Challenge with The Lux Collective: the final between ideas, vision, and “conscious luxury”

The Challenge with The Lux Collective, developed in collaboration with international luxury hospitality group The Lux Collective, concluded in April 2026 with the final presentations by H-FARM College students. The initiative offered students the opportunity to engage with a real industry brief, moving beyond traditional academic frameworks to explore contemporary hospitality challenges through research, creativity, and strategic thinking.

At the centre of the Challenge is SOCIO, The Lux Collective’s newest hospitality brand, designed as a contemporary, design-led environment where meaningful connections, flexibility, and community shape the guest experience. Students were asked to reflect on how hospitality spaces can encourage authentic interaction while responding to evolving guest behaviours and expectations.

Following weeks of development, four student teams presented their proposals to a jury composed of senior representatives from The Lux Collective and H-FARM Foundation. The projects demonstrated strong strategic thinking and a thoughtful understanding of how hospitality design can balance social connection with personal autonomy. The jury included Denise Cattaneo, Veronique Berthier, and Paul Mulcahy from The Lux Collective, together with Anthony Saccon.

The winning project

The Challenge was won by Team 3—Elena Massaro, Leonardo Cudia, Matteo Polo, and Francesco Domenico Saltarelli—whose proposal stood out for its strategic clarity and strong alignment with the vision of the SOCIO brand.

Built around the concept of “permission-based design,” the project proposed a nuanced approach to hospitality, where guests are empowered to choose when and how they engage with others through intuitive spatial cues and adaptable environments. The concept explored how thoughtful design can progressively facilitate authentic and meaningful connections.

Reflecting on the students’ work, Paul Mulcahy, Chief Commercial Officer of The Lux Collective, commented:

“Hotels are among the most frequented places, yet they can also be among the loneliest. The winning team understood the essence of the brief. We were looking for fresh thinking—and what stood out was the depth of insight and creativity.”

The Challenge reflects H-FARM College’s commitment to experiential learning, giving students the opportunity to work alongside leading international companies and address real-world challenges while developing future-facing design and strategic skills.