Bulgari recently opened a state-of-theart Shanghai hotel, a new addition in its stable of seven properties that have helped expand the high-end jewelry company’s footprint. But Bulgari isn’t the only luxury brand getting into the hospitality business. Baccarat, Armani, and Versace all have hotels with their names on them. And prepare yourself to see more: Bulgari reportedly has plans for another 15 additions—with future outposts in Moscow, Tokyo, and Paris—joining a list of locations that includes Dubai, Bali, and London in addition to the original Milan hotel.

Adrian Smith, founder of Chicago-based Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture, is known for designing unimaginably tall buildings. Along with his record-setting structures in Saudi Arabia, he designed the Central Park Tower, which is now rising and will be New York’s tallest residential tower when completed in 2020. We caught up with Smith, 73, to talk about his designs around the world and what makes them work.