MONAD Studio

What MONAD Studio does

MONAD Studio is an interdisciplinary design research and creative studio founded in 2004 in New York by principals Eric Goldemberg and Veronica Zalcberg, now operating from Miami Beach. The studio investigates spatial perception and rhythmic form through experimental design, speculative architectural proposals, digital fabrication, interactive sound installations, and the development of 3D-printed experimental musical instruments and sonic sculptures developed in long-running collaboration with musician-luthier Scott F. Hall and composer Jacob Sudol. Its core deliverables are exhibition-oriented installations, competition entries (MoMA PS1 Young Architects Program finalist 2008; Holmenkollen Ski Jump; Buenos Aires Architecture Biennale), 3D-printed sonic instruments (Xenophone, F1 Bichord, Vertical Zhu, GEMINI Twin Serpents, WallArt Piano series with Lucid Pianos, ABYECTO monobaribasitar), and research publications including the 2011 monograph 'Pulsation in Architecture.' Outputs have been shown at MoMA, PS1, the 17th Venice Architecture Biennale (Italian Pavilion), Art Basel Miami, Wolfsonian-FIU, Miami Symphony Orchestra, and numerous international galleries.

The business model is project-based and research-driven rather than commercial. The studio does not provide services requiring architectural licensure in Florida, and no public pricing exists. Revenue, where generated, flows from exhibition commissions, competition prizes, occasional commissioned works, and related ancillary activities. Eric Goldemberg's role as Associate Professor and Digital Design Coordinator at Florida International University, plus his directorship of the AA Visiting School Miami, provides a separate academic salary stream and access to fabrication facilities at FIU Miami Beach Urban Studios. Customer engagement is concentrated in two segments: museums and cultural institutions (MoMA, PS1, Wolfsonian-FIU, Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU, Venice Architecture Biennale, Buenos Aires Architecture Biennale) that host installations, and academic institutions (FIU, Columbia, Architectural Association London) that engage the principals for teaching and research. The studio is privately held by its two co-founders, has no outside investment, no parent company, and has never publicly disclosed revenue.

Name

MONAD Studio

Legal name

MONAD Studio

Website

https://monadstudio.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Short description

MONAD Studio is an interdisciplinary design research and creative studio founded in 2004, investigating spatial perception and rhythmic form through 3D-printed experimental musical instruments, interactive sound installations, and speculative architecture, serving museums, biennales, and academic institutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Design Research and Experimental Fabrication Services

NAICS

Industrial Design Services (54142)

SIC

Musical Instruments (3931)

akta.pro primary industry

Pro Audio Equipment (Mics, Interfaces, Mixers, Studio Monitors) (MPAIAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Digital Arts & Design (Graphic Design, Illustration, Animation) (EDAMAAAB)

Keywords

• Experimental musical instruments
• Sound art installations
• Digital fabrication design
• Speculative architecture research
• 3D-printed sonic sculpture

Headquarters

HQ city

Miami Beach

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Exhibition and Installation Projects: The studio develops research-based and exhibition-oriented work including competition proposals, exhibition installations, and experimental prototypes. They do not provide services requiring architectural licensure in Florida. Revenue appears to come from exhibition fees, competition prizes, academic affiliations, and potentially commissioned works.
2. Academic and Teaching Activities: Eric Goldemberg serves as Associate Professor and Digital Design Coordinator at Florida International University, and Program Director of AA Visiting School Miami. Academic teaching and research activities contribute to studio operations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

MONAD Studio is an interdisciplinary design research practice that develops 3D-printed experimental musical instruments, interactive sound art installations, and speculative architectural design studies using digital fabrication. The studio's work investigates spatial perception and rhythmic form across scales, producing individual commissioned and self-initiated works that are exhibited at museums, biennales, and galleries, or integrated into academic teaching at Florida International University.

Product overview

MONAD Studio is an interdisciplinary design research and creative studio, not a unified product platform. The studio's work spans five interconnected domains: experimental sonic instruments (3D-printed musical instruments developed with musician-luthier Scott F. Hall), sound art installations (interactive installations with composers), architectural design studies (speculative proposals and competition entries), digitally fabricated prototypes (3D-printed art objects), and educational programs at Florida International University. These offerings are research-based and exhibition-oriented rather than commercial products. The studio does not provide services requiring architectural licensure.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Experimental Sonic Instruments A portfolio of 3D-printed experimental musical instruments developed by MONAD Studio in collaboration with musician-luthier Scott F. Hall, including the Xenophone + Lap Guitar, F1 Bichord (piezoelectric cello), Vertical Zhu (piezoelectric percussion harp), GEMINI Twin Serpents, Hybrid Slide Guitar, Segmented Bass Guitar, Upright Hexachord, ABYECTO monobaribasitar, and WallArt Piano series. Designed for musicians, sound artists, and experimental performers; exhibited at venues including Art Basel Miami, MoMA PS1, and the 3D Printshow.
• Sound Art Installations Interactive sound installations created by MONAD Studio incorporating 3D-printed sculptural elements with integrated sound components, including ABYECTO Sonic Environment + Guitar, Sonic Centipede, LA COLE Sonic Installation, BORBOLETTA installations, BUNDLES OF JOY, and LA COLE. Produced in collaboration with composers such as Jacob Sudol and exhibited at venues including the Venice Architecture Biennale, Buenos Aires Architecture Biennale, FIU Miami Beach Urban Studios, and the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU.
• Architectural Design Studies Speculative architectural design proposals and competition entries developed by MONAD Studio, including P.S.1 MoMA (finalist 2008), EPICenter Park, NOW Art Incubator, WOLFSONIAN Museum Pavilion, and urban studies for Miami, Buenos Aires, Oslo, and other locations. The work explores rhythmic geometries, folded tectonic systems, and the relationship between architecture, art, and sound, and is developed for cultural institutions, biennales, and international architecture ideas competitions.
• Digitally Fabricated Prototypes 3D-printed art objects and design prototypes developed by MONAD Studio, including the FARFALLA Modular Candleholder, LIGHTHUGGER sculptural lantern, STUCK TOGETHER PIECES installation, and CHUPPAH MARIPOSA ceremonial canopy. Produced for exhibition at art galleries, design shows, and the 3D Printshow in New York, exploring digital fabrication, modular aggregation, and sculptural form.
• Research Publications Academic publications authored by MONAD Studio's principals, including the book Pulsation in Architecture by Eric Goldemberg (J.Ross Publishing, 2011), which examines rhythmic perception and sensory experience in spatial design and features contributions from Peter Eisenman, Greg Lynn, and Jessie Reiser. The studio has also contributed to volumes such as [En]Coding Architecture, Architecture in Formation, and Architecture Xenoculture, documenting research into rhythmic perception and spatial organization.

