What Patten Studio does

Patten Studio is a Brooklyn-based creative technology studio founded in 2006 by MIT Media Lab PhD and TED Senior Fellow James Patten. It designs, develops, fabricates, and installs bespoke interactive artworks, brand activations, and permanent public installations for global luxury and tech brands, office and retail spaces, museums, and cultural institutions. Client engagements span one-off events (PepsiCo's Super Bowl XLVIII halftime show, Intel's CES exhibits for 2015 and 2016, La Mer's Edge of the Sea at Shanghai's Power Station of Art, Rag & Bone's NYFW runway) and long-duration permanent installations (Google's Toronto Event Space, Kennedy Center REACH plaza, LaGuardia Terminal B, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, Fisher Brothers' 605 Third Avenue lobby, Barneys New York windows).

Underlying the work is a full-stack technical capability spanning custom mechanical design, electronics design, software development, robotics, kinetic sculpture, projection mapping, and lighting and sound engineering. The studio's proprietary Exponent platform — a suite of custom printed circuit boards (DC and brushless DC motor controllers networked on RS485, analog signal processing circuits, communication circuits) and supporting firmware/software — is reused across flagship projects. Additional in-house hardware product lines include Swarm (third-generation tabletop robotics platform with SDK) and Lift (nitinol-driven interactive light feature). Half of studio profits are reinvested into internal R&D to sustain the technology pipeline.

The business model combines (1) custom experiential project services delivered on a quote-based, multi-year contract basis covering design strategy, design development, and project execution; and (2) hardware product sales of Swarm and Lift, also quote-based. Distribution is direct and inbound ([email protected], +1 718.414.6158), with extensive earned-media coverage in Forbes, Vice, Wired, Fast Company, Time, TED, and Communication Arts functioning as the primary demand-generation channel. The studio is privately held, founder-led, and bootstrapped through operating cash flow, with 1-10 employees and no external shareholders, parent company, or public listing disclosed.

Name

Patten Studio

Legal name

Patten Studio

Website

https://pattenstudio.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Patten Studio is a Brooklyn-based creative technology studio that designs, fabricates, and installs bespoke interactive artworks and brand activations for global luxury and tech brands, museums, retail spaces, and cultural institutions, leveraging a proprietary Exponent hardware platform and founder James Patten's MIT Media Lab research base.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Interactive Experience Design

NAICS

Interior Design Services (54141), Industrial Design Services (541420)

akta.pro primary industry

Scenic Fabrication & Set/Stage Carpentry (MPAGAKAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Event Signage, Props & Custom Installations (HSACAOAG), Creator Content Production & Co-Creation Studios (BPAFAHAD)

Keywords

• Interactive art installations
• Experiential design studio
• Kinetic sculpture design
• Brand activation experiences
• Custom electronics prototyping

Headquarters

HQ city

Brooklyn

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom experiential project services: Core revenue stream: bespoke design, fabrication, and installation of interactive art installations, brand activations, and permanent public artworks for global luxury brands, tech brands, museums, and commercial real estate. Project-based, one-time engagements combining design strategy, design development, and project execution.
2. Hardware product sales (Swarm and Lift): Sale of proprietary technology platforms: Swarm robots (25 units plus 55-inch MultiTaction display, wireless transceiver, computer, charging units, optional equipment cart) and Lift lighting fixtures. Sold with an SDK or custom-developed applications. Pricing is quote-based — 'For pricing, please contact [email protected].'

