Daniel Frisch Architecture

What Daniel Frisch Architecture does

Daniel Frisch Architecture (DFA) is a privately-held, high-end residential architecture firm founded in 1991 in Midtown Manhattan and incorporated as Daniel Frisch Architect, P.C. in 1997. Headquartered at 127 West 56th Street, New York, NY, the firm operates with a small team of approximately six to eight staff, including founder and Senior Partner Daniel Frisch (University of Virginia '87, Columbia '91; licensed in New York and Connecticut) and Managing Partner Kate Jiranek, a Certified Passive House Consultant. DFA serves affluent private clients across Manhattan, Connecticut, the Hamptons, Nantucket, and Virginia, and has completed hundreds of residential projects including apartments, townhouses, lofts, penthouses, farmhouses, and lake houses over more than three decades.

The firm runs two parallel service tracks. Custom Commissions deliver fully bespoke residential architecture with unlimited design choices, billed on a project-fee basis. The DFA Studio Program is a productized, pre-priced renovation offering targeting Manhattan co-op and condo gut renovations of 1,200–3,500 square feet, with architects' fees standardized at 20% of construction costs and pricing enabled by a proprietary cost database compiled from executed and ongoing projects. The Studio Program is executed in partnership with Zoom Contracting and other vetted contractors, preserving the traditional Client-Architect-Contractor triangular relationship rather than collapsing into design-build. Beyond core services, DFA has diversified into physical products including the patent-pending Fire Chair (launched at ICFF and WantedDesign, marketed via dfafirechair.com), DFA House (modular sustainable homes), Box Architecture (custom millwork and built-ins), and the DFA Signature Collection of bath fixtures developed with AF | New York.

DFA's go-to-market is portfolio-driven and regionally focused on the New York and Connecticut luxury residential corridor. The firm markets through a website portfolio, an active social presence on Facebook, Instagram, and Houzz, earned media in Architectural Digest, ELLE DECOR, NYC&G, CTC&G, and Litchfield Magazine, and industry participation including the NY Architects' Regatta and design fair appearances. Ancillary revenue streams include product sales and book royalties from "Looking Forward to Monday Morning" (ORO Editions, Fall 2024, $30 hardcover). The firm has open positions for a Junior Architectural Associate, received 2025 Litchfield Magazine Readers Choice Awards (3rd Place Architecture, 2nd Place Residential Design), and is nominated for Best of Litchfield County 2026.

Name

Daniel Frisch Architecture

Legal name

Daniel Frisch Architect, P.C.

Website

https://danielfrisch.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Daniel Frisch Architecture is a Manhattan-based residential architecture firm founded in 1991, offering bespoke Custom Commissions and the productized DFA Studio Program for high-end apartment renovations, plus proprietary products like the Fire Chair and DFA House.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Residential Architecture Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131), Residential Remodelers (236118)

SIC

General Bldg Contractors - Residential Bldgs (1520)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Architectural Reconfiguration & Structural Alterations (HSAPAEAB)

Keywords

• Residential architecture services
• Custom home design
• Apartment renovation services
• Interior design services
• High-end architectural design

Headquarters

HQ city

New York, NY

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom Commissions: Full-service high-end residential architecture and interior design for bespoke projects. Clients have direct contractual relationships with both the architect and contractor. Pricing based on project scope and complexity.
2. DFA Studio Program: Streamlined renovation program with pre-priced costs for Manhattan co-ops and condos (1,200-3,500 sq.ft.). Combines architectural services with construction through partner contractors on a fixed-price basis. Includes architectural fees (20% of construction costs), mechanical/structural engineering, and DOB fees.
3. DFA Studio Construction Partnership: DFA partners with Zoom Contracting to execute Studio Program projects. The firm analyzes a cost database to set pre-priced schedules, and contractors execute on a prix-fixe basis.
4. Product Sales: Sale of designed products including the Fire Chair (patent pending), DFA House designs, and the DFA Signature Collection (bath fixtures with AF | New York).
5. Book Royalties: Sale of 'Looking Forward to Monday Morning' book published by ORO Editions, Fall 2024, retail price $30.00.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Daniel Frisch Architecture is a high-end residential architecture firm offering two service lines: Custom Commissions for fully bespoke design of townhouses, apartments, lofts, country homes, and vacation residences, and the DFA Studio Program, a streamlined pre-priced renovation service for Manhattan co-op and condo gut renovations between 1,200 and 3,500 square feet. The firm also develops proprietary architectural products including modular DFA House designs, the patent-pending Fire Chair, Box Architecture millwork, and a signature bath fixture collection.