Quantifiable outcome

• One of five finalists in 2008 MoMA PS1 Young Architects Program competition
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 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

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Scott F. HallcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMusician-luthier collaborator on experimental musical instruments including the ABYECTO monobaribasitar, Hybrid Slide Guitar, Upright Hexachord, Segmented Bass Guitar, F1 Bichord, GEMINI Twin Serpents, Vertical Zhu, Xenophone, and Borboletta Electric Bass. Ongoing collaboration spanning multiple projects.
• Jacob SudolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerComposer and computer musician who creates interactive sound components for installations, transforming sculptural elements into resonant surfaces using sonic transducers. Collaborated on LA COLE, Sonic Centipede, and ABYECTO installations.
• Florida International UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEric Goldemberg serves as Associate Professor and Digital Design Coordinator at FIU Department of Architecture. Studio collaborates with FIU Miami Beach Urban Studios for fabrication and hosts teaching projects with students.
• Lucid PianosmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on experimental piano designs including WallArt Piano and WallArt Piano 2.0, integrating MONAD Studio's 3D-printed sculptural forms with Lucid's piano expertise.
• Heliopolis 21 / Alessandro MelismajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational design collaboration on Borboletta installation, presented at Venice Architecture Biennale and Buenos Aires Architecture Biennale.
• Anouk WipprechtmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFashion-technology designer collaborating on SONIFICA performance project featuring Viktoria Modesta, integrating interactive wearable devices with MONAD's musical instruments.
• Architectural Association School of Architecture (London)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEric Goldemberg serves as Program Director of AA Visiting School Miami, affiliated with the prestigious London-based architectural association.
• LIGHTROOM / William CarpenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVideo production collaboration on Borboletta Venice Biennale project, co-creating Borboletta Electric Bass.
• Wolfsonian-FIU MuseummajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple exhibition collaborations including Digital Nouveau exhibition and ongoing installation presence. Jacob Sudol's FLEA Ensemble performs David Tudor's Rainforest IV using MONAD's Stuck Together Pieces.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• THEVERYMANY (Marc Fornes): Paris-based computational design research studio by Marc Fornes, developing large-scale digitally fabricated architectural installations. Comparable to MONAD's speculative, computational approach to form generation and digital fabrication for art and architecture.
• Jenny E. Sabin Studio: Cornell-based research practice developing computationally designed, materially innovative architectural installations. Comparable to MONAD as an academic-anchored research practice producing exhibited, fabricated installations at international venues.
• Random International: London-based studio known for 'Rain Room' and other experiential installations using technology and digital fabrication. Comparable to MONAD in developing interactive sound/light/spatial installations exhibited at MoMA, Venice Biennale, and other major cultural venues.
• Aranda\Lasch: Brooklyn-based design and art studio combining architecture, art, and computational design with digital fabrication. Comparable to MONAD as an interdisciplinary research-driven practice at the intersection of architecture, art, and modular aggregation systems.
• Studio Drift: Amsterdam-based interdisciplinary studio creating technology-driven sculptures and installations exploring nature and human perception. Comparable to MONAD as a design research practice bridging art, technology, and physical fabrication, exhibited at major international museums and biennales.

Regional players

• Ernesto Bedmar: Argentina-born architect practicing speculative, research-driven architecture with international exhibitions. Comparable as a Latin American architect with academic affiliations and exhibition-based practice, though focused on conventional architectural design rather than sonic instruments.

Broad incumbents

• teamLab: Tokyo-based interdisciplinary art collective producing large-scale digital and immersive installations. Comparable to MONAD in producing exhibited, research-driven installation art; operates at significantly larger commercial and organizational scale.
• Studio Olafur Eliasson: Berlin-based studio by Olafur Eliasson producing large-scale environmental art and installations. Comparable in producing research-driven, exhibition-focused work with international museum presence; larger scale and broader public profile than MONAD.
• Neri Oxman / MIT Media Lab: Research group at MIT developing design at intersection of architecture, computation, and biology with digital fabrication. Comparable to MONAD's interdisciplinary research approach combining material experimentation and form generation, though at much larger institutional scale.

Others

• Greg Lynn Form:

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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 MONAD Studio