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Patten Studio designs, engineers, fabricates, and installs bespoke interactive art installations, permanent artworks, brand activations, and trade show exhibits. Each project blends custom electronics, mechanical design, software, robotics, projection mapping, and kinetic sculpture to create immersive, multi-sensory experiences. The studio also develops proprietary technology platforms (Exponent) and select hardware products (Swarm, Lift) that underpin and extend its installation work.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Custom Interactive Installation Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Edge of the Sea for La Mer attracted 20,000 visitors in 10 days and generated 1 billion+ social media impressions.
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability3 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• SOSO (design studio)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOSO conceived and led concept, design, content, graphics software, and software commissioning for three major permanent artworks installed at Google's Toronto Event Space (65 King East). Patten Studio partnered with SOSO to prototype, develop, produce, and integrate Yellow Brick Wall (85 mini displays in 995 handmade bricks), Ceramic Cloud (168 LED rings with First Nations ceramics), and All Points Canada (kinetic birchbark canoe pendants). SOSO also co-led the original concept, design, and content for Patterned by Nature (NC Museum of Natural Sciences). Multiple recurring collaborations across major commissions.
• MIT Media Lab Tangible Media Group (led by Hiroshi Ishii)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-running academic collaboration that originated with James Patten's doctoral research under Hiroshi Ishii and gave rise to PICO (predecessor to Swarm). Most recent collaboration: TRANSFORM — 1,500 motorized computer-controlled physical pixels developed for Lexus Design Amazing at Milan Design Week 2014. Patten Studio executed the electronics design and fabrication, mechanical fabrication, and assembly for the Tangible Media Group's concept. Also later featured at the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum exhibition 'Tools: Extending Our Reach.'
• School House (creative branding agency)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool House conceived and led interior design, concept, and creative direction for La Mer's Edge of the Sea installation at Shanghai's Power Station of Art. Patten Studio handled the interactive design, visuals, hardware, and software across five installations. Resulted in the Communication Arts 2021 Interactive Annual Award.
• Rockwell Group (and The Lab at Rockwell Group)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerRockwell Group served as architects on the $25 million lobby renovation of 605 Third Avenue and reached out to Patten Studio and Hypersonic to create a permanent art installation. Result: two 15' x 15' liquid crystal mosaic windows (900 tiles total) consuming less than 40W per panel.
• Hypersonic (and Plebian Design, Sosolimited)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCollaboration on Patterned by Nature at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences: Plebian Design and Hypersonic led concept, design, engineering, fabrication, and installation; Sosolimited led concept, design, and content design. Patten Studio designed, fabricated, and assembled the electronics that allow 3,600 liquid crystal elements to display moving images consuming less than 75 watts. Hypersonic also fabricated the kinetic window displays for Carine's World at Barneys New York.
• PixMobcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPixMob was commissioned by PepsiCo to transform 80,000 Super Bowl XLVIII attendees into human pixels and engaged Patten Studio to create the original software that turned these individual pixels into a functional screen at MetLife Stadium. The same technology was subsequently deployed at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.
• Andy CavatortacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAndy Cavatorta conceived and led concept, system design, fabrication, and software development for Gravity Harps (robotic musical instrument built for Björk's Biophilia tour). Patten Studio developed the electronics and firmware controlling the four 25-foot-tall pendulums, including motor control circuits with AVR microcontrollers and H bridges networked via RS485, with Python control software. Five-week production timeline.
• TEM Studio and Vincent de BellevalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTEM Studio in collaboration with Vincent de Belleval provided concept, creative direction, visuals, and programming for Rag & Bone's SS17 NY Fashion Week runway show. Patten Studio provided beacon electronics, mechanics, programming, and fabrication for the three giant motorized spinning projectors.
• Taylor GroupminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerTaylor Group delivered booth design, fabrication, and installation for Intel's CES 2016 SenseScape exhibit, a 12'x20' freestanding structure with 30 LCD screens and 25 Intel RealSense cameras. Patten Studio provided concept, design development, graphics, software & mechanical engineering, and installation.
• Marshall Retail GroupflagshipImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMarshall Retail Group engaged Patten Studio to design and deliver three permanent installations for their 15,000 sq ft Bowery Bay Shops in LaGuardia Airport Terminal B. Patten Studio handled concept through installation; MRG led the experiential retail strategy for the Terminal B marketplace.
