What COOKFOX Architects does

COOKFOX Architects is a privately held, New York-based architecture and planning studio founded in 2003 by Rick Cook and Bob Fox. The firm provides integrated architectural design services — including master planning, architectural design, interior design, and sustainability consulting — across commercial, residential, cultural, educational, and institutional project types. It operates a two-studio model, with its headquarters at 250 West 57th Street in Manhattan and a recently opened studio in Minneapolis.

The firm's core technical proposition is biophilic, high-performance sustainable design, executed through expertise in LEED Platinum delivery, Passive House standards, mass timber construction, adaptive reuse of historic structures, and all-electric mechanical systems. COOKFOX holds multiple firsts in the U.S. market, including the first LEED Platinum commercial high-rise (One Bryant Park) and has delivered marquee projects such as Google's St. John's Terminal headquarters, Terminal Warehouse (a 1.3M SF adaptive reuse), 555 Greenwich Street (all-electric LEED Platinum office), and the Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music. The technology stack emphasizes environmentally responsive architecture with measurable sustainability outcomes — for example, ~78,400 metric tons of CO2e retained through structural retention at St. John's Terminal and a ~50% embodied carbon reduction versus new construction at Terminal Warehouse.

COOKFOX generates revenue through professional architectural design fees on a project basis, with pricing determined by scope, complexity, and scale. The firm sells primarily into enterprise clients — large real estate developers (L&L Holding, Oxford Properties, Hines, Vornado, Columbia Property Trust, Albanese Organization), institutional investors (Norges Bank Investment Management, Trinity Church Wall Street), major corporate tenants (Google), cultural and educational institutions (Monmouth University, Cambodian Children's Fund), and nonprofit developers (Breaking Ground). Customer acquisition is driven by direct enterprise engagement, repeat developer relationships, and competitive commissions on landmark projects. The studio is led by founding partner Rick Cook alongside six additional partners and senior associates.

Name

COOKFOX Architects

Legal name

COOKFOX Architects, DPC

Website

https://cookfox.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

COOKFOX Architects is a New York-based architecture studio founded in 2003 that provides integrated, biophilic and high-performance sustainable design services across commercial, residential, cultural, and institutional projects for enterprise developers, institutional investors, and major corporate clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Design Services

NAICS

Interior Design Services (54141), Interior Design Services (541410)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Interior Design Services (BPAHAKAB), Space Planning & Workplace Design (BPAHAKAI)

Keywords

• Architectural design services
• Sustainable architecture
• Biophilic design
• LEED certified buildings
• Adaptive reuse projects

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Architectural Design Services: COOKFOX generates revenue through professional architectural design fees for commercial, residential, cultural, and institutional projects. Services include master planning, architectural design, interior design, and sustainability consulting for projects ranging from small residences to large urban developments.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

COOKFOX Architects provides integrated, environmentally responsive architectural design services across commercial, residential, cultural, institutional, and educational building types. The firm offers master planning, architectural design, interior design, and sustainability consulting, with a particular specialization in biophilic design and LEED-certified high-performance buildings, ranging from 1,400 SF residences to 2.2 million SF skyscrapers.

Product overview

COOKFOX Architects is a New York-based architecture studio founded in 2003 by Rick Cook and Bob Fox, providing integrated, environmentally responsive architectural design services. The firm specializes in biophilic design across diverse building types, including cultural institutions (Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music), commercial workplaces (St. John's Terminal for Google, 555 Greenwich Street, One Bryant Park), adaptive reuse projects (Terminal Warehouse, 100 Vandam), residential developments (150 Charles Street, 550 Vanderbilt, 535 Carlton), and institutional buildings (Neeson Cripps Academy, Betances Residence). The portfolio emphasizes sustainability certifications including LEED Platinum, LEED Gold, and Passive House standards, with projects ranging from 1,400 SF residences to 2.2 million SF skyscrapers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architectural Design Services

