What Snarkitecture does

Snarkitecture is a New York-based design practice founded in 2008 by Daniel Arsham and Alex Mustonen, operating with 11-50 employees on bespoke spatial design, architectural interventions, and collectible object commissions. The studio serves cultural, commercial, and private clients worldwide, producing flagship retail environments (Kith flagships in Paris, Tokyo, and New York; GANT Stockholm; Billionaire Boys Club Miami; Cleveland Cavaliers Center Court), museum and gallery installations (Fun House at the National Building Museum; Hall of Broken Mirrors at Design Museum Holon; LSC Gallery Detroit; Nanzuka Gallery's LDH3110NZ in Tokyo), hospitality and wellness spaces (Manifest in Washington D.C.), office and event interiors (Jayaram Law at 54 W. 21st Street), and historic building restoration (Arsham Residence; 530 Broadway Lobby). The studio's methodology centers on reimagining familiar elements through unconventional applications of materials and structures — including amorphous sculptural forms, interactive installations with motion-responsive components (Sway, Loop, Basketball Run), and signature collectible objects produced through long-running collaborations with manufacturers such as Gufram (Broken Series), Uva (Slip Chair), 1882 Ltd. (Positive and Negative ceramics), Calico Wallpaper (Topographies), and Made by Choice (Lieksa furniture).

Snarkitecture's business model is project-based professional services complemented by licensed product royalties. Revenue is generated through commissioned design fees from enterprise clients — luxury and premium retail brands, cultural institutions, real estate developers, sports/entertainment venues, and high-net-worth private clients — on a custom quote basis with no publicly disclosed rate cards. A secondary revenue stream flows from licensing and co-manufactured collectible design objects distributed through brand partners in Italy, Portugal, the UK, and elsewhere. Go-to-market is direct, with no product-based sales channels; the studio relies on portfolio visibility, Instagram (@snarkitecture), editorial coverage, and participation in design events such as Salone del Mobile to generate inbound commissions. Pricing is opaque, contract cadence is multi-year on flagship engagements, and the studio explicitly does not publish standardized tiers.

The studio's competitive positioning rests on a distinctive "not art, not architecture" design language, founder Daniel Arsham's profile as a contemporary artist, and a portfolio of 20+ completed projects spanning the U.S., Sweden, France, Japan, Italy, Israel, and Korea. It competes in the high-end boutique design segment against firms with similar cultural-institution and luxury-retail client rosters, differentiated primarily by its sculptural material sensibility and the personal brand of its founders rather than by proprietary technology or scale economies.

Name

Snarkitecture

Legal name

Snarkitecture

Website

https://snarkitecture.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Snarkitecture is a New York-based design practice founded in 2008 that delivers bespoke spatial design, architectural interventions, and collectible objects for global luxury retailers, cultural institutions, museums, and private clients worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Design Consulting and Project Fees: Snarkitecture generates revenue through commissioned design projects for cultural, commercial, and private clients. Projects include retail spaces, hospitality venues, residential interiors, gallery design, and museum installations. Revenue is generated on a project-by-project basis with no standardized pricing publicly disclosed.
2. Collectible Design and Object Collaborations: The studio creates limited-edition furniture and design objects through collaborations with brands like Gufram, Uva, and 1882 Ltd., generating revenue through licensing and product partnerships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Snarkitecture is a New York-based design practice offering commissioned spatial design services across retail, hospitality, gallery, office, residential, and public art typologies. The studio creates immersive environments, architectural interventions, and collectible design objects through collaborations with manufacturers, distinguishing itself with a 'not art, not architecture' design ethos.

Product overview

Snarkitecture is a New York-based design practice offering architectural and spatial design services across multiple typologies. The company's portfolio includes retail environment design (flagship stores, arena shops), office and event space design, wellness environment design, art gallery design, historic building restoration, and public art installations. Collectible design products include the Broken Series furniture collection with Gufram, Slip Chair, and Positive and Negative ceramics with 1882 Ltd. Interactive installations such as Sway, Loop, and Fun House represent experiential design offerings. The studio's ethos of "not art, not architecture" emphasizes creating environments and moments that invite exploration, play, and reflection through unconventional approaches to materials and structures.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Retail and Brand Flagship Store Design Design of elevated retail spaces and flagship brand stores for sports teams, fashion brands, and lifestyle companies, featuring bespoke furniture, product displays, custom installations, and immersive spatial experiences inspired by local landscapes and cultural destinations.
• Office and Event Space Design Design of light-filled office lofts and event spaces that prioritize collaboration, comfort, and flexible workstations, incorporating custom furniture and architectural lighting.
• Historic Building Lobby Design Transformation of historic cast-iron building lobbies into gallery-like entry environments that contrast and celebrate early 20th century character while prioritizing functionality.
• Multifaceted Wellness Environment Design Design of integrated wellness spaces combining barbershop, retail boutique, cafe, and speakeasy elements within historic 19th century row houses.
• Residential Restoration and Intervention Restoration of modernist houses with contemporary interventions, balancing preservation of original architectural elements with unconventional functional and playful design touches.
• Art Gallery and Cultural Space Design Design of art gallery spaces within historic buildings, featuring sculpted facades, flexible display walls, and custom millwork with integrated lighting for art exhibition, including dual-purpose spaces that transition between gallery and other functions.
• Interactive Installation Design Design of participatory installations featuring spheres, marbles, mirrors, and sculptural forms that respond to human movement and touch, creating immersive environments for exploration and interaction commissioned for galleries, museums, and brand showcases.
• Museum Exhibition Design Design of comprehensive museum exhibitions featuring interactive rooms referencing familiar domestic elements, presented as freestanding structures recalling and reimagining traditional spaces through Snarkitecture's design lens.
• A Memorial Bowing Public Art Installation Public art installation commemorating the Orange Bowl Stadium using reconstructed letters from the original sign, creating an ambiguous moment between ruin and rebuilding.
• Broken Series Furniture Collection Furniture collection designed in collaboration with Italian radical design company Gufram, featuring Broken Mirror, Broken Bench, and Broken Square Mirror pieces that contrast technical precision with unexpected softness of foam material.
• Slip Chair Collectible Furniture Handcrafted chair in white oak with a marble stone slab base, manufactured in Portugal by Uva, featuring an unstable appearance that conceals durability through oscillating balance.
• Positive and Negative Ceramic Collection Ceramic vase collection with UK-based 1882 Ltd. revealing the technical process of bone china creation, including a vase and its corresponding mold as companion pieces.

