StudioMDA

studioMDA
Company typePrivate company
IndustryDesign
HeadquartersManhattan, New York
Key people
Markus Dochantschi,
Number of employees
18
Websitestudiomda.com

studioMDA is a full-service design firm offering services from zoning analysis, programming through full technical documentation and project implementation with the mission of challenging the boundaries of design.

Our work includes a wide range of typologies including cultural, commercial, institutional, mixed use and both affordable and high-end residential projects.

Over the past 20 years, the studio has become the catalyst for the revitalization of two art districts in New York, designing and building over 30 galleries in Chelsea and Tribeca, where the office has emerged as the unofficial planner of New York City’s new arts district growing between Walker Street and White Street.[1] StudioMDA has emerged an authority on art spaces and other cultural buildings working extensively with renowned art collectors, artists, and gallerists like Marian Goodman Gallery, Alexander Gray Gallery and Karma Gallery, among many others.

The largest projects to date for the office are the 55,000 sqft Phillips Auction House Headquarters in New York City completed in 2021, the 80,000 sqft Center for Advanced Mobility in Aachen, Germany, completed in 2022, the new 35,000 sqft Marian Goodman Gallery in Tribeca, completed in the Fall of 2024, and a 100,000 sqft private contemporary art museum in Thailand starting construction in 2025.

The office has worked extensively in major historic districts in Manhattan and has worked closely with the Landmarks Preservation Commission to obtain approvals for a range of projects at different scales and complexities. With a sensitivity towards preservation and incorporating historic elements of each building to modern building techniques, the office has been able to add unique and notable characteristics to many galleries in Tribeca and Chelsea, highlighting their respective identities.

studioMDA has also worked with large developers and has performed zoning analysis for potential sites and projects across Manhattan. Working closely with Related Companies, the office has studied the second phase of Hudson Yards, west side lots in Chelsea and Midtown as well as areas of Brooklyn.

Within the art world, studioMDA has designed over 300 art fair booths at global art fairs like Art Basel, TEFAF and Frieze for Helly Nahmad Gallery, Edward Tyler Nahem Fine Art, David Nolan Gallery and Nahmad Contemporary, among several others. Working closely with gallery clients to design their booths has added a very important scale to the portfolio of the office, providing a deeper understanding on circulation, lighting and the way art is viewed at its most optimal environment.

Before starting studioMDA, Markus Dochantschi ran the office of Zaha Hadid Architects for seven years and was Head Project Manager on the Rosenthal Contemporary Arts Center in Cincinnati. He has taught an Advanced Studio at Yale University with Zaha Hadid, Stefan Behnisch and Gerald Hines (2003), and an Advanced Studio at Columbia University’s Graduate School for Architecture, Planning and Preservation (GSAPP) from 2008 until 2017. Dochantschi has also served as the director of the Global Cities Architecture Program (GCAP) at GSAPP. He has lectured at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design (GSD) and has been a guest critic at the Architectural Association, the Cooper Union, the University of Pennsylvania, Princeton University, ETH Zurich, and the Hochschule für Angewandte Kunst in Vienna.


Selected Projects

Completed

Cultural

Residential

  • 2024 Upper East Side Apartment, New York
  • 2024 Wellness Spa, Upper East Side Residence
  • 2022 West Village Townhouse, New York
  • 2022 Upper East Side Townhouse, New York
  • 2021 Waverly Avenue Residence, Brooklyn, New York
  • 2020 Water's Edge Residence, New York
  • 2020 Watertower Penthouse, New York
  • 2020 Franklin St. Residences and Gallery, New York
  • 2020 West Village Carriage House, New York
  • 2018 East 78th Street Townhouse, New York
  • 2018 Pool Pavilion, Bridgehampton, New York
  • 2018 Southampton Residence, Long Island, New York
  • 2018 Sagaponack Beach House II, Long Island, New York
  • 2017 East 71st Street Townhouse, New York
  • 2014 Sur Lago Residence, Tuxedo Park, New York
  • 2014 UES Townhouse, New York
  • 2014 Fort Greene Townhouse, Brooklyn, New York
  • 2014 Fifth Avenue Penthouse, New York
  • 2013 West Village Carriage House, New York
  • 2013 137 Franklin Street, New York[16]
  • 2012 Detiger Loft, New York[17][18][19][20]
  • 2012 Sagaponack Barn, Sagaponack, New York
  • 2009 Tuxedo Park Residence, New York
  • 2009 Showtime House, New York
  • 2008 Anchorage Residence, Alaska
  • 2007 Stockholm Penthouse, Sweden
  • 2007 740 Park Avenue, New York
  • 2007 Noho Loft, New York, NY
  • 2007 Greenwich Street Residence, New York
  • 2007 Governor’s Road Residence, Bronxville
  • 2007 Park Avenue Penthouse, New York,
  • 2006 Maplewood Residence, New Jersey
  • 2006 Chappaqua Residence, Chappaqua, New York
  • 2006 Central Park West Residence, New York
  • 2005 Chile Beach House, Chile
  • 2005 Lima Beach House, Lima, Peru
  • 2005 Bronxville Residence, Bronxville, New York

Institutional

Commercial

Exhibitions

Art Fairs

  • Independent Art Fair, Spring Studio, New York (2023)
  • Independent 20th Century Art Fair, New York (2022-2023)
  • 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair Masterplan, New York