Quantifiable outcome

• One Bryant Park - first commercial high-rise to achieve LEED Platinum certification
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers11 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• L&L Holding CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevelopment partner for Terminal Warehouse - one of New York's largest adaptive reuse projects transforming a historic 1891 warehouse into a 1.3 million SF workplace and event space.
• Columbia Property TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevelopment partner for Terminal Warehouse adaptive reuse project in Chelsea, Manhattan.
• Oxford PropertiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloper for St. John's Terminal - reimagining a historic railroad terminal as Google's New York headquarters.
• GooglecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor tenant and design collaborator for St. John's Terminal - Google's new $2.1 billion New York headquarters in Hudson Square.
• Trinity Church Wall StreetcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevelopment partner for 555 Greenwich Street - transformative development in Hudson Square.
• HinescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevelopment partner for 555 Greenwich Street - LEED Platinum certified office building.
• Norges Bank Investment ManagementcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInvestment partner for 555 Greenwich Street development in Hudson Square.
• Breaking GroundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit developer for Betances Residence - 152 units of Passive House-certified supportive housing for seniors in the Bronx.
• The Albanese OrganizationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloper for 512 West 22nd Street - Chelsea office building bordering the High Line.
• Vornado Realty TrustmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloper for 512 West 22nd Street project in Chelsea, Manhattan.
• Monmouth UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClient for Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music - the official home of the Bruce Springsteen Archives.
• Cambodian Children's FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit client for Neeson Cripps Academy - school for 400 disadvantaged children in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
• LaGuardia Design GroupmajorTechnology or IntegrationLandscape architecture collaborator for Bruce Springsteen Center - designed the meadow and native plantings.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Perkins&Will: Perkins&Will is a large global architecture firm with a strong sustainability practice (LEED Platinum projects across healthcare, education, workplace). Comparable to COOKFOX as a broader incumbent competing for institutional and commercial commissions, with similar emphasis on high-performance building design.
• HOK (Populous parent group): HOK is a large global AEC firm with deep sustainability practice and workplace design expertise. Comparable to COOKFOX as a broader incumbent competing for commercial, institutional, and cultural commissions with similar emphasis on high-performance building design and LEED-certified projects.
• Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM): SOM is a globally established architecture and engineering firm with deep expertise in supertall commercial buildings and high-performance design. Comparable to COOKFOX as a broader incumbent competing for the same flagship commercial RE developer commissions, though operating at much larger scale and across more sectors.

Direct peers

• SHoP Architects: SHoP is a NYC-based architecture firm known for large-scale commercial, residential, and cultural projects with strong design innovation. Comparable to COOKFOX through shared NYC base, developer client relationships (e.g., major Brooklyn and Manhattan projects), and emphasis on ambitious mixed-use and adaptive reuse developments.
• Handel Architects: Handel Architects is a NYC architecture firm specializing in large-scale residential, commercial, and mixed-use developments. Comparable to COOKFOX in NYC market focus, residential and commercial developer client base, and similar project scale (550 Vanderbilt, 150 Charles Street are direct peer-type projects).
• FXCollaborative: FXCollaborative is a NYC-based architecture, interiors, and planning firm serving commercial, residential, and institutional clients. Directly comparable to COOKFOX in target segments (commercial RE developers, cultural institutions), NYC geography, and integrated design service offerings.
• Snøhetta: Snøhetta is a global architecture and design practice with strong sustainability and biophilic design credentials across cultural, workplace, and public projects. Comparable to COOKFOX through shared emphasis on environmentally responsive design, biophilic principles, and high-profile cultural institution commissions.
• Studio Gang (Studio Gang Architects): Studio Gang is a Chicago- and NYC-based architecture firm known for sustainable, biophilic, and environmentally responsive design. Comparable to COOKFOX through deep commitment to sustainability, cultural and institutional client base, and similarly project-based design fees.
• Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF): KPF is a major NYC-headquartered architecture firm with deep expertise in commercial skyscrapers and large-scale urban developments. Directly comparable to COOKFOX given overlapping commercial real estate developer client base, similar project scale (signature skyscrapers), and shared focus on high-performance workplace design.

Emerging players

• Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG): BIG is an internationally recognized architecture firm with strong sustainability credentials (LEED Platinum commercial projects, mass timber innovations). Comparable to COOKFOX as an emerging global player competing for the same high-profile tech, commercial, and cultural institution clients with sustainability-forward design.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cookfoxarch
• Facebookfacebook.com/cookfox
• Instagraminstagram.com/cookfox/?hl=en

Compliance13 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 COOKFOX Architects