Quantifiable outcome

• Completed flagship retail projects for major brands including Kith (Paris 16,000 sq ft), GANT Stockholm (6,000 sq ft), and Cleveland Cavaliers arena shop (6,700 sq ft)

Named customers14 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered secondary and core.

• 1882 Ltd.secondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Collaboration on Positive and Negative ceramic vase collection with UK-based ceramics company, exploring bone china production processes.
• GuframcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing collaboration with Italian radical design brand Gufram. Projects include Broken Mirror, Broken Bench, Broken Square Mirror, and Hall of Broken Mirrors installation. The collaboration combines Snarkitecture's architectural sensibility with Gufram's signature foam material technology.
• Calico WallpapercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Topographies wallpaper collection, featured in 54 W. 21st Street office and Arsham Residence projects. Custom colorways created for elevator interiors at 530 Broadway Lobby.
• Made by ChoicesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerFurniture collaboration producing Lieksa collection including conference tables, chairs, lounge chairs, and cafe tables used in Snarkitecture's own office and client projects.
• Arsham StudiocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Center Court project for Cleveland Cavaliers, creating custom signage aligned with the new identity. Daniel Arsham is co-founder of Snarkitecture.
• UvasecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerManufactured Slip Chair in Portugal - white oak wood frame with black marble stone slab. Limited-edition collectible furniture piece.
• CaesarstonesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioned for Altered States installation at Salone del Mobile 2018 in Milan, exploring quartz material applications in kitchen island design.
• COSsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerLoop interactive installation commissioned for Seoul gallery, inspired by COS's connection to playful modern design with suspended marble tracks.
• BaycrewssecondaryImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLocal partner for Kith Tokyo project, facilitating implementation in Japanese market.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Nendo: Tokyo-based design studio led by Oki Sato, working across product, furniture, and spatial design with a minimalist, playful aesthetic. Direct peer to Snarkitecture given similar product-plus-space approach and design-led installations for global brands.
• Rottet Studio: Houston/LA-based interior architecture firm (e.g., Four Seasons, Ritz-Carlton, luxury workplace). Direct peer to Snarkitecture in luxury hospitality and workplace interior design with a similar boutique-but-international profile.
• Diller Scofidio + Renfro: NYC-based art-architecture firm (e.g., The Shed, High Line, The Broad museum). Direct peer to Snarkitecture in art-driven spatial design and cultural-institution commissions, with a similarly conceptual, experience-led design approach.
• Tom Dixon / Design Research Studio: London-based design firm led by Tom Dixon, doing product design and interior design (e.g., The Coal Office showroom, restaurant and hotel interiors). Direct peer to Snarkitecture in the product-plus-interior design crossover and collectible-object business model.
• Heatherwick Studio: London-based design studio founded by Thomas Heatherwick, known for experiential architecture, public installations, and retail design (e.g., Coal Drops Yard, Google Bay View). Closely comparable to Snarkitecture given similar boutique scale, art-driven design philosophy, and flagship retail/cultural commissions.
• Yabu Pushelberg: Toronto-based design firm working on luxury retail, hotel, and residential interiors (e.g., Four Seasons, Louis Vuitton). Direct peer to Snarkitecture in luxury retail/hospitality design with a similarly international client base.
• Olson Kundig: Seattle-based architecture and design firm (e.g., Bob's Cabin, numerous residential and commercial projects). Direct peer to Snarkitecture in the combination of architecture with collectible design objects and highly crafted, brand-led projects.
• Roman and Williams: NYC-based design firm specializing in hotels, restaurants, retail, and residential interiors (e.g., The Standard hotels, Aesop stores). Direct peer to Snarkitecture given similar scale, NYC base, and luxury retail/hospitality/residential client focus.
• Studio Sofield: NYC-based interior design firm led by Will Sofield, known for luxury retail and hospitality projects (e.g., Tom Ford, Baccarat). Direct peer to Snarkitecture in luxury retail/hospitality design with comparable boutique scale.

Broad incumbents

• Rockwell Group: NYC-based design firm led by David Rockwell with a broad portfolio across hospitality, retail, theater, and cultural projects (e.g., Nobu restaurants, TED Theater). Broader incumbent peer given larger scale and wider typology coverage than Snarkitecture.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/snarkitecture
• Xx.com/snarkitecture
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/snarkitecture

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Snarkitecture