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Hiroki Asai: Designing the Journey

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AIR DATE: June 24, 2025

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Working at the intersection of user experience, visual communication, creative leadership and systems thinking, Hiroki Asai blends his design talent and love for travel as Airbnb’s Chief Experience Officer. Evan and Josh recently visited San Francisco and participated in the full ecosystem of what the company is offering before sitting down with Asai to talk about skateboarding, modernism, local cuisine and travel adventures. They got a special look at how important and impactful end-to-end design is at Airbnb.

This Old Ledge: Skate History and Architecture in SF

https://www.airbnb.com/experiences/5915329

Hyperlocal, foraged fare by Clair

https://www.airbnb.com/services/6068057

Design Tangents

Hosted by COOL HUNTING founders Evan Orensten and Josh Rubin, Design Tangents takes listeners on a journey into the minds of artists, designers, musicians, tech pioneers and visionaries.

Evan Orensten

Evan Orensten is interested in the intersections of COOL HUNTING’s content categories, an accomplished cook, serviceable photographer and enthusiastic storyteller and globetrotter. He’s the co-founder and Executive Editor of COOL HUNTING.

Josh Rubin

Josh Rubin is COOL HUNTING’s founder, editor and executive creative director. He brings his background as a photographer and expertise as a user experience designer to his point of view on what makes a good story for CH—this most often include some kind of intersectionality between art, culture, technology and design. Josh is a bit of an urban hippie, obsessed with most things Japanese, a Sealyham Terrier lover and very food motivated.