Kastella was founded with a clear purpose to offer a more dedicated and design driven partnership to clients seeking thoughtful, high impact environments. After nearly two decades leading complex projects at globally recognized design firms, including a formative tenure at Gensler Los Angeles, founder Dimitra Dorbacopoulos was encouraged by trusted industry relationships to establish her own studio in 2023.

Rooted in her dual Greek and Angeleno heritage, Dimitra envisioned Kastella as a practice grounded in human centered design, where cultural depth, technical precision, and creative vision work together. The studio was built on the belief that strong design is both intentional and collaborative, shaped by context, experience, and respect for the people it serves.

Today, Kastella partners with clients and project teams who value clarity, integrity, and leadership. The studio continues to create environments that elevate experience, reflect authentic stories, and endure over time.

Kastella Καστέλλα is named after the historic hilltop neighborhood in Piraeus, Greece, connected to Dimitra’s family heritage. Known in antiquity as Munychia, the area has long been associated with civic life, creativity, and cultural exchange.

For Dimitra, Kastella represents more than a place. It reflects a way of thinking shaped by history, human connection, and care for craft. The name honors her ancestry and the enduring values that guide the studio’s work.

At the heart of Kastella Design Studio are principles drawn from Greek culture. Meraki speaks to doing work with intention and soul. Philoxenia reflects a deep respect for those who enter a space, emphasizing generosity, welcome, and care. Kefi embodies joy, energy, and the spirit that gives environments life beyond form and function.

Together, these values shape an approach to design that is thoughtful, human centered, and enduring. They inform how Kastella listens, collaborates, and creates spaces that feel meaningful, considered, and alive.

Design is both a problem solving discipline and a storytelling process. Every project begins with context and purpose, shaped by the people it serves and the conditions in which it exists.

Kastella approaches each project by listening first, understanding the story, goals, and constraints that define it. Through clarity of vision, cultural awareness, and technical expertise, ideas are translated into environments that are emotionally resonant, operationally sound, and built to perform over time.

Design decisions are guided by integrity, collaboration, and feasibility. Creativity is balanced with discipline to ensure outcomes that are purposeful, enduring, and aligned with real world conditions.