• 5 Pointz curator (Marie-Cecile Flageul) and artists (Meres One, Djalouz & Doudoustyleart, Monsieur Plume, Jimmy C, Dustin Spagnola)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPatten Studio worked closely with the 5 Pointz curator to render each artist's work in an interactive format using custom machine learning software for the Bowery Bay Shops AI-driven digital mural installation at LaGuardia Terminal B.
• Ekene Ijeoma (artist)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArtist Ekene Ijeoma was commissioned by the Kennedy Center to create Heartfelt and reached out to Patten Studio to develop and implement the technology (custom electronics and software) needed to bring his vision to life. Patten Studio designed the circuit that sends a small electrical signal through visitors' bodies, plus embedded software to sense touch.
• Filipa Pimentel (production ceramicist)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerToronto ceramicist Filipa Pimentel produced dimensionally precise handcrafted bricks (995 total in 24 modules) and replicated ceramic bowls for Yellow Brick Wall and Ceramic Cloud installations at Google's Toronto Event Space, in collaboration with Patten Studio.
• AMDIminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAMDI served as installation partner for Yellow Brick Wall, Ceramic Cloud, and All Points Canada at Google's Toronto Event Space, completing installation in Spring 2024.
• Structure ToneminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerStructure Tone served as general contractor coordinating Flagscape's integration into the Manhattan financial center, including the welded steel frame secured to the floor's structural beams and submerged in concrete.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Artechouse: US-based operator of dedicated immersive digital art spaces in Washington DC, New York, Miami, and beyond, commissioning installations from artists and studios. Comparable to Patten Studio as both creator and host of large-scale interactive art installations aimed at cultural and brand audiences.
• Studio Drift: Amsterdam-based artist duo creating kinetic sculptures and large-scale light/art installations (e.g., Shylight, Franchise Freedom). Comparable to Patten Studio in the kinetic-art, custom-electronics, and museum/public-space installation category, with similarly research-driven creative processes.
• Random International: London-based studio known for Rain Room and other kinetic/responsive installations that blur art and technology. Directly comparable to Patten Studio on the kinetic sculpture, custom electronics, and gallery/museum installation axis, with similar craft-led positioning and art-meets-engineering ethos.
• teamLab: Japanese interdisciplinary art collective that creates large-scale, technology-driven immersive installations for museums, brand activations, and permanent public venues. Comparable to Patten Studio in the interactive-installation category and similar mix of museum and brand clients, though teamLab operates at a much larger scale and runs its own dedicated venues.
• Refik Anadol Studio: Los Angeles-based media artist studio producing AI-driven, data-sculpture installations for museums, brands, and architectural facades. Comparable to Patten Studio on the high-end custom installation / brand activation axis, particularly around large-format generative content for marquee venues.
• Meow Wolf: US-based immersive arts and entertainment company building permanent large-scale interactive environments (House of Eternal Return, Omega Mart). Comparable to Patten Studio in delivering permanent, walk-through, multi-sensory interactive installations, though Meow Wolf is vertically integrated with its own retail venues.
• Local Projects: New York-based experience design firm creating interactive museums, memorials, and brand experiences (e.g., National September 11 Memorial Museum, Cooper Hewitt). Closely comparable to Patten Studio on the museum/cultural and brand experience axis, with similar technology-meets-storytelling positioning.
• Ideum: New Mexico-based studio that designs and builds interactive exhibits, multitouch tables, and custom hardware/software for museums, zoos, and cultural institutions. Directly comparable to Patten Studio on the museum / cultural institution installation side, especially given shared permanent-installation projects like Light Loom.
• Moment Factory: Montreal-based multimedia studio producing immersive, interactive installations for public spaces, museums, and global brands. Closely comparable to Patten Studio in combining custom electronics, projection mapping, and software to build destination experiences for clients like Céline Dion, Disney, and the San Francisco Airport.
• ESI Design: New York-based experience design studio (part of the dentsu network) producing interactive installations, branded environments, and digital-physical experiences for clients like NASDAQ, JetBlue, and the Statue of Liberty. Comparable to Patten Studio on the permanent-installation / brand-experience axis, though larger and agency-network affiliated.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/pattenstudio
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/patten-studio
• Instagraminstagram.com/pattenstudio/?hl=en
• Facebookfacebook.com/147930495253360

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Patten Studio