The Ankrom Moisan Travel Scholarship is an annual program that aims to provide Ankrom Moisan employees with the chance to stretch their thinking and advance the firm’s thought leadership and design innovation. Open to all Ankrom Moisan staff, it’s an investment in the design culture and community of our firm and industry. It’s an opportunity to explore design.
The winner of the travel scholarship gets ten days of paid travel and a $5,000 award to explore a design topic, immersing themselves in research and sharing their insights and findings with the firm.
“This scholarship represents who we are at our best – we’re curious, we’re bold, we’re future-focused and future-forward,” Alissa Brandt, Vice President of Interior Design, said.
Announced during February’s Quarterly Owners Meeting, the winner of 2026’s Travel Scholarship is Seattle interior designer Alison Gilbo, member of boutique hospitality design firm, The Society.
Her study, titled “The Future of Wellness in Design,” will explore Iceland’s biophilic design approach, subterranean geothermal retreats, community bathing culture, and remote hospitality environments shaped by nature. She intends to look at how these environments influence behavior and emotion, and how intentional design can support balance and restoration.
Iceland’s natural landscape
Alison also focuses on solo wellness travel, particularly for women, in her proposal – a growing movement that asks to consider how spaces support confidence, clarity, and connection on a very personal level.
The idea came to her after reading an article in Hospitality Design Magazine that proposed that the future of wellness and design would go beyond amenities like spas and fitness rooms, doing more to emphasize mental health restoration and rejuvenation.
“I began to think about what that looks like, because it’s something that hasn’t really been done quite perfectly yet in America,” Alison explained.
“The emotional power of design – how a space can calm, energize, inspire, or ground us has always been inspiring to me,” she said. “How the built environment affects mood, connection, and how thoughtfully designed spaces can actively support emotional wellbeing is something that I really wanted to learn more about.”
Alison Gilbo, winner of the 2026 Travel Scholarship
Iceland stood out to her as the perfect place to pursue her curiosity because of the country’s emphasis on community. “Their concept of communal bathing really stood out to me. Additionally, with their access to nature, Iceland’s architecture and interior design is very biophilic,” she added. “They work with the land. Instead of bulldozing everything down to build something new, they build around existing features and integrate the natural world a bit more.”
When Alison found out that her proposal was selected as the winner of the 2026 Travel Scholarship, she was thrilled.
“I’ve never applied for this scholarship before and wasn’t sure if my topic would land. I noted in my proposal that whatever I learn would apply to many of the markets we work in, not just hospitality but housing, senior communities, healthcare, and student housing as well.”
“Hospitality-driven amenities and the idea of wellness are a big focus for everyone right now. It seems that we’re all stretched thin these days with so much going on in society, so I really love that incorporating wellness and hospitality-forward design in otherwise residential spaces is an emerging trend. I think it could really be successful if done right. Hopefully whatever I learn positions both Ankrom Moisan and The Society as thought leaders when it comes to incorporating hospitality-driven amenities across all forms ofdesign here in the United States,” she said.
“What I’m most excited about is the opportunity to try it out myself,” Alison revealed. “As a working mom, I know what it’s like to be stretched thin. I think I’ll be a good test subject to see how Icelandic communal hospitality spaces feel, and how they impact or make a difference for me emotionally, mentally, and physically.”
“I’m also really excited to see the architecture and interior design there, and how it’s influenced by geographical location,” Alison added. “I’m planning on staying in multiple locations including luxury and boutique hotels in both rural and urban settings. I’m eager to see the differences and similarities between them all, as well as just how walkable and community-oriented things are there.”
City center of Reykjavik, Iceland
Congratulations, Alison, for being the 2026 Ankrom Moisan Travel Scholarship winner! We look forward to hearing about what you uncover on your travels this summer when you return to share your findings with the rest of the firm.