David Nolan Gallery, NY

Dirimart Gallery Istanbul

Helly Nahmad (New York art collector), NY

Edward Tyler Nahem Fine Art

Paul Kasmin Gallery, NY

Nahmad Contemporary, NY

  • FIAC /Foire Internationale d'Art Contemporain, Paris (2014-2019,2021)
  • Frieze Art Fair, London (2017,2019,2021)
  • Independent Art Fair (2022)
  • Paris+ Art Basel (2022-2024)

Richard Taittinger, NY

Malborough Gallery, NY

Anton Kern, NY

Van de Weghe, New York

Johyun Gallery, South Korea

Hammer Galleries, New York

Michael Rosenfeld Gallery, NY

Fine Sound Group

  • Munich High End (2015)

Gary Nader Art Center, New York

  • Art Rio (2016)

Conceptual

  • Urban Mobility Fleet Center, West Side Manhattan, 2022, New York
  • Phillips Headquarters, 2021, Hong Kong
  • Governors Island Climate Center, 2021, New York
  • Hudson Yards Phase II Towers, 2019, New York
  • FARROC, 2013, Queens, New York
  • Condominiums, 2013, Tanzania
  • Osnabrück Comprehensive School, 2011, Germany
  • ARC Competition, 2010, Colorado
  • Munich Olympics, 2010, Germany
  • Raising Malawi, 2009, Malawi
  • Tempelhof Competition, 2008, Berlin, Germany
  • Bam Tower, 2007, New York
  • Governors Island Biomass Park, 2006, New York City
  • Harbor Park Pavilion, 2005
  • Forsythe Dance Studio, 2004, Vermont
  • U2 Tower Competition, 2003, Dublin, Ireland

In Progress

  • Private Art Museum, Thailand
  • West Village Townhouse, New York
  • Upper East Side Gallery, New York

Selected Awards

  • 2025 German Design Award - Center for Advanced Mobility, Aachen, Germany
  • 2024 IF Design Award - Center for Advanced Mobility, Aachen, Germany
  • 2019 Architizer Awards, Cultural-Gallery Category - Kasmin Gallery, New York

References

  1. ^ His Soft White Cube is Conquering TriBeCa. The New York Times. March 27, 2023
  2. ^ Eileen Kinsella (17 September 2019). "Luhring Augustine Joins the Influx of Galleries Opening in Tribeca with a New Space Launching Next Year". ARTnews. Archived from the original on 18 September 2019. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
  3. ^ Lois Weiss. "Auction house Phillips reveals new 432 Park Ave. Headquarters". New York Post. Archived from the original on 5 November 2019. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  4. ^ Devin Gannon. "Designs revealed for Phillips auction house's new home in 432 Park Avenue's white cube base". 6sqft. Archived from the original on 30 October 2019. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  5. ^ Andrew Russeth (28 November 2018). "ARTnews". ARTnews. Archived from the original on 29 November 2018. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
  6. ^ "Faurschou Foundation to Inaugurate 12000-Sq. Foot Space in New York with Fall Exhibition Featuring Artists from Louise Bourgeois to AI Weiwei". ARTnews. Archived from the original on 17 September 2019. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
  7. ^ "Daniel Buren Injects Color Inside Bortolami Gallery's New Manhattan Space". Interior Design Magazine. Archived from the original on 27 May 2022. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
  8. ^ "Rodney Graham". 303 Gallery. Archived from the original on 27 April 2015. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
  9. ^ Duray, Dan (27 August 2012). "303 Gallery to Open Second Location". 303 Gallery. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
  10. ^ "303 Gallery". Archinect. Archived from the original on 30 May 2015. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
  11. ^ "Paul Kasmin Gallery, 27th Street by StudioMDA'". Dezeen. 2012-07-25. Archived from the original on 2016-02-08. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
  12. ^ Sanjay Gangal (2012-11-08). "Paul Kasmin Gallery by StudioMDA'". AECCAFE. Archived from the original on 2013-07-23. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
  13. ^ Calendar Main Event – Art Happenings. Manhattan. 2008. p. 64.
  14. ^ Savino, Chiara. (2009). Gallerie D'arte. Milano: Motta Architettura.
  15. ^ Dailey, Jessica (30 January 2013). "One Duplex Remains at Almost – Complete 137 Franklin Street". NY Curbed. Archived from the original on 27 May 2022. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
  16. ^ Quinn, Bradley (2012-09-01). Go With the Flow. ELLE. pp. 160–169.
  17. ^ Elgort, Robert (Winter 2007). Tomorrow's Party. Vogue Living. pp. 122–127.
  18. ^ Dupuis, Fabienne (October 2007). Manhattan Transfert. ArtTravel. pp. 112–117.
  19. ^ Remetsch, Christiane (Feb 2009). Loft in new York. AIT.
  20. ^ "studioMDA". Editorial. Interior Design. 2011. pp. 232–233.
  21. ^ "Thanks to studioMDA for FLH Office Remodel". Friends of the High Line. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 13 April 2015.
  22. ^ "Audi Showroom". Archived from the original on 2015-05-12. Retrieved 2015-04-28.
  23. ^ "Tracy Anderson Dance Studio by StudioMDA'". Architizer. 4 November 2009. Archived from the original on 2016-11-26.
  24. ^ "WhatIf? Office Building by StudioMDA'". Archello. Archived from the original on 27 May 2022. Retrieved 14 April 2014.