25 Years Old
A quarter-century journey from interior architecture to cultural strategy, shaped by experience, relationships, and a deepening understanding of what truly matters to create lasting impact.
Birth: 1999
NBB was founded in 1999 by Niloufar Bakhtiar Bakhtiari, rooted in a passion for colour, texture, and the transformative power of space. What began as an interior architecture practice quickly became known for its distinctive approach—blending heritage sensibility with a contemporary boldness.
Niloufar’s grandfather, a renowned watchmaker and inventor in La Chaux de Fonds, instilled in her a deep respect for craftsmanship and the stories that spaces can tell. She learned how to choose each object, both for its intrinsic merits and for its relationship with other pieces. This foundation would prove essential in the years to come
Growing Up: Learning Through Practice
Over 25 years, NBB worked with private clients, luxury brands, and cultural institutions across the world.
The best projects take time. Rushing leads to superficial solutions. Deep understanding requires patience—watching, listening, researching, and immersing ourselves in context before proposing anything.
Relationships matter more than transactions. The most meaningful work emerged from long-term collaborations where trust could develop, where we could move beyond brief and budget to explore what truly serves both parties.
Culture and commerce can enrich each other. Through working with both luxury brands and academic institutions, we discovered how powerful it is when these worlds connect authentically—when a brand’s resources support genuine research, when institutional knowledge informs creative practice.
Heritage is not static. Living heritage requires constant care, interpretation, and renewal. It must be relevant to the present while honouring the past.
Adulthood: A Natural Evolution
Five years ago, something shifted. The work that most energised Niloufar was no longer the design itself, but the strategic thinking behind it—the research, the cultural connections, the long-term partnerships between institutions and brands.
She realised that the skills honed over two decades—understanding complex organisations, building trust, connecting disparate worlds, thinking in years rather than seasons—were exactly what was needed to create meaningful cultural partnerships.
The decision was made: NBB Design would continue with the talented team who had helped build it, while Niloufar would focus entirely on what she loves most—reading, researching, and shaping collaborations that bridge academia, institutions, and luxury brands.