by travel, film, Art Nouveau, and architects such as Frank Lloyd Wright and Adolf Loos. What sets her apart is her ability to align her inspiration, taking the essential elements and incorporating these into an idea which is transformed into her vision for a design.

Joyce Wang has forged her own global pathway to success and is a powerhouse of talent. As a Luminary, she leads with finesse and unwavering style.