Product overview

Daniel Frisch Architecture (DFA) is a residential architecture firm based in Midtown Manhattan offering two primary service lines: Custom Commissions for fully bespoke high-end residential projects, and the DFA Studio Program for pre-priced, streamlined apartment renovations. Beyond architecture services, DFA has developed proprietary products including the DFA House (modular sustainable homes), Fire Chair (patent-pending fireplace furniture), Box Architecture (custom millwork solutions), and the DFA Signature Collection (bath fixtures with AF | New York). The firm also published Looking Forward to Monday Morning, a collection of essays on architecture practice.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DFA Studio Program: A custom, streamlined design and construction program for high-end apartment renovations offering economic and scheduling efficiencies.
• Fire Chair
• DFA House
• DFA Signature Collection
• Box Architecture

Products and services

• Custom Commissions
• DFA Studio Program
• DFA House
• Fire Chair
• Box Architecture
• DFA Signature Collection
• Looking Forward to Monday Morning

Quantifiable outcome

• 25%+ savings on architectural fees and construction costs through the DFA Studio Program

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Zoom ContractingcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDFA has partnered with Zoom Contracting to construct DFA Studio Program projects on a prix-fixe basis. Zoom understands the significant savings that the design and schedule efficiencies of the DFA Studio Program deliver and passes these along to the client. The partnership enables the pre-priced Studio Program model.
• Construction PartnerscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDFA works with carefully selected construction partners who are described as 'seasoned veterans and trusted DFA colleagues.' These partners embrace the goals of the DFA Studio Program: quality, efficiency, and timeless design. The program provides partners with consistent workflow, smooth professional relationships, and opportunity to build satisfying high-end homes.
• ORO EditionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublisher of 'Looking Forward to Monday Morning' book. Book released Fall 2024, available at bookstores and online sellers.
• AF | New YorkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on the DFA Signature Collection - Venn Flower & Interlocking Ring Bath Fixtures.
• Various Interior Design CollaboratorsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDFA regularly collaborates with interior designers on projects including: Kimberly Hall (Tribeca Penthouse), Claudia Farias Kalur/ckfinteriors.com (Longview), Katie Lydon/katielydoninteriors.com (Lower Fifth Duplex), Zoe Settle (Bronxville Modern), Kathleen Blakeway Webb (Central Park West Modern), Dana Getz (Lake Cabin), Courage & Co. (Connecticut Farmhouse), and others.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Workstead: Brooklyn-based design studio combining architecture, interiors, and lighting design for high-end residential and hospitality clients. Comparable to DFA's product-and-practice approach and luxury residential focus.
• Ferguson & Shamamian Architects: Established New York classical and traditional residential architecture firm designing homes, apartments, and country estates. Directly comparable to DFA in typology, client wealth tier, and traditional design vocabulary.
• Steven Gambrel: New York-based architect and interior designer known for high-end residential projects including townhouses, apartments, and country homes. Directly comparable in client demographic and integration of architecture and interiors.
• Turett Collaborative Architects: NYC-based architecture firm focused on sustainable, high-end residential, commercial, and institutional projects. Comparable in NYC location, residential focus, and credentials (including Passive House expertise via Kate Jiranek at DFA).
• Deborah Berke Partners: New York City architecture firm with a strong residential portfolio alongside cultural and hospitality work. Comparable in NYC location, high-end residential expertise, and design-forward positioning.
• Workshop/APD: Multi-disciplinary New York firm offering architecture, interior design, and product design for high-end residential clients. Comparable to DFA in combining bespoke architecture with productized offerings and a residential focus.
• Ashe Leandro: New York architecture and interiors firm focused on high-end residential projects, including apartments, townhouses, and country homes. Comparable scope, client profile, and integration of architecture and interior design.
• Peter Pennoyer Architects: One of New York's preeminent classical and traditional residential architecture firms, with an office in Manhattan serving high-end townhouses, apartments, and country houses. The most direct analog to DFA in scope, clientele, and design language.
• Ike Kligerman Barkley: High-end residential architecture firm with offices in New York and San Francisco, specializing in custom homes, apartments, and country houses. Comparable client base and project typologies to DFA's Custom Commissions practice.

Broad incumbents

• Robert A.M. Stern Architects: Large, established New York architecture firm with a residential practice (RAMSA Residential) designing high-end apartments, townhouses, and country houses at luxury price points. A broader incumbent with deeper resources and a more diverse portfolio than DFA.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/DFArchitecture
• Instagraminstagram.com/danielfrischarchitecture
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/daniel-frisch-architecture

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Daniel Frisch Architecture