Terry McGinnity, Global Executive Design Director, G.A Group
Swinging decorously from bold and sculptural to cool and calm, G.A Group’s portfolio is anything but predictable. Embracing creative collaborations, design integrity and avoiding signature looks, Terry McGinnity discusses the art of luxury.
Words by Emma Kennedy.
Founded in London 1985, G.A Group emerged as a visionary force in hospitality design, shaping an industry that looked vastly different from today’s diverse landscape. Four decades on and G.A Group continues to evolve, with five offices in London, New York, Kuala Lumpur, Budapest and Shanghai, operating under the creative leadership of Terry McGinnity. Consistently setting new standards in design, it blends innovation and expertise to redefine the guest experience in many of the world’s most luxurious hotels.
Making my way through the drizzle on a damp autumnal day, I arrived at G.A Group’s London headquarters in Camden. Occupying two floors of a Victorian warehouse, the ambience is relaxed and creative, with something of an art school vibe about it – albeit a very smart one.
Waiting for McGinnity to join me, I look down from the boardroom’s windows to a couple of old factory workshops below. “Ah, that was Anthony Caro’s studio,” says a softly spoken voice behind me, before adding, “Then it was Rachel Whiteread’s.” The Australian accent tells me Terry McGinnity is in the room, and introductions are made.
Drawn to hospitality design, McGinnity brought his architectural vision to London where the design scene was looking a little livelier than his native Australia. Joining G.A Design (as it was then) shortly after its inception, he worked across multiple hospitality projects, before being appointed Managing Director of the London office in 1998. A management re-structure in 2017 led to his current tenure of Global Executive Design Director and I begin by asking McGinnity what his role involves. “I’m basically responsible for overseeing all the offices and all the projects in a kind of quality control sense. But it’s not as all pervasive as it sounds,” he’s quick to add. “We’ve got excellent people in each office who are all great designers, and obviously I’m still very much involved in the design process. As a group we believe strongly in working together and operate as one office rather than individuals,” he tells me, explaining that projects aren’t allocated geographically. “It’s very flexible and cohesive, more like an Atelier, I guess.”
Despite being incredibly relaxed as he discusses work practices and office dynamics, as soon as the conversation turns to design, his focus and attention to detail becomes laser like.
When arrangements were being finalised for our meeting, we discussed including pivotal projects in the G.A portfolio and the notion that one commission often leads to the next. In preparation for the interview, McGinnity had arranged a presentation showing such projects, which apart from giving a clear timeline of the studio’s portfolio, also demonstrated the diverse array of styles, many of which admirably avoid falling into well-rehearsed design genres.

Left: Ariana’s restaurant, Atlantis the Royal, Dubai. Right: Bathroom, Ariana’s restaurant, Atlantis the Royal, Dubai
To appreciate the true diversity of G.A Group’s work requires little more than a whistle-stop tour of its recent projects. Few could have missed the unveiling of Atlantis the Royal, Dubai. Architecturally as bold as the brass, gold and steel that features throughout, the design narrative flows seamlessly around a water-based theme. Artworks and sculptures dominate the public spaces – falling, hovering, and standing tall – as water gently ripples round them. It’s a showstopping masterpiece of epic proportions.
“That was a huge job,” he tells me, “Probably the biggest job we’ve ever done, and it was a challenge.” Responsible for a sizeable proportion of guestrooms, suites with infinity pools, restaurants, and public spaces, there were planning, design and technical challenges at every turn. Tactile and textured, like many of G.A Groups projects, there’s a strong sculptural aesthetic to many of the spaces. “We are sculptured, because we have a strong architectural base,” McGinnity tells me. “We look carefully at the bones of a building, the form and the line. When you get the bones right, everything else falls into place. Although our focus is on the interior design, we use our architectural background as a skillset. It helps us understand a space more – making us more aware when it comes to structural matters, which in turn helps a job move forward. It drives integrity and gives a better grounding in very positive way.”
Cool, calm, and natural with sustainability at its core, 1 Hotel Mayfair whispered its arrival in 2023. Exuding quiet luxury in a soft palette of earthy tones, its handcrafted interiors in natural materials create a nature-driven take on modern luxury.
