Luciano Tiscornia’s connection to architecture began long before formal education. As a child in Buenos Aires, he accompanied his father—a self-made architect and builder—through construction sites, absorbing the process not just through sight, but through scent. The smell of lime and cement became an imprint of those formative years, tied as much to memory as to craft.
Tiscornia’s early career focused on residential luxury homes, restaurants, and hotels, embracing a visual language of form, precision, and spectacle. He was drawn to control, to architectural statements that resonated with sophistication. But over time, his priorities shifted. Exposure to poetry, drawing, and spiritual practices such as meditation and ayahuasca introduced him to a more reflective path—one that emphasized experience over aesthetics, presence over performance.
His evolving philosophy found grounding in the cultural complexity of his hometown. Buenos Aires, with its unique fusion of European influence and Latin American roots, helped redefine his understanding of space. What began as a search for architectural excellence became a deeper inquiry into how people inhabit and experience the built environment.
A turning point came during his time in Miami, where he worked on high-end developments. When a client insisted on a certain ceiling height merely because competitors had done the same, Tiscornia began to question the purpose behind his work. Despite the visual impact and elegance of these homes, he realized they lacked human substance. The revelation led him to close his studio and reset his direction, both professionally and personally.
Today, his process begins with the land. He visits each potential site in person, studying its landscape, history, and materials. He allows the environment to guide the design, using clay where clay is abundant, or bamboo where it grows naturally. Architecture, for him, has become a dialogue with place—an attempt to honor local culture and ancestral intelligence through design.
Tiscornia’s approach has become increasingly tactile and sensory. He considers the daily rituals of living—how one wakes, moves, rests—and crafts spaces to support those rhythms. Materials are chosen not simply for their appearance but for their connection to memory, climate, and local tradition. He often begins by sketching forms inspired by the surrounding landscape, especially in regions like northern Argentina, where desert textures and textile-making traditions influence both structure and spirit.
This philosophy finds its fullest expression in Anima, his boutique hotel brand. Each hotel, designed with 15 to 17 rooms, is rooted in its environment and culture. Rather than scaling up, Anima focuses on intimacy, awareness, and presence. The concept integrates tribal aesthetics, regional food, natural materials, and contemplative design to redefine luxury—not as excess, but as a return to simplicity and connection.
Tiscornia remains deeply involved in every facet of Anima, from scouting land to working with partners like Nomad and Relais & Châteaux. He approaches hospitality as he does architecture: as a holistic, immersive experience. For him, these spaces are not just places to stay, but frames for living well—where light, touch, rhythm, and silence play central roles.
Luciano Tiscornia no longer builds to impress. He builds to reflect, to connect, and to create spaces that feel deeply human. His work is a testament to the power of slowing down, listening closely, and letting nature and culture speak through design.