Designer Friday: An aspire Exclusive Interview With Adam Kober

For the past two decades, Adam Kober has brought high-profile landscapes to life with his unique design sensibility. Sparked by the belief that exterior spaces can be made as stunning and inviting as any interior, Kober Design Group creates timeless landscapes that captivate and engage. As Founding Principal, Kober has led the firm to quick success in a variety of markets; from hospitality spaces, multi-use entertainment venues and captivating residential projects throughout the United States. Kober’s vision shines through the creativity and detail with which he designs each element of his projects. Elegant custom-carved limestone fountains, intricate metalwork, and artful glass mosaics set KDG’s designs apart. Kober’s dedication is shown in every step of his process, including the hand-selection of fully mature trees he sources and transplants – often from hundreds of miles away. Beyond hospitality, his portfolio spans commercial, residential, and retail developments — most notably American Dream, the second-largest shopping center in the U.S. See how Adam designs an outdoor space in today’s Designer Friday.

Palms Casino – Las Vegas, NV

Andrew Joseph: What design trends do you think will be popular in the coming years?
Adam Kober: In California the trend to use low water usage plants is increasing dramatically every year. Not only are people opting for these types of plants to help conserve water, but many municipalities are requiring more drought tolerant plant palettes as a fire prevention method too. California is plagued with wildfires every year, and the types of plants used in and around buildings can greatly impact how a fire behaves.

AJ: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received as a designer?
AK: Not every part of a design has to be solved at once. If you find yourself getting stuck, look for the low-hanging fruit, and get those areas worked out first. Many times the more challenging details or spaces of a design will almost magically figure themselves out as you work on the easier pieces of the design.

Rockefeller Center Channel Garden – New York, NY

AJ: How do you stay creative and inspired?
AK: Travel. Travel. Travel. I’m inspired by both old and new design, and traveling to experience other design/cultures all over the world is something that I think is an important investment in keeping my creativity fresh.

AJ: How do you balance functionality and aesthetics in your designs?
AK: In my opinion, it’s not necessarily a balance, but a complementary relationship between functionality and aesthetics that follow a necessary sequence. A successfully designed space has to function first and foremost. Once the space accomplishes its programming goals effectively, then you can polish the design with the aesthetic components. It’s more difficult and often frustrating to try and work in the reverse order.

Hotel Drover Fort Worth Stockyards – Fort Worth, TX

AJ: Can you tell us about a project where you had to incorporate a client’s personal collection into the design?
AK: I’ve had several projects in which a client requested to incorporate outdoor sculptures into their landscape. Some sculptures were incorporated into high-profile public spaces as temporary exhibits like at the Rockefeller Center Channel Gardens, and other sculptures have been placed permanently within private estates. We even have one client who is currently building an entire art gallery on their estate to house some of their collection. We are designing an adjacent sculpture garden with a meandering pathway. Each sculpture is placed to create a sense of discovery as you wander through the garden. Some notable artists that we’ve collaborated with include Jeff Koons, Damien Hirst and Marc Quinn.

AJ: What is your favorite design-related quote?
AK: “The best room in the home is not inside the house.”

Like what you see? Get it first with a subscription to aspire design and home magazine.