“1 Hotel is great,” McGinnity begins. “We’re really proud of that project. Everything here was done with an eye to sustainability and distance of travel.” As he talks, an image of the reception desk appears on the screen. “Even the desk,” he tells me, pointing at the image of a weathered tree trunk. “Our team went out and selected the tree from a farm in Sussex where it had fallen. They chose the biggest one they could find! …and the living chandelier,” he sighs, “Oh, that’s a favourite piece” The vast circular lighting piece, dressed in planting that is curated through the seasons, is the work of French artist Patrick Nadeau. “It struggled a little with the air conditioning, so it’s regularly sprayed – but generally it draws moisture out of the air, and it’s just so lovely.” As the screen moves onto the next project, he intervenes and rewinds to the previous image of the bar. “The detail to the top of the bar is especially unique, all those feathers were collected from Trafalgar Square, and then laid out under the glass. We were trying to find things throughout this project, that spoke about London in a different way.” he adds. This time, the talents of British artist, Kate MccGwire were called upon for the beautiful finish.
The next and most recent stop was Austria. The 2024 restoration of Rosewood Schloss Fuschl brought a 15th century hunting lodge into the 21st century. Sensitive in its approach, once again careful collaborations with local artisans have introduced a fresh contemporary aesthetic, whilst keeping the property’s historical heritage in clear view.
“It’s such a stunning location,” McGinnity begins, as the opening shot of the hotel perched on a lake appears. “It was a beautiful project. Those antlers,” he says pointing at an image of what one imagines could have once been a Great Hall, “We found them on site – we decided not to clean them up- just placed them back on the wall. There was a lot to work with, including an amazing art collection.” On the adjacent wall, an artwork by Georg Baselitz jumps out against traditional wood panelling. Is that representative of the collection? “No, it’s primarily Old Masters which was utterly incredible to be working with.” Spotting a delicately hand painted bar, depicting the lodge and the lake I ask about the artist. “It was another collaboration with local artisans. There’s a tradition of decorative painting in the Alps, which we introduced at key touchpoints throughout the hotel. It all added to the visual narrative we were trying to create.”
These are just three examples – and trust me there are many more – of the scale and variety of projects that McGinnity and his teams have created. Understanding that G.A Group deliberately shies away from a having a signature look, I ask him if he thinks hotels are taking the same approach.
“Yes, I think so, that sense of individuality is being recognised as valuable even within brands, but there does still need to be an underlying element that identifies them – you need to recognise where you are. If you go to an Aman – you’re relaxed and very calm, at Park Hyatt – awake and enjoying it, and if you’re at a W – then your senses are being stimulated, you’re being woken up,” he laughs. “Today it’s more about the feeling a hotel evokes, rather than a look. A Grand Hyatt for example, no longer needs to have the mega lobby and staircase that used to be their signature, but the design still needs to capture that sense of volume that speaks of a bigger experience.”
Once the impact of a G.A Group design has settled, it’s the creative detailing within that project that invariably draws the eye. As we discuss the various projects, collaborations with artists are a constant. Be it the colossal ‘Droplets’ sculpture at Atlantis the Royal, the living chandelier that organically dominates the lobby at the 1 Hotel Mayfair, or the decorative paintwork that pops up joyfully at Rosewood Schloss – they all become entwined in the hotels’ visual identity.
But it’s not just the decorative elements that is interesting when McGinnity discusses a project. Referencing design concepts that blur the lines between interior design and mechanical engineering, or light systems that would challenge an electrician, it’s clear McGinnity’s creativity pushes the boundaries other designers might hesitate to cross. His know-how – undoubtably informed by his architectural training – often appears to involve a skill set I would associate more with the trades. Where others may drift around such challenges, McGinnity dives straight to the core. His approach yields designs which have a distinctive quality that not only stand out but also exude a refined aesthetic and craftsmanship.
When previously discussing work habits, McGinnity admitted to seldom working from home, as there are too many distractions – unless he’s sketching. “I still love drawing. It was one of the main reasons I began designing. I can happily sit down and draw all day, and never get distracted,” he tells me. Studio leaders often express frustration that the younger generation of designers aren’t being taught to draw as part of their degree course. Does this worry him? “Yes, it’s true,” he admits. But, as he points out, it’s simply another challenge to tackle. “We’ve started running regular life drawing classes in the London studio which are very popular. We just thought it would be a good way to get everyone back to the drawing board – and it seems to be working.”
Throughout our conversation, McGinnity is notably reluctant to give direct answers when I ask what he believes sets G.A Group apart or why clients choose them over competitors. It’s unusual not to hear a stream of self-affirming statements about a studio’s unique selling points, but he doesn’t indulge in that. So, who am I to answer for him? Still, I can’t shake the impression that my first observation – the office atmosphere reminding me of my art school days – captures something essential. There’s an adventurous energy here, a sense that anything is possible.